The Complete Guide to Blacksmithing Tongs

Tongs are considered an essential tool in a blacksmithing shop. Except for having something to strike the metal, you also must have something to hold that piece. That’s where blacksmithing tongs come in. A good set of tongs makes the work much more convenient and safer, but the most important thing is that they should fit the type of work you are doing.

Choosing the wrong tongs can also be very dangerous. For example, if you choose the wrong tongs for your work, the metal can easily slip and fall on your legs or elsewhere. Unfortunately, I know that from my own experience. A couple of years ago, when I started blacksmithing, I thought that I could use any tongs. I thought, tongs are just tongs, right?

One time I worked with some thick round bars, so I tried to hold them with some small pick-up tongs. As you can already assume, that didn’t go well. The hot bar slipped away like nothing and hit my arm. One thing I can assure you is that I will never forget that mistake.

Now, that we know the importance of tongs in blacksmithing, let’s start with the fundamentals of this crucial tool.

Parts of the Blacksmithing Tongs

Before using any tool, it is crucial to understand its fundamentals to know how to use it properly. Besides that, you will also make a better decision to choose the right tongs. Because of that, let’s examine the main parts of blacksmithing tongs.

The tongs consist of three primary parts:

• Handles (also called reins)
• Joint
• Jaws (also called the bits)

HANDLES

The handles of tongs are also called the reins. A handle’s purpose is exactly as its name suggests, to handle the tongs. One of the greatest benefits of being a blacksmith is the fact that you can make your own tools. A blacksmith does not depend on various manufacturers, so if you want a make tongs for your specific needs, you can make a specific length of handles. Note that the longer handles are, generally, the heavier tongs are.

In case you have some antique tongs, the chances are that handles are quite heavy as our ancestors usually made larger items. Besides that, antique tongs are typically made from wrought iron, which was weaker, so they had to make thicker handles. For beginners, we don’t recommend using heavy tongs unless it is absolutely necessary.

JOINT

The function of the joint is to allow the opening and closing of the tongs. It typically consists of two parts, rivets, and a hinge plate. Rivets are a traditional way to join two metal bars together. Besides being very strong, rivets also serve as a nice decorative feature. It consists of a body, called the shank, a tail on one end, and a forged head on the other.

Rivets have been commonly used for hundreds of years. Before brazing and welding became so popular, rivets were the number one choice for a fastener. The rivets are cheap and easily accessible. Besides that, they are also strong and lightweight, so they can join almost any type of metal.

JAWS

Finally, jaws are the most important part of this tool. It is the part that does the gripping, and they are in direct contact with hot forge and heated metal. Note that the haws are also often called the bits, so I will use these terms interchangeably. Jaws are the ones who differentiate various types and shapes of blacksmithing tongs.

You simply cannot work with any type of bits in the blacksmithing shop. Every type and shape of the bits is made with a specific purpose. For instance, you can’t expect to hold the heated iron with electrician tongs, the same way you can cut wires with wolf-jaw tongs. We will talk more about jaws in the further paragraph that discusses various types of tongs.

How Long Should Blacksmith Tongs Be?

Besides the shapes of jaws, the length of the tongs is another very important factor. Depending on the type of job, they range anywhere from 10 to 40 inches.

Generally, the ideal length of blacksmithing tongs is anywhere between 16 and 22 inches. Note that the longer tongs are, the heavier they are. The benefit of long tongs is that they allow a smith to stay at a longer distance from the hot forge. Contrarily, shorter tongs require standing closer to the hot forge and heated material.

Keep in mind that in some cases, the ideal tongs would be longer than recommended above. A typical example is the pick-up tongs. They are usually very long, and the reason is that you can pick up your material easily without coming near the forge.

Factors such as skill level and the type of work you are doing greatly impact the ideal length. Having the ideal length of tongs reduces the stress on your wrist and hand during use. Since holding the stock with tongs for a long period can be challenging, most beginners find it easier to start with lighter tongs. The lighter they are, the longer you can hold the material.

Types of Blacksmithing Tongs

There are countless types and shapes of tongs you can forge that will get the job done. As we said already, choosing the right type of tongs is vital. Otherwise, it can be very dangerous. So, unless you are working on only one specific type of project, you want to have a few sets of different pairs of tongs. When it comes to tongs, note that there is no one size fits all.

