GIJosh Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Hey everyone. So in the attached pic are the first two sets of tongs that I've made. One was made from some long handle pliers from harbor freight and the other was made from some farrier nippers. I'm using a coal forge and was attempting to shape the mouth of both tongs to suit the shape of a railroad spike by heating the mouth of the tongs and placing a spike in the jaws then shaping the jaws around the spike. For some reason I don't understand, the jaws off the nippers started to twist from my hammer blows and the mouth didn't shape around the spike as I had intended. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong here, if just like to know what exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel OF Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Possibly because the hand you are holding the tongs with was slightly rotated. This is easily noticeable when tapering as the edges of the taper will start to roll to one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Greetings GI, You are using unknown repurposed steel that could be anything.. Plated or hardened? I would suggest to remove the rivets and only forge out one reign at a time and than match it to the shape you want. Temporally bolt together , reshape to your form and re-rivet. Be sure to remove any plastic .. A good start would be to normalize the unknown steel before starting. Lots of options and each one is different . I hope this helps. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caladin Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I've been trying to teach myself to reforge nippers and taking them apart at the rivet and selective heating/cooling seems to be a good place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I took mine apart and shaped them into scrolling tongs then riveted them back together. much easier Once you have the shape right Just get some 1045 and make your own. it will take a few tries but you will get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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