[TheForge] "Universal" tongs and tools.

[Bruce .]

We ran into a problem last night at the open forge meeting.  A relative
beginner couldn't find tongs to hold his piece tightly.  Ultimately, I
modified an existing pair of ordinary flat-jaw tongs.  The modification I
made was to widen the jaw-gap somewhat near the pivot, then to curve one of
the jaws outward (so it bowed toward the other jaw), adjusting the reins
appropriately.  (Like this, but without the teeth:
http://www.stromsholm.co.uk/nordic-forge-clench-tongs-hc12-1350-p.asp )
This modification gives the tongs line-contact with the workpiece on one
jaw and face contact on the other jaw, and allows the tongs to hold tightly
a moderately wide range of thicknesses.

This exercise brought my mind back to the ephemeral ideal of a "universal
tongs" -- a tongs that can hold any piece of metal -- or at least a very
wide range of shapes and sizes.  How many types of tongs hold a claim to
approaching that ideal?  It would be nice to have a small selection of such
very adaptable tongs in tool kits one takes to demonstrations.  I hate
wasting time at demos searching for the right tongs or modifying existing
ones.

More generally, what are the "most nearly universal" tools we could take to
a demonstration, to minimize the weight we need to carry around with us?

Consider:

Double angle-pein hammers (
http://www.caffreyknives.net/angle_peen_hammers.html ) have the advantages
of both straight-pein and cross pein, and is arguably more convenient than
either.

Rounding hammer (
http://www.mactalisironworks.com/plogger/?level=picture&id=54 ) has one
flat face for ordinary forging, and one rounded face which excels for
sinking sheet or curving bars, and can be used like a ball-pein, without
leaving deep marks.

Butcher hardy  (
http://www.cjpatterns.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=CF&Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=HRDYTLS)
good for most of what a cut-off hardy can be used for, but can also produce
a straight cut and/or a sharply-angled cut.

-- 
Bruce
NJ