Burned through 12 pairs of tongs in 8 years then switched to a homemade set from a guy in Kentucky and now I'm 3 years in with no issues

I used to buy whatever farrier tongs were cheapest at the supply store and replace them every 8 months because the jaws would warp or lose grip, but a old timer at a clinic told me to try his welded design with a different steel blend, so has anyone else switched from store-bought to custom tongs and noticed a big difference in wear.

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sage1mo ago

The old timer who made your tongs, did he ever mention what specific steel he was blending? I'm wondering if it's a high carbon mix or maybe something with more nickel in it. The cheap store tongs usually warp because they're using mild steel that just can't take the constant heat and clamping force. I had a farrier in Montana tell me once that the secret was in the tempering process, not just the metal itself. You ever get a chance to see how he forged yours or was it just a handshake and a pair of tongs in a paper bag?

the_phoenix1mo ago

Did you ever catch that documentary on old blacksmithing techniques they had on PBS a few years back? I remember them talking about how the tempering is huge for tongs because you need the jaws to grip but the handles to have some flex so they don't snap right off. It kind of made sense to me that even good steel can be ruined if you rush the cooling part.