V-bit Tongs from an Armorer

[JHCC]

Ukrainian armorer Vyacheslav Perepelitsa has posted a video of himself making a pair of V-bit tongs, which folks might find interesting:

It’s notable that since he’s using an oxypropane torch instead of a forge, it’s easy for him to spot-heat for upsetting, bending, and riveting. 

[Frosty]

Take a look at the pilot flame in the first few seconds of the video John. It sure looks like an acetylene flame to me, propane isn't that dark orange or have black smoke that thick. He sure makes use of his swage block. 

Another good video, you're on a roll! Thanks.

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

I’m pretty sure he’s mentioned in one of his other videos that he uses oxypropane, but I could be wrong.

[Frosty]

I haven't watched any of his other videos, the menu that pops up is loaded with too many random . . . smithing, sort of, stuff and I didn't surf them. I was just going by the color of the flame and black lacy smoke and he has a dedicated exhaust hood over the gas mizer.

If I light my oxy prop torch with the oxy valve off and propane barely open the flame is yellow and there is black smoke but it's not lacy or thick. It's hardly thick enough to soot a piece of aluminum to mark with a scribe.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[JHCC]

At the 3:33 mark of his Mandalorian helmet video, he says, "The heating of the steel makes the work process a lot easier and faster. I use a propane and oxygen cutter." Might be a translation issue, though.

[Purple Bullet]

It looks like a dedicated heating tip, like a rosebud. I might have to look into getting one of those. So far I only have a cutting torch for oxy-propane and oxy-acetylene for brazing. BTW - If that was oxyacetylene wouldn't the flame be more blue?

Edited December 2, 2022 by Purple Bullet
added thought

[JHCC]

I think he is indeed using a cutting torch, since there's an additional tube running oxygen to the tip. You can see at the 3:26 mark in one of his other videos that there are two valve knobs on the torch, one on the handle for getting the neutral flame and the other on the oxygen tube for the cutting itself. I'm guessing that one would have to turn that second knob manually, since there isn't a hand lever as is more common here.

19 minutes ago, Purple Bullet said:

a dedicated heating tip, like a rosebud. I might have to look into getting one of those.

I use mine a LOT for bowl forging, and it's great. I've also used it to spot heat the end of a piece of 1-1/2" round bar for upsetting.

[Frosty]

Yes, the fellow in Mandalorian Helmet video clearly says propane oxy but did you notice his accent and facial features? The smith making the axes is Japanese a different artist and country. Adam Savage has a series about learning to make armor and the E. European artist in the Mandalorian helmet video has lots of videos in the rabbit hole menu, I watched quite a few and he makes really entertaining videos. About the only time I don't just hate speeded up video.

The torch isn't uncommon in many places around the world. When I bought my oxy prop set I got the whole sheebang. It's really nice for brazing and silver brazing, really clean. Heating with the rose bud it's a monster, it starts melting a cubic inch of steel in about 13 seconds, under 20 and it's a puddle. The mostly yellow flame in the video is what's known as a "soft" flame, it's deliberately too rich, a little oxy poor so the heat isn't concentrated at the points of the blue cones. It's better for heating large areas of thin stock. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

The smith making the axes is Japanese a different artist and country.

I know; this is the thread about Mr. Perepelitsa making V-bit tongs, not the thread about Mr. Mizuno making axes.

[Frosty]

Am I confused again?  Yeah that's an oxy prop torch alright. Hey WAIT A SECOND! The axe making video is in THIS thread too. I think I'm not the only one who's confused or maybe you're just messing with me. That's okay I'm good with people messing with me. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

Mr. Mizuno, on the other hand, appears to be using charcoal.

[Frosty]

Yes he is. SEE? I'm confused, lost and bewildered! I just got back from running some test results to my General's office but almost all t he way there traffic came to a complete stop so there was no way to make it before lunch time and I wasn't going to hang out for an hour in a smaller town than this one. I'll try again in about an hour. <sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

[anvil]

Good vid. For me, I have a lot of critiques on his basic techniques from start to finish. But if they get the job done, thats what matters. 

[Frosty]

Same here, I would've done almost all of it differently. It was still well worth watching.

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

He’s just posted a longer, narrated version (with English subtitles) that goes into a bit more detail on the how and why of his process, along with some observations about smithing with limited electricity and some improvisation on the octave mandolin. 

(Also includes confirmation that he’s using an oxypropane torch, although he does bemoan its inefficiency for heating longer sections, such as for drawing out the reins. Unfortunately, his gas forge has a blown burner and thus is unusable when the power is off.)

[anvil]

I went offgrid with my shop over 10 years ago. It wasn't hard considering my only power tools were my 25# lil giant and my drill press.