Well right now i use a pair of Picard Wolf's Jaw Blacksmith Tongs, however as I often drop my billet when forging i am wondering what all are the most useful styles of tongs to use when bladesmithing, as despite all the reading i do i have yet to find a book that states the best styles of tongs to use. ya i am planing on buying a welder but even if you weld the blade to a piece of scrap you still need to use tongs when finishing the blade.
Hello Kevin,
I really like the off-set blade tongs that I got from blacksmithsdepot.com. They hold the work very securely. I know some people who use box jaw tongs, also.
Tim
I agree with Tim..... for Bladesmithing, where we deal a lot with "flat" barstock, Off-Set blade tongs are some of the best tong you can use.
I often recommend "tong kits" from https://kensironstore.com/collections/quick-tongs They are inexpensive when compared to ready made tongs, and they provide a great learning tool. The site also has videos on assembling the tong kits.
I like them because I can create just about any type of tongs I might need from the blanks.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Most likely you will need a variety. There is no one set of tongs that is "best". It absolutely depends on the shape of the piece you are trying to hold.
Usually a maker will consider what size bar stock he typically uses and buys or makes a set of tongs to fit that size bar stock.
We often work real hard to make dies, drifts, jigs, and other specialized tools that have their specific use. You have to consider tongs to be that way. While it's not unusual to drop your work piece, it is very important to hold it securely.
While it's not unusual to drop your work piece, it is very important to hold it securely.
AMEN TO THAT Lin!
I still carry a scar on my forehead from my early days..... I was using a pair of flat jaws, and working on the edges of a 1/4" thick piece of barstock. I landed a blow, it flipped out of the tongs, and one of the HOT corners cut/burned into my forehead! That was one of those "learn the hard way" moments. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />
I hope everybody learns from my mistake, so they don't have to make the same one themselves.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
|quoted:
AMEN TO THAT Lin!
I still carry a scar on my forehead from my early days..... I was using a pair of flat jaws, and working on the edges of a 1/4" thick piece of barstock. I landed a blow, it flipped out of the tongs, and one of the HOT corners cut/burned into my forehead! That was one of those "learn the hard way" moments. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />
I hope everybody learns from my mistake, so they don't have to make the same one themselves.
I know how that goes, however most of my burn scars are from not protecting my arms properly. dont want to tempt fate by saying anything more about my drops so i will end with this: safety equipment is a great thing to wear.
This is a pic of the tongs I made for a customer.
He found that the pickups were good for cooking crabs too.
