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Blacksmithing tools


Brian923

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Hi all, just starting out. Got myself a really nice used anvil and am currently building a natural gas forge. Was going to attempt to make some tongs as a starting project and was just curious as to what steel is used for blacksmithing tools? How about for hammers or handy hole tools? Thanks!

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Try looking around the forum; there's a lot of discussion of this very question, and you will find most of the answers you need with just a few clicks. (And -- word of warning -- folks here generally appreciate it when people take the time to do some basic research before asking questions this broad.)

 

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Steel depends on the tool and it's use---what steels I use for slitting chisels I'd NEVER make tongs from, etc.  In general many smithing tools are made from medium carbon steels; but punches and chisels profit from high alloy steels like H-13 and S-7.  Hammers medium, fullers medium swages medium, etc.  Since I live in the USA and near oil producing areas I can source sucker rods easily and cheaply---they make fences out of them in these parts.  Where you live I can't say; but you are welcome to go to my favorite scrapyard, under 20 cents a pound now!, it's only about 200 miles that-away.

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15 minutes ago, JHCC said:

(And -- word of warning -- folks here generally appreciate it when people take the time to do some basic research before asking questions this broad.)

As JHCC said walk lightly as this is an every day question here and there some curmudgeons here, another entire subject.  As others have said a comfy  chair. cup of coffee and someone to bring you a sandwich and go through what has been said before.  Unfortunately a lot of pictures from the past posts have been lost through a server gone astray.  Spend some time looking for tools in antique store, flea markets, yard/garage/barn sales, mention to all your friends and relatives and co workers what you are looking for.  You  will be amazed what shows up in  the strangest places.

Thomas mentioned scrap yards a lot don't let you  in anymore to buy from them.  They are happy to steal from you but  that's about it in my part of the world.

Good luck it takes time to get under way not like starting most hobbies. 

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When the then called SWABA group had a meeting at my shop, I took them to the scrapyard and talked to the owner about them and we all left with a load.  Brian, there are a lot of good alloys in cars: axles are a medium carbon as are coil and leaf spring but those are a bit higher and alloyed to harden more, sway bars can get pretty sizable in trucks, etc.  I made my local mechanic a bottle opener from a open ended UNPLATED wrench and he gave me open pickens on his scrap pile...

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I will tell you what I know. So for punches, chisels, drifts, etc. that will be used on hot steel, H13 is a real good choice. The only problem is that I hear guys say it is a hard steel to work with for the absolute beginner. I can't say for sure, but I think that as long as you forge at the right temperature you should be okay. A good option is to use coil spring off a car. I am waiting for my dads friend to take off a coil off an abulance within the next couple weeks. For hardy tools, truck axil should do the trick. You don't need any fancy steel for this since they will be used to manipulate hot steel. I believe that my hot cut is medium carbon steel. I could be mistaken though. Tongs can be made from plain old mild steel. You don't need anything fancy for these since all they are doing is holding your steel. As far as hammers go, I am pretty sure there is a whole bunch of different types of steel you can use. Truck axils, 1095, 4140, and a whole bunch more will work. I hope this helps you out some.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Like you I'm new to the BlackSmith thing. Built a coal and gas forge then realized you can't do much the right way without the right tongs. Went to tractor Supply and bought some steel. Beat it all up and still didn't have a working pair of tongs. My fault not the steel's. Bought a pair of Wolf jaw and Box from Centaur Forge. Over $80 shipped. can't do that every time I need a different pair of tongs.  Resorted to old rebar until I got the general mechanics of how to actually forge tongs. There not pretty but functional  and less expensive to learn on. Rebar can suck, some hard some soft some very brittle. Work everything hot. I started with 1/2" but to make anything worth your sweat 5/8 or 3/4" works best for most style of tongs. 

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CAE, you're on the right track.  Some tongs can be complicated to make, so it is beneficial to practice some of the forgings before using up your "good" steel.  Practice on making the setdowns, boss, jaws, etc. and when you feel comfortable with your work, then apply it to your good steel.

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are you sure that it didn't say $1.25! that's crazy, id feel bad for the person who buys them.

4 minutes ago, JHCC said:

I'm thinking I should make lots of tongs, artificially age the crappy ones, and sell them to antique stores

that's a good idea! you'd be rich pretty soon!;)

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Don't start with spikes for tongs if you can help it. Joe was kinda poking fun when he used them. Start with stock long enough that you don't need tongs. 3/4" square stock is easy for a beginner because it helps line everything up. 3/4" round is fine, just not quite to easy on the 90° rotations. A36 is generally just fine.

Here in oil country, I made almost all my original tooling (from chisels to tongs) from 5/8" or 3/4" sucker rod. It's cheaper than any other scrap here and generally decent steel. It's borderline for struck tools like chisels, but good enough. It's great for tongs. I still use it for a one-off struck tool that won't see much use. My new tools are generally W1 or H13 depending on usage. I plan to replace W1 with O1 once I run out of W1.

So, use sucker rod to learn on (and forever for tongs) if you can get it. Otherwise, 3/4" square A36 is okay for tongs and get some 3/4" (and maybe 1/2") W1 drill rod for struck tools.

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2 minutes ago, EricJergensen said:

Don't start with spikes for tongs if you can help it. Joe was kinda poking fun when he used them. Start with stock long enough that you don't need tongs. 3/4" square stock is easy for a beginner because it helps line everything up. 3/4" round is fine, just not quite to easy on the 90° rotations. A36 is generally just fine.

 

:o I use my spike tongs all the time that i made from that video. And they were fun to make. :)   I didnt think he was poking fun, just showing another way, or that it can work. You are right, Using good stock will be better. 

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Tongs aren't really a beginner's project they rely on having a couple processes down proficiently to come out well reliably. To get yourself going make twist tongs, you don't need more than a hack saw, drill and a crescent wrench and a vise or another crescent wrench. . . Oh and a tape measure.

5/8" sq. mild is the same size as RR, line spikes as differentiated from Switch and yard spikes. Anyway using larger stock can be unwieldy, 3/8" x 1" is nice stock, a lot of the work is done already. Once you've got it down  1/2"dia. coil spring lets you draw them down thin and are still plenty strong for nice light springy tongs. 4140 is the same story thin light springy tongs are easier to grip and don't weigh as much.

However if you're going to use spring, 4140 or other medium carbon steel for tongs you can NOT cool them in water if you let them get red or they'll get brittle. Either just get in the habit of keeping your tongs cool all the time OR letting them cool on the ground. Once you're in the habit of NOT cooling them at or above red heat embrittlement isn't a problem.

A good build up before making tongs is making your punch, a drift and rivet set. Oh and use long stock so you don't need tongs till you're skills are up to making tongs.

Frosty The Lucky.

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On March 10, 2016 at 8:13 PM, JHCC said:

I was in an antique shop today and saw three really crappy pairs of tongs being sold for $125.

I'm thinking I should make lots of tongs, artificially age the crappy ones, and sell them to antique stores.

Lol, so a beginner tong maker can make more money than seasoned tong maker only becuase theirs look crappier. Good thing I'm a begginer :) 

Brian brazeal has a good video on showing how he makes a set of tongs, both pieces, from one long piece of steel. 

Also, why do you need to use a steel other than mild for tongs such as 4140 or coil? All they do is hold the steel, and I don't see why you need them to be springy. 

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