[TheForge] "Universal" tongs and tools.

[williamsiron at comcast.net]

I aggree with Albin. For demos away from home, I usually carry a Czech-pattern cross peen hammer from Nathan Robertson and a rather battered brass hammer. A hot cut hardy, several wolf-jaw tongs suitable for holding 1/4 to 3/8 stock. I have a twisting wrench and a hacksaw. 



Mark Williams 

Snow Hill, Maryland 



----- Original Message -----


From: "Albin Drzewianowski" <dski1045 at qis.net> 
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 9:29:30 AM 
Subject: Re: [TheForge] "Universal" tongs and tools. 

>From the list below.  If the rounding hammer has a large square face, as a 
Hofi type hammer has, you can achieve both a cross pien and straight pien 
action by simply changing the angle of the hammer.   Since at most 
demonstrations I tend to be working on stock 1/2" square or smaller, I find 
this works very well as compared to carrying along a "double angle-pien 
hammer. 

when I demonstrate, I bring 2 hammers.  My HOFI rounding hammer and my 
"garbage" ball pien hammer.  I call it a "garbage" hammer, as the face is 
softened so that  I can use it for cutting on the hardy and hammering on 
punches and chisels; and I have a ball pien for sinking leaves into a wood 
block.  I have found that those 2 hammers meet virtually all my needs in a 
demonstration setting, away from the home forge. 

The other somewhat "universal" tool that I bring is a hold down tool that 
fits into a hardy hole.  It is made from a vise-grip type drill press clamp. 
In a pinch, it can substitute for a vise.  My version will take different 
lengths of all-thread to conveniently accommodate different thickness of 
anvil heel. 

D-ski 
Westminster, MD     
The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne. 

> -----Original Message----- 
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:theforge- 
> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce . 
> Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 9:03 AM 
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA 
> Subject: [TheForge] "Universal" tongs and tools. 
> 
> 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 
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