Everything Mac Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 Hi everyone, I've been meaning to do a thread like this for a long while. I'd like to show you my progression of tong making from my first to my most recent. These are my most recent tongs made just last week. These were made from 16mm square stock. about 12" long I think. They're far from perfect, but a significant improvement over my first set. Like anything practice makes perfect, I rather enjoyed making this set and I'm looking forward to making another set in the near future. Here you can see all of the tongs I've made. With the very first pair on the left, and my more recent pairs on the right. The photo below shows my first pairs in more detail. The pair on the right are for holding arrow heads, a job they excel at and the only pair I'll use out of these early tongs. The tongs below are my more recent ones. I made the scrolling tongs shortly after getting a copy of Mark Aspery's book hence the more angular boss. I actually really like this style. I hope you can see the gradual improvement and this gives any beginners out there a boost to know your tongs will improve the more you make them. It's like anything, practice makes perfect. I know I'm a long way off perfect but hopefully I'll get there eventually. If I can do it, so can you. I'm looking forward to making a few more sets of tongs in the near future. All the best Andy Quote
Ethan the blacksmith Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 most of those tongs have really good structure.in my experience, that is quiet difficult!well done! Quote
Everything Mac Posted May 14, 2015 Author Posted May 14, 2015 Thanks Ethan. They're all useable. But I rarely use my early tongs, mainly because I have better ones available to me now. I'll keep at it. All the best Andy Quote
tzonoqua Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 Andy, they all look better than my attempts!! I'm a self confessed rubbish tongmaker! I can make nice log and coal tongs for fire sets but never seem to make good ones for working for myself. well done! Quote
Everything Mac Posted May 15, 2015 Author Posted May 15, 2015 Thanks, that means a lot. All the best Andy Quote
Francis Trez Cole Posted May 19, 2015 Posted May 19, 2015 You are on the right track, the key to good tongs is the transitions from jaw to boss to reins. Keep at it now pick up some 1045 steel to make them. That is what the tong making companies use Quote
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