Without further ado, these are one of the most common types of blacksmithing tongs:

• V-bit Tongs
• Wolf-jaw Tongs
• Flat-jaw Tongs
• Pickup-Tongs
• Bolt-jaw Tongs
• Box-jaw Tongs

V-bit Tongs

V-bit tongs are widely used among blacksmiths. As the name suggests, they have bits in the shape of a letter-v that allows a tight gripping of various shapes of stock. While v-bit tongs can hold a flat stock, they are more suitable for holding square and round stock. If you are a beginner blacksmith, v-bit tongs are an excellent choice to start with.

Another benefit of using tongs like V-Bit Bolt Blacksmith Tongs is that you are not limited to the specific size of the stock. On the other hand, if you are more into knifemaking, v-bit tongs are not the most convenient choice. V-bit tongs are also often called bolt-jaw tongs. The only difference is that bolt-jaw tongs have a curved opening while v-bit tongs don’t.

Wolf-jaw Tongs

Wolf-jaw tongs are considered the best tongs for general-purpose work. Because of that, they are beginner-friendly. They have a number of different pairs of “teeth “that hold all kinds and sizes of stocks. All shapes of wolf-jaw tongs hold flat, round, and square stock securely. However, if your tongs don’t hold your work securely, stop the forging process immediately.

Flat Jaw Tongs

Flat jaw tongs are one of the simplest tongs in the blacksmithing shop. They are commonly used with flat material, primarily due to their flat jaws. Flat-jaw tongs range incredibly in their variety of different shapes and sizes. The chances are that every blacksmith will make the slightly differently.

As we already said, they are best used for holding flat stock, but they can also hold the stock if they have a groove in the middle of the jaws. Flat jaw tongs are also one of the simplest tongs to make since both jaws are identical. So, if you are planning to forge your first pair of tongs, these are an ideal choice. They can be easily shaped into box jaw tongs, which are more convenient for bladesmithing.

Pickup-Tongs

As you can already assume, pickup tongs are precise that, tongs for picking things up. Since in blacksmithing, there is always something up from the floor or the forge, you need tongs that can effectively do that. However, pickup tongs are not considered forging tongs, especially if they are light.

They often have long handles that are very helpful for picking things up, especially near the forge. For example, if you are using the gas forge and you are desperately trying to pick the material, but instead, you are pushing it further. In that case, pickup tongs are a lifesaver.

Bolt-jaw Tongs

Bolt-jaw tongs have a curved opening that allows the passage of bolts or items that have bent or odd shapes. For example, if you make a lot of S-hooks, bolt-jaw tongs would be an ideal choice. As with other types, bolt jaws have many different shapes and sizes. They are considered one of the safest tongs for holding square and round bars.

More specifically, bolt-jaw tongs with a round nose are ideal for round bars, while those with a v-bit nose can hold both round and square bars. Some of them even have a cross-section that allows a smith to hold the material perpendicularly.

Box-jaw Tongs

You can think of box-jaw tongs as the improved version of flat-jaw tongs. The key difference is that box-jaw tongs have a box-like jaw with two lips on each side. These lips keep the metal from sliding off. Keep in mind that box-jaw tongs need to be sized for the thickness and width of the material.

So, if you are working with a wide variety of material sizes, you also need a variety of different sizes of box-jaw tongs. Another great version of box-jaw tongs is Z-bit tongs, which also hold the material very tight.

What Are the Best Tongs for Beginner Blacksmith?

While there are many types of tongs to choose from, wolf-jaw tongs are considered the best choice for beginner blacksmiths. Wolf-jaw tongs can hold all sorts of different sizes and shapes of material. They are easily accessible and also not expensive. When just getting started in blacksmithing, it is recommended to get at least 2 different sizes of wolf-jaw tongs.

Wolf-jaw tongs are the type of blacksmithing tongs that has numerous sets of different “teeth “designed to hold various shapes and sizes of stock. That combined set of benefits gives the wolf-jaw tongs an excellent choice for a beginner. Later on, when you specialize in some specific type of work, feel free to add another set of tongs.

As with other types, wolf-jaw tongs vary in shape and size, but most of them can easily hold flat stock, round stock, and square stock without a problem. Beginner blacksmiths typically use stocks like 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ and these tongs have been proven to hold these stocks securely.

Because of that versatility, Wolf-jaw tongs are considered the best blacksmithing tongs for general-purpose work. I have a few pairs of wolf-jaw tongs, and they serve me right for a few years. The best thing about them is the fact that I have never adjusted them; they are that strong.

However, if you find that wolf-jaw doesn’t hold the stock tightly, stop the forging. You simply can’t work when your material is moving around and threatening to slip out.

What If I Am More Interested in Bladesmithing?

For those interested in bladesmithing, box-jaw tongs are considered one of the most popular choices. Namely, box-jaw tongs hold the blade tightly and securely, minimizing the chances of slipping off even with the loose grip. Note that the box-jaw tongs should be sized for the width of the workpiece.

