Poking around trying to find stuff on basket.  birdcage twists for handles.  Came across these.  Just may have to try a set for kicks.

 

 

 

Someone's attempt to keep the jaws parallel at multiple widths.  Unfortunately, they will not pinch hard like conventional tongs because of the leverage lost in the links.  An interesting exercise to be sure and certainly well made, but probably not as "universal" in actual use as one might like.  

I doubt that there is any leverage lost. The geometry will give the same force at the tip as at the outer fulcrum. Gripping thick objects there is a definite increase in pressure excerted by the jaws. I think this will ofset any power lost by friction in the linkage.

Cheers

Göte

I doubt that there is any leverage lost. The geometry will give the same force at the tip as at the outer fulcrum. Gripping thick objects there is a definite increase in pressure excerted by the jaws. I think this will ofset any power lost by friction in the linkage.

Cheers

Göte

​Um, that is only true if you discount the fact that the "universal" tong suffers 3 times as much friction loss at the pivot points. 

If these were the "cat's meow", you would see them used in more shops.  I think it's a great example of forging skill but the practical benefit is not great enough to offset conventional tongs.  However, the great thing about being a blacksmith is that you can make a set and see how they work!

They're sure cool and I can see uses for them regular tongs don't do so well but I'll reserve my opinion about how well they work till I try them out.

Maybe a little tweaking of the basic idea would turn them into compound lever tongs. Parallel jaws that put a death grip on the work without me having to take a death grip myself might be DE BOMB.

Then again it might be more hassle than it's worth. Something to experiment with though.

Frosty The Lucky.

Seems like they would grab tapers.

Ric

If a person were to put an adjustment screw on the second link they could be custom fitted to any odd shape. They could be made to reach over the head of a RR spike for instance.

Frosty The Lucky.

In "normal" tongs, the gripping force at the jaw is inversely proportional to the distance from the fulcrum to the point of contact with the work piece. In this one, the force is independent of the distance from the fulcrum. The force is the same as if the jaw were as short as the distance between the two pins at the jaw end.

In addition to this we have the bend of the moving lever. In the picture it looks like around 20 degrees. If the bend were to be increased to sixty degrees the force exceted by the jaws would double - with a corresponding loss of jaw travel.

This loss of jaw travel is the drawback of this design. The distance between the jaws must be very well suited to the work piece because the increase of gripping power is achieved by longer travel by the reins.

The force of the gripping is taken up by the two pivots at the jaw end. The other two pivots have only a fraction of the load (about 1/5 ) so the friction there is neligible. The friction in the other two is not more than in normal tongs gripping with the same force.

It is an interesting design but the usefulness is severly limited by the requirement that the work piece dimensions fit the jaw distance very closely.

Göte

Good Morning,

Normal tongs are tongs that work properly for the application. Who is to say what "Normal Tongs" look like.

If these tongs work for the application they were intended for, they are "Normal Tongs".

I find it interesting that there are so many different opinions, by people who haven't built a set to try them out. A bird in the hand........is worth......four in the Bush..

I have a set of Tongs that I bought from someone on fleabay, they are flat jaw tongs, except one jaw is pierced and there is a rocker piece on the inside with a pin across the outside of the split.to stop the piece from falling out. When you grab a funny angled piece, it conforms to the un-square shape. Not always, but sometimes they are worth GOLD. Then they are Normal. Just doing a JOB. They also have a name, they are MINE!! Even though I didn't build them. No I don't have a picture for show and tell, nor will I take one.

Neil

No pic Neil!? You're just being an old meany!

Frosty The Lucky.

Dear Neil,

I apologize for using the wrong word. Perhaps you could enlighten me, who is writing in a foreign language, what expression to use.

I also apologize for using my old education in physics and geometry to express my opinion as to their usefulness.

Sincerely

Göte

Good Morning, Gote

Pardon me, I didn't mean to criticize you, I just get tired of seeing people criticize something they haven't obviously tried yet. There is a reason why we have so many tools hanging all over the place, they all work good for a few specific situations. What those situations are, differ from one person to the other. I learned a long time ago to steal thoughts with your mind and eyes, I find it helps me to remember some of them by making a picture in a note book. Some of these different peoples note books become available for Blacksmith Associations News Letters and are accepted gladly. Magic.

My father left Tystberga, Sweden in 1929. The family home is still in the Family and the family is spread all over Sweden. The original farm was divided when the new highway (in about 1970) was built North/South, through the farm. My father never had the chance to return to visit, but I have a few times. Sweden is very much like Western Canada/USA. Mountains to flat farm land, lots of fishing and hunting. Easy to get out of the city and go somewhere quiet.

Tack sa mycket.

Neil Gustafson

regardless of how they work, they are a thing of beauty, well made and clever.   Id be proud to have a pair on my rack even if they never saw a fire.