Shaping Tongs...

Matthew Gregory

Matthew Gregory

Chief Executive in charge of Entertainment
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Jan 12, 2005
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Just bought a set of these guys from Kayne & Sons:

V-Bit Tongs

They'll likely do just what I want with them, however the model I ordered differs slightly from the image on their website. Mine have a space between the jaws of 2.5" (v-tip to v-tip) when fully closed so I can hold a blade with the edge in one v and the spine of the blade in the other v, letting me shape the handle when the blade has been forged already.

I know nothing about tongs, btw.

Can I heat the ends of these pigs up and shape them as I see fit without screwing them up? Are they hardened?

Thanks in advance, guys.
 
I don't think they are hardened. Wouldn't do much good if they were because time after time at the door of the forge would remove any hardness anyway.

I have several sizes of Off-Center tongs from these folks, and they work great for holding the blade while forging the blade shape and working out the tang.

Where I have problems is if I need to go back and "tweak" the blade after I have forged the tang. I can't seem to find anything that will hold a small tang tight enough. It just wants to "flop" around. (I have burn scars on my fat belly to prove it)
 
When I get a tong,if it isn't what I want, I re-forge it to a new shape jaw. Just heat it up in the forge and have at it. Sticking it in a bucket of water will cool it down, but since the steel is mild steel it won't harden (you wouldn't want it to anyway).BTW, V bit and U bit tongs are really good for forging blades,as you seem to have figured out.To make a U bit from one of those V bit tongs,get it to forging temperature and grab a piece of 1.5" X 1/4" bar in the jaw. Forge the V down onto the bar and it will become a U.You can also change the spacing of the jaw to accommodate 1" ,1.25".1.5",etc wide steel and blades.I have one tong in which the upper jaw is a 1/4" U and the lower jaw is a tight V. It is great for holding the blade while forging the tang and ricasso area.Won't budge or wiggle at all.
Stacy
 
I'm pretty sure that OC forge still uses 4130 for their tongs, the idea is that it's just enough carbon to give the reigns a little spring when they're heat treated, but not so much as to be a problem at the bit. yes you can re-forge them how you like, and you don't need to worry about any Ht on them.

It's been a while since I talked to the owner over at OC, but I can't imagine he'd have changed it for any reason.
 
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