Need hammers, hardies, tongs, ect..

[Duckkisser]

Im planing on getting started in smithing and I’m looking for good price on all the other stuff needed to do black smithing.  Can anyone recommend a seller or sellers that sells all the different things needed to get going. Hammers, tongs, hardies, ect…. 

[Les L]

Mark Ling sells everything, Nathan Robertson hammers. Mark also offers classes where you learn to make the tools and go home with the education and a set of tools worth more than the cost of the class.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Another option is Buy hammers at yard sales, junk shops, auctions, flea markets ect… used hammers can be had for pennies on the dollar, same for chisels

if you want tongs cheap an easy, I’d check out kens custom iron, you can get new tong blanks that just have to be riveted together and finished to desired shape,

I make my hardy/bottom tools with leftover scrap sucker rod ends that fencers throw away,

[ThomasPowers]

Scrapyard; I picked up an 8# sledge head for 25 USCents a pound last visit.  My first blacksmithing hammer I bought for US$1.50 at a garage sale 40 something years ago; still using it though I have put 4 handles in it.   Bought a pair of knife smithing tongs at the scrapyard too, though they are rare.  My last 5 sets of tongs were given me by a fellow who found out I did smithing.  He's in his 70's and they were his Fathers...wanted them to get used.

Most commercial new hammers need to be modified before using them to smith anyway.  Learn how to dress a hammer face and replace a handle and you can fill a hammer rack with "found" hammers for the cost of buying a BNS hammer.

I'll be taking a couple of 5 gallon buckets of hammer heads to Quad State to sell at under US$5 a piece if you will be there.

[JHCC]

Hammers, anvils, and forges can be improvised and adapted quite easily, but nothing beats a good pair (or several) of tongs. I can personally recommend the ones from Mark Ling and from Dave Custer of Fiery Furnace Forge. The kits from Ken's Custom Iron do require a small amount of skill to make fit for use. I've never tried them myself, but I've examined the blanks in person at Quad-State, and they appear to be good quality. 

[Les L]

I made a set of the Kens custom when I first started and recommend them as an inexpensive way to have a set of tongs, plus learn how to move metal 

here is a link to a picture of someone showing off the tools he made, and will be bringing home, during a three day class with Mark 

FB Link removed

[Les L]

I made a set of the Kens custom when I first started and recommend them as an inexpensive way to have a set of tongs, plus learn how to move metal 

here is a link to a picture of someone showing off the tools he made, and will be bringing home, during a three day class with Mark 

 

Mods, I apologize, I didn’t know a FB link was against the rules. Anyone interested in Marks work can look him up on FB. 

[Duckkisser]

On 5/3/2022 at 8:50 AM, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

if you want tongs cheap an easy, I’d check out kens custom iron, you can get new tong blanks that just have to be riveted together and finished to desired shape,

I have a few hammers that I have picked up over the years but I will save kens customs irons link to look into buying tongs. Thanks

Edited May 4, 2022 by Mod30
Trim quote.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Only a few hammers! 

ive got bucket loads an for some reason more an more keep finding their way here on a regular basis?!?!  

im gonna have to have a talk with the guy who keeps dragging those home  lol

hook up with some local welders who build steel pipe fence, you can usually get tons of free sucker rod scrap from their leftovers and cut offs, 

you can make hardie/bottom tools from the ends and punches, chisels, drifts and a lot of other tools from the shafts, 

you can also buy it in full 20 foot lengths from steel supply stores, but I’m cheap and try to find it free lol

Another nice thing about making friends with welders is they normally have tons of other usable scrap you can use to build tool stands, forges, treadle hammers, or anything else!