A Little Assistance Please

[archiphile]

In this video, Jim Poor gives us and idea about how he makes tongs. This is a trailer for his dvd so lots is left out. What I really want to know is, in the portions starting at about 2:54 in the video, he is using a striker to shape the tongs over the bick in a very specific way. I want to know how one might accomplish the same thing w/o a striker. Video to follow:

[CTBlacksmith]

I can think of two ways that i might do it. The first one would be to probably just use my cross pein and keep my hits as accurate as possible. Like he said just a little bit at a time, dont rush it. The second and more time consuming one i might consider if i was going to make a few of these tongs would be to make a spring fuller that would only have a top section. The top would be probably a 1/2 or 5/8 round bar that would extend past the face and use the horn as the bottom of the fuller. I dont know how well this would work but it is just an alternate idea.

[Mills]

Most straightforward method would be good hammer control. I have tried that method since it looks so good and clean. Generally I went to using long stock and gripping between my legs. In effect becoming my own striker. More recently though, I go to my treadle hammer for the help.

[Mainely,Bob]

I think he best answer would be to look at the thread "one heat tongs" by Brian B.
He has videos to show how to do it there and even a demo using clay.
More than one way to skin this particular cat.

[Rio Bravo]

Maybe you should buy the video...

[Glenn]

Strikers make things easier but I can think of several ways the same thing can be accomplished with just one blacksmith. Contact the blacksmith in the DVD and ask him.

[Francis Trez Cole]

My 2 cents I would make a spring fuller with the bottom the same shape as the horn and the top with a 1/2" to 3/4" round stock depending how much an impression you want.