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Making jaws for rivet tongs
July 31, 2012
7:34 pm
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Zachary Greig
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So, got hold of some more mild steel and wanted to make a pair of 1/2" rivet tongs. This was my second pair so I am familiar with some of the problems/tricks of tong-making. Everything went well aside from shaping the jaws. Don't have any kind of swage and the metal just would not work with me! Was VERY frustrating.

So, since trying to shape the jaws around a piece of 1/2" stock didn't work so well for me and considering the lack of a swage to shape with, what would be the best way to do this? Also, horn on my anvil is too big to be able to get the curve small enough so that wouldn't work either. I tried. :/

Thank you in advance for your help.

Because blacksmithing is totally Metal! /../

July 31, 2012
9:21 pm
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Eric Sprado
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Simply Google "hand forged tongs" and find a zillion YouTube instructional videos. Please don't use the "twist jaw" method as a learning tool!! they are quick and dirty but will not teach you tong making. Also go to Youtube and punch in Brian Brazeal and Mark Amsbury. They have great instructional videos. Good Luck

August 1, 2012
3:00 am
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HWooldridge
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Estimate how much material you want for the tip then mark it, take a heat and knock down to a 90 degree angle before sweeping the radius. In other words, if you are holding one tong half with the jaw side facing upwards, forge the bend down first then turn the tong over and roll the tip over the edge of the anvil. If the radius isn't tight enough, hook the inside of that first bend over the anvil edge and drive the tip back towards you so the radius tightens. You already discovered it won't work over the horn - wrong force vector...

August 1, 2012
3:01 am
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Lynn Gledhill
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Zachary Greig;15956 wrote: So, got hold of some more mild steel and wanted to make a pair of 1/2" rivet tongs. This was my second pair so I am familiar with some of the problems/tricks of tong-making. Everything went well aside from shaping the jaws. Don't have any kind of swage and the metal just would not work with me! Was VERY frustrating.

So, since trying to shape the jaws around a piece of 1/2" stock didn't work so well for me and considering the lack of a swage to shape with, what would be the best way to do this? Also, horn on my anvil is too big to be able to get the curve small enough so that wouldn't work either. I tried. :/

Thank you in advance for your help.

Zach, check out the "tong tutorial" posted by Sam Salvati under "tools of the trade" in the forum... I think this design or a modification of it will work well... Sam splits the jaw of the tong with a chisel, opens it up and it will hold round, square or whatever... Good luck!

August 1, 2012
4:18 am
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Zachary Greig
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HWooldridge;15959 wrote: In other words, if you are holding one tong half with the jaw side facing upwards, forge the bend down first then turn the tong over and roll the tip over the edge of the anvil. If the radius isn't tight enough, hook the inside of that first bend over the anvil edge and drive the tip back towards you so the radius tightens.

Oooohhhhh... That makes sense. Will post pics if it turns out. 🙂

Because blacksmithing is totally Metal! /../

August 3, 2012
5:04 pm
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Lee Cordochorea
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No swage yet? MAKE ONE!Cool

Take a good sized chunk of steel heated to yellow. Put a bar of the desired size & shape atop your anvil. Pound the swage-to-be over your bar of desired size. (Or pound the bar into the hot steel - whichever works better for you.) Wipe sweat off brow, take a breather, and return to your normally scheduled smithing.

No matter where you go... there you are.

August 3, 2012
10:39 pm
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Zachary Greig
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Heating up that size stock is gonna take sooo long in my wee forge. lol. I do need to make one of those though, among other things.

Because blacksmithing is totally Metal! /../

August 4, 2012
2:06 am
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craig
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Zachary Greig;15977 wrote: Heating up that size stock is gonna take sooo long in my wee forge. lol. I do need to make one of those though, among other things.

Make a list of things to make at the fall conference, during midnight madness.
They have plenty of forges and anvils for you to use.
If your not sure what to do, someone will give you advice.
It may not be good advice, but sooner or later it will turn out fine.

August 4, 2012
2:22 am
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Zachary Greig
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Midnight madness? I haven't been to a conference yet so I don't know what all goes. Really excited to finally go to one.

Good idea, just might be an awful long list. lol.

Also, was wondering if I would need to bring anvil and forge so at least that question is answered. 🙂

Because blacksmithing is totally Metal! /../

August 4, 2012
3:45 am
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Neil Gustafson
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Good Morning,

Leave your alarm clock at home (when you wake up because all the rest of the early risers are making a little noise). If you sleep through that bit, you need your sleep. You don't need a forge or anvil, there are lots there. If you have favorite tongs or hammer, bring them. There are lots of tools there too, you can try different things out.

You might have to wait until some of the people go to bed, then you can have a little space. It is a lot of fun. There is a tailgate area where you can spend your hard earned savings on different tools that people have brought because they are surplus to them.

Stay up late, learn, watch, ask questions, Get up early and start all over again. Bring a book that you can continually write notes in, with enough legibility so you can understand it in 6 months or a year or two. Pay attention to the little stuff, it will pay off in spades.

See you there.

Neil

As long as we are above our shoes, We know where we are.:happy:

August 4, 2012
3:50 am
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Zachary Greig
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Another good idea: notebook. Will definitely bring. Meeting everyone is going to be great and I know I am going to learn so much from this!

Because blacksmithing is totally Metal! /../

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