Recommendations for tongs.

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I was looking for threads discussing tongs for forging. I didn't find many looking through google, or the site search engine. So I figured, it hasn't been talked about too much.

My personal question, is what pair of tongs would be the most essential for someone forging knives? I ask that specifically because I dont have enough money for multiple pairs right now, and I had to resort back to using a pair of long Irwin needle nose pliers (about a foot long). I forgot how much of a pita it is to try to forge using those.

Just as a more general discussion what tongs do you like for different tasks when making knives?

Anyone have good luck making their own? If so what starting stock do you recommend? Mild steel, or higher carbon?
 
I’ve made 2 sets. One of rebar and the second cold roll mild steel. The rebar don’t seem to have the strength that my other pair do. And honestly I don’t use the tongs for much, mostly handling during thermo cycling and quenching. I much prefer a welded work stick for the forging of the blade.

I would like to try a decent set of blade tongs.
 
Bühlmann said:
I make my own. Look up “Ken’s Custom Iron”. He sells DIY tong sets that are inexpensive and allow you to customize on the cheap, while giving you some practical forging experience and the pride of forging your own tools.
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I concur. He also has some excellent videos on how to make the tongs. Definitely worth looking at.
 
Well. I decided to see how forging some tongs would go. I have a giant box of rail clips, and railroad spikes someone left, so I decided to see if I could forge out one of the clips, and get it drawn out.

The big problem here, is I don't have tongs, to use to make the tong, and in the current state the clip is in, it's not long enough to just stick one end into the forge, and use the other as a handle, without burning my hand to a crisp.
 
I used a 9" Vise-Grip pliers and a pair of heavy welding gloves. Even with the tongs I usually still put the left (non-hammering hand) glove on when forging.
 
Ok.... first your GoogleFoo is not working well... you want info on forging tongs.. go to a blacksmith site... they forge their own most of the time.

Next, forge a rail clip will make you say bad words.. just saying...

follow these steps:

https://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/

when the page opens... select Tongs (No. 5)

when the page opens ... scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and select "Easy Tongs by Sean Connor"

that is the easiest tong to make that I know of... it will get you started till you can buy better or make better.

by the way, in the first page that opened, there are more tutorials on tongs...

Good luck

edited:: oops... did not mean for the URL to be a link... tried to break the link but can't
 
Using your written instructions I was able to find the page. Here's a way to find that exact page without a link. Select text inside quotes and do a google search. ""Easy" Tongs Demonstration by Sean Conner AKA Whitesmith" I think that will turn up the proper page on first item on the google search page. Those would be easy tongs to make, and still work pretty good.
 
Look at blacksmithdepot.com, they've got lots of different varieties. You really need more than one set.

A good general purpose at is a "wolf jaw" type.

You'll need various sizes to grip various sizes of material.
 
jorasco312 said:
Ok.... first your GoogleFoo is not working well... you want info on forging tongs.. go to a blacksmith site... they forge their own most of the time.

Next, forge a rail clip will make you say bad words.. just saying...

follow these steps:

https://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/

when the page opens... select Tongs (No. 5)

when the page opens ... scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and select "Easy Tongs by Sean Connor"

that is the easiest tong to make that I know of... it will get you started till you can buy better or make better.

by the way, in the first page that opened, there are more tutorials on tongs...

Good luck

edited:: oops... did not mean for the URL to be a link... tried to break the link but can't
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I didn't say I couldn't find anything on google, I just couldn't find much discussed on this forum.

This part isn't so much a response to but just in general. I wasn't asking anyone where to buy tongs, for full tutorials (really just the type of steel that people will usually use). I do appreciate the information, and I'm grateful that people have give me these suggestions, but I don't believe I asked anything about those two things in my original post.
 
A.McPherson said:
Look at blacksmithdepot.com, they've got lots of different varieties. You really need more than one set.

A good general purpose at is a "wolf jaw" type.

You'll need various sizes to grip various sizes of material.
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Yeah. I'm sure I will eventually build up a set of different types as I go. One I've been seeing a lot, that seem useful are z tongs, either that have a v bit jaws, and another I just see described as bladesmith tongs that kind of wrap around the piece of metal, but have the same z shape, so the tongs wont get in the way.
 
So as far as what steel to use, i'd use mild steel. Depending on the technique you're going to use for forging them, either square or flat bar stock is the easiest.

The are tons of tutorials on YouTube, check out Brian Brazeal's tutorials they are awesome. Alec Steele has some really great ones to, same techniques (he's a student of Brazeal). Steele's early videos are by far the most informative, now it's mostly just entertainment.

Box jaw tongs are super useful too, as are "knife makers" tongs, box on one jaw and V but on the other.
 
Blankblank said:
is what pair of tongs would be the most essential for someone forging knives?
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Whatever tongs fit the stock size and shape you are using. If you start with flat stock, then you'll want tongs for flat bar. If you start with round or square stock you'll want tongs with square jaws. Some tongs hold square stock on the diagonal, and these can be a PITA when you need to hold the tongs between your legs to use a top tool.
Blankblank said:
Mild steel, or higher carbon?
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Mild. No need for high carbon here.
 
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