[TheForge] "Universal" tongs and tools.

[Albin Drzewianowski]

To go back to Bruce's original idea concerning "universal" tongs.  IMHO,
"universal" anything does many things poorly nothing well.  The idea of a
"universal" tong is almost antithetical to blacksmithing.  We make the
tools, so make and use the exact right tool. 

However,  I see that BLACKSMITH DEPOT is selling an Off-Center Universal
V-Bit Tong that looks very interesting. 

http://www.blacksmithsdepot.com/products/tongs-pliers/off-center-tongs-usa/o
c-universal-v-bit.html

 It has a wolfjaw v-bit one side and a tapered round rod on the other.  this
looks like it might be a good candidate for the demonstrator's toolbox where
we have to compromise and are not able to bring the entire shop inventory of
tongs along with us. 

When I go to demonstrate, I bring a pair of  300mm wolfjaw tongs and a pair
of Poz-style/bolthead-style tongs.  I like to make horseshoe hearts when
demonstrating and in those cases, I bring a pair of farrier tongs.  If I
know I am going to be working with railroad spikes, I bring a pair of tongs
that will span around the rr spike head.   In other words, the exact tongs I
bring will depend on the particular projects I will be doing while
demonstrating; but the wolfjaw and Poz tongs I bring regardless. 

Regards,
Albin

> -----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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