Ericjor Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I am planning to purchase my nephew blacksmithing equipment for his 13th birthday, the forge is almost finished, i have a 75# anvil lined up, leather apron, am planning on getting a cross peen hammer, which i have heard is a good choice. Couldnt find a set of hot chisels online, so a hacksaw will have to work for now. He is looking forward to learning knife forging, and already has some experience under his belt. However I am not sure what type of tongs would be a good choice. There are so many types i have no idea which would be ideal. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Tongs are something he can learn to make for himself and are nice starter projects. Flat tongs are easy to make yourself to start. Having a few basic tongs at 1st won't hurt however. I like V bit tongs and the chainmakers or bolt tongs with the large rear area are good for things like rivets or railroad spikes as well as normal stock. Gooseneck or offset box tongs are good for flat stock like knives. as are the standard box tongs. I have a set of those for 1/4" stock.in the offset style and 1", 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" in the standard to cover the flat material I work most often. V bit tongs will hold both square and round stock and often hold one size bigger that stated easily without reshaping. I have a few basic ones in 3/8", 1/2" and 5/8" since those are the sizes I work most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericjor Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 thank you, your response was very informative, i think i will go with a pair of v-bit tongs and a pair of offset box tongs, as they look a bit more versatile than standard box tongs. Am I right in assuming so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 If he wants to make knives a flat tong would be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Ericjor, Good on you for helping your nephew get started. I saw your posts in the anvil section and will second and third the advice given to wait for a good real anvil rather than getting a junker from ebay. I looked for a long time for my first anvil but I am glad I did. I made do with a cast iron piece of junk but beat the crap out of it before I found a 150 pound steel anvil at a feed store. Tongs: I do most of my work using used horseshoes and the tongs I use the most are what are called fire tongs. They are not ideal but are versatile for the various width and thicknesses of shoes I play with. I also have a couple of pair of wolf jaw tongs that are the Swiss army knives of tongs, They aren't real good for most things, but do alot of things OK. Just my 2 bits NC Tool and Centar Forge both have tongs and other tooling, try looking at places that buy estates and lots of old stuff and you may find some useful pieces. Good hunting Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petere76 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Eric, You are good guy helping out the next gen. In re tooling, think about the simple things you need in the shop. Steel scale, silver pencils, soap stone, a good hack saw frame, spare hack saw blades, spare gloves, tools might include, hammers( 2lb cross peen) wire brush, a good set of tongs that are somewhat universal (wolf jaw) maybe make him a cut off hardie that fits the anvil. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 If you start him with a forge, anvil and hammer, he really can make his own tools from there. My biggest suggestion, role up our sleves and learn along with him. Good memories for you, great self asteam builder for him. He gets to see uncle Eric's willingness to learn, even from a kid. Besides, he's going to need a striker pretty soon ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 As to tongs, in some cases I use ViseGrips. All you really need is something that will securely hold the material while it is being worked. I would also suggest safety gear like glasses, and good ear plugs. Both of which I wear while smithing. At his age he really needs to learn to protect his hearing now, and not have to deal with Tinnitus later. Tinnitus is an accumulative problem in that it builds up over time. Anytime you have ringing in your ears you have done permanent damage even though it may fade away with time. In the long run it will get to a point like it has with me where it doesn't fade away, and only gets louder from now on. I wear foam plugs that have a noise reduction rating of 33 db. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Membership in a local blacksmith group to get some hands on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I would also suggest safety gear like glasses, and good ear plugs. Both of which I wear while smithing. At his age he really needs to learn to protect his hearing now, and not have to deal with Tinnitus later. I buy earplugs in dispenser boxes of 1000 and hand them out at any opportunity. Offcuts of flat and round bar to play with and make some punches, drifts and chisels are very handy for a beginner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 *books* "Backyard Blacksmithing", "Complete Modern Blacksmith"etc Books are tools! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Just because Tommas is a bibliophile, dosent mean he's wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1forgeur Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I hope you like blacksmithing too. I have a feeling you will be doing it. One way or the other!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 About clothing in a hot shop. Natural fibers only, synthetics have a nasty tendency to melt when contacted by hot stuff, then it sticks to your hide and deep fries you. And NO Nomex may be fire proof (sort of) but it still melts to you if touched by hot steel, clinker or most anything more than about 350f. Wool, cotton, hemp, leather only. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caladin Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Amazon has a hot chisel just search for "slitting chisel",but I made mine by regrinding a flat dasco chisel (the blue ones at home depot) on a 1X30 belt grinder just needs a flatter edge bevel. Just don't get it too hot... but those dasco chisels are some hard stuff...(like this one, but at home depot http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dasco-Pro-337-1-1-4-x-12-Flat-Utility-Chisel-/181366902409 ) Really Simple tongs he can make himself are found by searching "bsa tongs blacksmith" and clicking the iforge link (not related to this iforge iron) or click here:http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/gc_tongs/top_index.htm Other tools A vice, if it's a normal machinists vice make sure the jaw can be flipped to be non marring. Post vices are much better but harder to find at a good price online. A use one of either kind is pefect... Even one of the baby vices you clamp onto a table is better than nothing, but bolted to something sturdy is much better.. A decent wire brush A flat file a small box of 1/4" dia by 1" long mild steel solid rivets... again for making his own tongs and tools & simple Joinery($10 or less, try Mc Master carr if you can't find them any other way (they are fast but no cheap) It's not a typical answer, but I'd get him a cheap 1" by 30" belt sander... and a set of asst.belts(Can get more at home depot, lowes etc), help him to make his own tools and clean things up Harbor freight has on for $40ish http://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-60543.html and a cheap electric drill (HF ~$20) and a nice set of Cobalt (the metal not the brand) drill bits... expensive but oh so worth it...(Dont' buy neiko brand, get a brand you've heard of) Also I'd get him some 1/2" square mild steel (Twist are hella fun and easy), and some 1/8-1/4 thick 1" wide flat mild bar. as stock to work with. If he has access to a welder the list changes, more supplies and plans to make simple tools, fewer tools Cal- P.S. A fire extinguisher... should be within 5 seconds of where he is forging... really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Bryan Morgan Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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