This is a prototype of an idea I had for a universal tong clip, so I don’t have to constantly be looking for the right size. 

The idea is to simply slip it on and twist it until it’s tight enough. 

Works with lots of different sizes of tongs:

Haven’t yet tried it while forging, but will report back on how well it works once I have. 

Very interesting concept.

I'm missing the ring finger of my left hand.  I hammer right-handed, so have to hold tongs with my left.  At the end of a couple of hours, my left hand starts cramping so bad my fingers try to touch my wrist.  I've been  thinking about some way of locking the tongs so I don't have to maintain the grip.  I'll be interested to see how this works for you.

I used to do something like a pretzel till I somewhere along thelines stopped using them. I like the idea of your design though.

 

10 hours ago, Chris C said:

I've been  thinking about some way of locking the tongs so I don't have to maintain the grip. 

While you’re waiting to see how this one works, you should definitely make yourself some regular C-shaped tong clips in different sizes. 

I made a tong clip that had slots at different distance with a hole to go on one rein. Worked well but grew legs at some point so I need to make another.

what Rashelle said.

5 hours ago, JHCC said:

While you’re waiting to see how this one works, you should definitely make yourself some regular C-shaped tong clips in different sizes. 

Good idea.  I've only one pair of tongs at this point, but I'll do that asap.  Thanks.

Sweet idea John! The only concern first glance gave me was if the size would interfere using it but choking up a little is no big deal. Adjusting your grip is normal working. Looking closer I'm seeing it adjusts pressure simply by turning he coil on the reins. . . DUH! That's a head slapper for sure. 

That lead to my next thought, needing two hands when time is important. I already have telescoping helpers on my forges it's going to be a snap to make a vertical twisting fingers attachment. Visualize bending forks in an out of the way side of the helper, pickup  the piece in the forge, drop the reins  in the twisting fingers, slip the spiral keeper on and twist tight. All one handed. 

Yeah, I know maybe unnecessary I'll have to make clip like this and use it a while to determine if twisting fingers are worth the effort.

What size stock did you use? It looks pretty stout, no surprise it needs to resist opening up. Spring steel could make a light weight version. Those thoughts made me wonder what having extra weight on the ends of the reins will do to balance. 

Gotta to make one and see. 

Thanks for the idea. Frosty The Lucky.

 

 This is a proof-of-concept in 1/4” round A36. Now that I know it works, I’m going to make another one out of garage door spring.

Have you tried it at the forge? If 1/4" works at all garage door spring will be De BOMB.

Frosty The Lucky.

Update: made another of garage door spring. 

Note that the center is slightly more curly. This makes for a somewhat more secure grab. 

I tried this one out while fullering a hammer blank under the treadle hammer. It worked quite well. I think I’m on to something here. 

Made a little demo video:

 

Looks great thanks for sharing it with us 

Ayup, your tong clip is on my must make list. Thanks John.

Frosty The Lucky.

Looks much better without the flat spot. 

Works better, too!

John,

I really think you have something there!  I took your advice to make a dedicated C-clip...........but I just did a quickie out of oxy/acetylene weldiing wire.  Not pretty, but it works.  Has proven itself to be a solution for my "problem" hand.  As soon as my skills improve to that point, I want to make a copy of one of yours.  Looks to be a treat!  I need to locate some garage door springs to start with.

Should be a lot available where the storms went through.  Volunteering to help cleanup might get you access.

GTTS: Go To The Source. Find a garage door repair person and ask if they have any broken springs they’ll let you have. My guy has a pile of springs out behind his shop that’s the size of a recumbent elephant. 

One modification I’m going to make on the next one is to texture one side of the rod with a cross peen before I curl it into a spiral. I’ve had a couple of instances of the reins slipping a bit, and I think that will help.  

Good suggestion Thomas.

Thanks, John.  Just got off the phone with a garage door repair shop.  They said they just toss the old springs into a recycling bin.  The person who answered the phone said she'd e-mail the party responsible for that and have him get in touch with me.  I don't know how long a typical unwound garage door spring is, but I imagine it would be useful for a lot of projects, saving me the cost of practice materials.

How long? Twenty feet or more! 

Make sure to make something as a thank-you when you go. I like to make rebar bottle openers as thanks for construction people who give me structural steel. 

20 feet?  Wow.  Never thought about how long one might be.

Good idea on the "thank you" gift.  I was thinkin' steak flippers made from rebar.

MUCH longer than 20' ,

A quick BOTE calculation: if the spring is 4" in diameter that makes each turn about 1' of stock (pi * diameter). If it's  made from 1/4" stock then you get 4 turns per inch which equals 48' per foot of spring.  Then how many *feet* long is the spring, mine is around 8' long which with these back of the envelope calcs means "a gracious plenty of stock when straight"!

If it was 3/8" stock: then 32 turns per foot, each turn still 1' long...

Now if it only 3" in diameter then it's 1/4 less; still a gracious plenty!

I've heated a foot long section of spring in my gas forge. Dropped it over a pipe securely held in a large post vise and grabbed the end and ran out of the shop and down the alleyway, great fun and if the result was slightly wavy. it was good enough for me---I could straighten it in smaller lengths.

(As I recall I learned this method from Weyger's books.)

Thomas,

Alex Weygers discloses a simple jig for uncoiling springs at the end of one of his books.

I do not remember which book but it is an easy 'look-see'.

(the book, in question, is one of his paperback trio(?).

Regards,

SLAG.

 

I think it's in "The Modern Blacksmith"; but it could be in "The Making of Tools" or "The Recycling, Use, and Repair of Tools"   all 3 now reissued in an omnibus called "The Complete Modern Blacksmith".

He went fancy with bearings as I recall. I just use a piece of pipe mounted vertically in my vise such that the force on it will push what sticks out under the jaws into the vise body.