You can think of them as an improved version of flat jaw tongs. Unlike flat-jaw tongs, box-jaw tongs consist of a flat upper jaw and the lower jaw with two lips on each side that prevent material from sliding off. However, potential problems start to occur when the stock wider than the tongs.

If a stock is slightly wider than the jaws, they can still hold it decently, but when the stock is too wide, it will easily slip out. The same problems occur when the stock is narrower than the jaw. In that case, they simply can’t provide the required snug fit of the stock.

The only downside of box-jaw tongs is that they have to be a specific size for a particular stock. That being said, if you are working with different widths and thicknesses of stock, make sure to have a few different sizes of box-jaw tongs.

Should You Buy or Make Tongs?

A decision on whether you should make the tongs or simply buy them primarily depends on your experience and skill level. If you are a beginner, we don’t recommend making tongs as one of the first blacksmithing projects. On the other hand, if you are experienced or at least an intermediate-level blacksmith, making your tongs is the best option.

Namely, tongs are not an easy project for novice blacksmiths. A lot of drawing out, offsets, and a lot of hammer control are required for successful tong-making. When you are just starting blacksmithing, one of the best projects for beginners is things like punches, drifts, S-hooks, J-hooks, and other similar items.

Completing these simple projects equips a beginner with some experience and skills needed to move on to the more advanced stuff. I know that awesome and fulfilling feeling of using the tool you have made, but it is essential to start simple.

So, for now, buy new tongs and start forging. In case new tongs need some adjustments, you can do it by yourself. That is much easier than making them from scratch. You can find nice-quality blacksmithing tongs for $50 online.

One of the easiest tongs to make as a beginner is flat-jaw tongs and box-jaw tongs, so you can start with them. They don’t require a lot of time and expertise to make them. The most significant benefit of forging your own tongs is that you can tailor them to your needs.

Also, by forging the tongs, you save a lot of money. Forging the tongs also doesn’t require a lot of tools and equipment to make, which makes forging the tongs very appealing to most people.

What Is the Best Material for Making Tongs?

One of the best materials for making tongs is mild steel. Since blacksmithing tongs should be tough rather than hard, mild steel is an ideal option. Tongs made from mild steel minimize the chances of cracking during the forging process. Mild steel is also cheap and readily available.

Okay, that was the short answer, now let’s dive into it a little further. Mild steel is considered low-carbon steel. It is typically made from natural materials. While there are different grades of mild steel, most of them have a similar carbon content, which is anywhere from 0.05-0.25%.

But really, the greatest advantage of mild steel is that it is relatively easy to forge. That only comes to that significance when we compare it to various tool steels, like S7 or 4140.

One popular type of mild steel is 1018 steel. It offers a good balance between toughness, strength, and flexibility. Mild steel is typically non-hardenable, which is another benefit. Let’s say that you are holding a metal with your tongs in the forge.

After some time, your tongs are going to get red hot and possibly change shape. To prevent that, tongs are usually quenched between the heats. If you do that with tongs made from tool steel, you are risking breaking them due to the high hardness. But let’s say that for some reason you decide to make them from tool steel.

In that case, we recommend making a few pairs, so you can change them when one pair gets too hot. You simply let one pair let the air cool and the other one used for work. Personally, I don’t like having three same pairs of tongs as I already have too many of them.

Another commonly used material for tong making is rebar. As mild steel, rebar is cheap and often readily available.

Rebar is commonly used as a reinforcing bar, and it is made from all kinds of materials. The biggest problem with rebar is that it is inconsistent in composition; therefore, you never know what to expect.

The chances are if you get 5 bars of rebar all of them to have different carbon content. I remember when I made three pairs of tongs from different rebar bars. Out of those three, I have one that I still use today, and the other two I threw out after only a couple of days.

And Remember, Always Wear Safety Glasses!

Maybe you already noticed, but we mention this a lot in our articles for a great reason. Now wearing safety glasses in the blacksmithing workshop is one of the stupidest things to do. At the same time, it is the simplest thing you can do. Unfortunately, there are some smiths thinking that wearing safety glasses makes them soft, so to speak.

When I hear that, I don’t know whether to cry or laugh, but nonetheless, that is a stupid way of thinking. Safety experts say that 90% of eye injuries at work could be prevented by simply wearing safety glasses, so let’s be responsible rather than egoistic about it.

The last thing you want to experience is red hot metal flying up on your face, which can easily happen if you choose the wrong type of tongs. Even if you choose the right type, there is still a chance of losing your grip.