Size of steel for tongs

[Ridgewayforge]

Hello all,

Permit me to pick your collective brains on something. I want to make tongs. Simple, flat bit tongs, to hold 1/4" stock. What would be a good starting size of stock for a project like this? I know 1 1/2" X 1/4" flat is a good size, but can I make it out of 1/2" square or some other size?

 

Thank you,

Ridgeway Forge

[Backwoods Blacksmith]

I would use 5/8 or 1/2 in round but you could certainly start with 1/2 sq.

[Daniel.85]

I use 1/2" round, square would work too, just a little more work.

[eric sprado]

I scored a bunch of 1/2" square a couple of years ago and have made a  bunch of tongs from it. Especially good for handling 1/4" stock..

[Larry H]

normally you would use 3/4 sq, but 5/8 is o.k, ....1/2" is kind of light,  once you draw the reins there is a possibility that a good squeeze will bend them. Just my opinion

[ThomasPowers]

Personally I would go with automotive coil spring or sucker rod and make use of it's higher carbon content and strength to make light springy tongs---more work to forge down into tongs but then the lighter tongs are less work during use. (You do have to take care to not overheat them and then quench both in the making and in the using!)

[joshua.M]

personally i like to make my tongs from 2.5" round.... nice and flexible that way ;) 

[ThomasPowers]

Well that's one way to work off the holiday pounds!

[MOblacksmith0530]

You can use 1/2 in ch square or round al long as it is small stock and the reins arent too long. I use sucker rod almost exclusively and use them as forged they make nice springy tongs. You can get sicker rod as small as 5/8 I think I know I have had some 3/4 before. Most of mine is 7/8 or larger and I draw them under the power hammer. If you are going to use mild steel then make sure you leave them dimensionally a little taller than wide in the reins and that will give you a little more strength.

[Jack Evers]

You can use 1/2 in ch square or round al long as it is small stock and the reins arent too long. I use sucker rod almost exclusively and use them as forged they make nice springy tongs. You can get sicker rod as small as 5/8 I think I know I have had some 3/4 before. Most of mine is 7/8 or larger and I draw them under the power hammer. If you are going to use mild steel then make sure you leave them dimensionally a little taller than wide in the reins and that will give you a little more strength.

 

 

 You are correct. API (American Petroleum Institute) sucker rods are available in 1/8 inch increments from 5/8 to 1-1/8 inch diam, but 5/8 is not a common size. Very shallow wells. Likely 1000 feet or less.

[Ridgewayforge]

Where would I obtain Sucker rod from? Around Maryland I do not know of too many petroleum wells. Also, what would you all think "too long reins" are on tongs made from 1/2" stock? I will keep in mind to make them slightly rectangular along the vertical axis.

 

I plan to make them like this video does, only with drawn out reins instead of welded. I need the practice drawing out long pieces, anyways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAkpqmp4uz0

[Jack Evers]

You list Stuebenville, Ohio as a location. The Steubenville, Pittsburg, Morgantown area has a lot of oil activity. Can't help with Maryland.

[MOblacksmith0530]

Thanks Jack Evans for that info. I think i had read that somewhere before now that you mention it.

[MOblacksmith0530]

I would say reins longer than about 14 inches for mild steel would be too long. That is from the joint to the end. This is my opinion only. if what you are forging is really light and you can train yourself not to overgrip then they will work well. One time squeezing too hard and you will have to repair them. Having said that since it is mild steel most re-bending could be done cold.

[ThomasPowers]

I'm quite a distance from any oil activity yet I see sucker rod come through the scrap yard fairly often as used rod is often sold for making fences or other secondary or tertiary uses. Easy to recognize when it has the ends still on it. Hard to recognize when it's had them chopped off---important as as mentioned it can range into the medium carbon range and so needs to be treated as such---another reason I tend to desert normalize everything rather than quench stuff.

[Francis Trez Cole]

My self I have been playing with it for a while. I used the machines hand book as a guide http://www.anvilfire.com/bookrev/ind_pres/tongs_chart.htm its a good starting point I like 3/4" stock

[Countryforge]

I use 1/2 inch or 5/8 coil steel from spring coils it allows you to make fine tongs with good strength and great recoil to the reins.

[Ridgewayforge]

Having not yet made any tongs in my life, I am going to start off with 1/2 round mild stock. Thanks for all the help and input!

[doc]

This is just my .02 ,but anyone inexperienced at tong making should start with as large a stock size as practical,meaning 5/8" - 3/4" square. The reason being that the beginner will find that the tendency to forge the juncture between the jaw and pivot boss too thin will be their biggest problem. So starting with larger stock helps eliminate this issue. 

[Grafvitnir]

@Ridgewayforge

You may also watch this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH980wjMyaM

 

Rubén

[fluidsteel]

That was a great demo on making tongs. Thanks! I left my two best of my 4 sets at a friends. I was going to make some and this will really help.
I know this is a month old, but who's the smith doing the demo?

[Ridgewayforge]

The first video is by Gary Huston, and the second is Brian Brazeal. The tongs turned out well, when I attempted them, but I would go with larger stock. The tongs I made are perfect for holding leaf-letter openers.

[eric sprado]

A cheap source of really good steel for tongs is old tire irons!! They are great steel. Most of the ones I pick up at yard sales are 9/16 diameter. Pretty acceptable diameter for most tongs Being 5160( or a very good likeness) they hold shape very well. One tire iron with ends trimmed off make a pair of tongs. 50 cents at yard sales or thrift stores.  Make great punches and chisels of all sorts.

[FieryFurnace]

@Ridgewayforge

You may also watch this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH980wjMyaM

 

Rubén

 

 

I'll second this post!

[Big-D]

I used 3/4" square for 90% of the tongs I make.