Dale M. Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 OK so its a broad request .....But yes I know what tongs are used for ... After picking up a hot piece of steel today more times than I spend working it on anvil I realize I need to know and understand a lot more about tongs.... I just don't know what the jaw shapes are when trying to link them to a name.... Like what are : Fire Tongs Single Pickup Tongs Double Pickup Tongs Triple Pickup Tongs V-Bit (Bolt) Tongs Wolf Jaw Tongs Box Jaw Tongs Duckbill Tongs Open Mouth Tongs Flat Nose Tongs Round Nose Tongs Rivet Tongs What I am trying to do is identify what each type of tong does and get good idea what gripping surfaces are shaped like so I can purchase a few tongs to get me started to where I have a few tongs to allow me to make more tongs and understand the "function" of different tong types... Any pictorial or tutorials or links the really define what the shape of the tongs are... Thanks... Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Olivo Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 A good thing to do is to google things before you ask on here and see if it helps https://www.google.com/search?q=fire+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a https://www.google.com/search?q=single+pick+up+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a https://www.google.com/search?q=double+pick+up+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a https://www.google.com/search?q=triple+pick+up+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb http://www.centaurforge.com/V-Bit-Bolt-Tongs/products/208/ https://www.google.com/search?q=wolf+jaw+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a https://www.google.com/search?q=box+jaw+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a http://www.centaurforge.com/Duckbill-Tongs/products/204/ https://www.google.com/search?q=open+mouth+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale/wholesale-flat-nose-tongs.html https://www.google.com/search?q=round+nose+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a https://www.google.com/search?q=rivit+tongs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a A good thing to do is make a bunch of different ones and try them out. Adjust tongs to fit whatever it is that your working. They are easily modified when you need to. Poz tongs are another one that you might look into. There are a couple of types that Brian Brazeal makes that are handy for different operations. You should be able to find them if you google them. Mark Asperys first book deals with making box jaw, flat jaw, ferrier flat jaw and I think a few other tongs as well as many other good things. Well worth the money that book is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert A Rasch Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Edited by Albert A Rasch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 here is a good book that is free you want page 20 it explains what items are held with what tongs. By no way is this all tongs but it will give you a good start. remember all tongs were designed to make the work easier and have a better grip on what you are trying to hold. There many hybreads out there someone is always to make a better wheel. this is a good starting point. http://www.metalwebnews.org/ftp/blacksmithsmanual.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I would like to contest that pick-up tongs are meant to pick up steel out of a swedge block, or off the floor, and are not to be used to hold metal when it is actually being forged. I could be mistaken, but that's how I learned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale M. Posted February 2, 2013 Author Share Posted February 2, 2013 Think this is really good start..... Maybe once completed it would make good sticky... here is a good book that is free you want page 20 it explains what items are held with what tongs. By no way is this all tongs but it will give you a good start. remember all tongs were designed to make the work easier and have a better grip on what you are trying to hold. There many hybreads out there someone is always to make a better wheel. this is a good starting point.http://www.metalwebnews.org/ftp/blacksmithsmanual.pdf Thank you sir... In all my GOOGLE searches I must have missed this one.... Whole document is instructive.... Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar.esq Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Dale, Every time it seems like the answer is obvious it's worth remembering what Michelangelo once said: "If you knew how much work went into it you wouldn't call it genius". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironduck Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Dale, I'm not sure I know what tongs you are calling "round nose", unless you are talking about farrier's tongs? As for making the jaws on your tongs, always consider their intended function. For example, box jaw tongs made too light or thin will not do well to hold thick material, and conversely rivet tongs made too stout will draw too much heat from the rivet before you get to upset the rivet. Considering that you're just starting and looking for information, I would like to add to the reference that Francis Trez Cole provided, The Blacksmith's Manual, thought slightly off topic, you might be interested in other "free" manuals that were published by The Rural Development Commission (RDC) such as The Blacksmith's Craft, Wrought Iron Gates, and others. You can download PDF versions of these at http://www.hct.ac.uk under the reference or download tab (just can't remember right now). Another good site for information is ABANA or doing a search on the Internet Archive (search for tongs, blacksmith, metal work, etc). Good luck with your hammering, Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhblacksmith Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 If you can locate a copy of "Blacksmiths' and Farriers' Tools at Shelburne Museum" by H.R. Bradley Smith, it has an excellent chapter on the various tongs and their names and uses. This is a catalog of actual tools that were in use in the trade and collected and documented for the Shelburne Museum's shop in Shelburne, Vermont. There is a ton of information on tongs and other aspects of blacksmithing in the book. I believe it is long out of print but Amazon shows some used copies for $25. If you are in the area the museum is a great place to visit and learn. Further info at: http://shelburnemuseum.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob S Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 If you can locate a copy of "Blacksmiths' and Farriers' Tools at Shelburne Museum" by H.R. Bradley Smith, it has an excellent chapter on the various tongs and their names and uses. This is a catalog of actual tools that were in use in the trade and collected and documented for the Shelburne Museum's shop in Shelburne, Vermont. There is a ton of information on tongs and other aspects of blacksmithing in the book. I believe it is long out of print but Amazon shows some used copies for $25. If you are in the area the museum is a great place to visit and learn. Further info at: http://shelburnemuseum.org/ I'll sell my copy for $25 plus shipping. Good condition. Send me a private message if interested. Bob S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmangeler Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 I will coment on ridgeway's statement, I use pickup tongs for forging depending on the item. One of the aspects of pickup tongs is that the pivet point is normally farther from the jaw end, this means that the tong jaws will grip a larger range of sized objects. For some jobs the shape and size can change quite a bit in one heat especially under a powerhammer. It is nicer to have a jaw that give more leverage and a more precise fit, but it does not always work. I can not think of any time that I habitually used a different tong to get steel out of the fire than the one I planned to do the forging with, it would just be ineffiecent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale M. Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 Edited by Albert A Rasch Why was this post removed... IT was about the only intellectual information on why tongs are called what they are and how they are constructed.... Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 I do use pickups to drag things out of the gas forge so I can get the v bit or round tongs around them. Often there is not enough room to fit the larger tongs in, especially when I have multiple irons in the fire. If the work is entirely on the powerhammer dies I will use pickups to forge with. If the work is hanging off the edge of the dies it it not really safe to use them to forge with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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