West African tongs - making blacksmiths tongs without tongs
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- Опубліковано 22 лис 2018
- While watching various blacksmithing videos on UA-cam. I ran across a video from Burkina Faso in West Africa. While the video concerned making an adze, what really struck me was the simple but useful pair of tongs the smith was using.
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thanks for the idea. and another thank for your pure english sir. it is simple to understand. greetings from turkey.
Love these "beginner" tool making videos. So helpful seeing you do things without special jigs that many of us beginners don't have yet.
If you made a 2nd ring slightly larger and placed it behind the 1st, you could grab your work piece and then slide the loose ring back to lock the jaws.
From watching another video on the same channel, it turned out to be a coil with about 2 and 1/4 turns to it. At least that's how the others smiths had theirs, they were different guys but the videos seemed like they were taken in the same area. They even made their own iron in a bloomery furnace, familiar to this channel. The smiths used a bellows that looked like a pair of drums that were also bags. Very interesting setup.
Thanks it's been hard to figure out how to go about getting and making tongs so thanks again much appreciated
I watched that guys video and his shop was awesome, but what really blew my mind was that the hammer blows were in time with the music through the entire video... and that antique car in the background.
Thanks for linking to the video it was very interesting.
I tried making these last night and I think you missed something from the original design in the source video. It's a small detail but it's absolutely critical: It isn't a ring that holds them together, it's a cylinder. The original video has the ring made from square stock and it's basically a double ring, but the ends are hammered at probably a 45 degree angle and aligned with each other so that it has a consistent thickness to it. The square stock also means that the ring (actually a cylinder) has a sharp edge, which I think is important in keeping them in place. The ones I made are a bit crude since I'm a new blacksmith so I only sorta know what I'm doing (and I only had access to some scrap 3/8" round bar and some 1/4" square so I had to scale them down a bit) but they work pretty well and if I just let one of the reins drop, that rein locks in place and won't fall out or re-adjust itself while I'm moving them around, so it's pretty easy to just grab that reign again and it'll be right where I want it to pick up whatever I was holding. The only awkward thing is initially adjusting them so that I can pick something up but after they're set, I don't have to do much to keep them how I set them. I'd be curious as to what you'd of using them if you replaced the ring with a cylinder made from square bar in the way that I've described.
I really appreciate how you take into consideration that some folks are just getting started. Thanks John!!!
Thank you John that VIDIO was amazing and I’ll be making some of these tongs
Remember the K.I.S.S. Rule. "Keep it simple smith". Excellent video, and worth a share. Thanks John!
Well I'm going to make a set just for the heck of it
Been watching alot of smithing videos from other cultures and countries lately. Seeing different techniques that are uncommon around here have really opened my my mind to what all is possible as I learn this craft, with the technology of Google Translate I've been able to ask and learn more, it's really amazing to see that globally in the arts and crafts culture borders and prejudices are torn down and people show an appreciation for one another. Thanks for posting this John!...
Very well said
The video on UA-cam of the zulu old man in south africa black forging a metal spear in the afican bush. This video is one of the things that is responsible for getting me back into blacksmithing after not touching it since 2010. I joined a local blacksmithing guild in 2023 and am slowly learning
Great idea! Kinda seems like a blacksmith multi tool in a way, with the adjustability part 🤔
The ring he was using looked to be double wrapped, maybe a little springy?! Worth a try for sure! Thanks so much for all your work and info.
I thing that it is the inside ring of a bearing
Sometimes the simplest things are useful in ways we never contemplated perhaps because we are so blessed with higher technology. In my world the acronym K.I.S.S. seems to keep Murphy entertained enough to not cause more stitches and tape splints...for the most part anyway. Lol
So I try to Keep It Simple Stupid
Blessed days sirSir, Crawford out
I was pretty impressed with his skill, even more so with how effortlessly he wielded what looked to be a 5 or 6 pound cross pein in the beginning of the project. The tongs appear to be awesome.
I was most impressed by his wood working, he was pretty good.
The tongs are fascinating, but there are many things to be admired in that video. Not the least is the sheer horsepower in that smith’s hammer against the most stubborn spring steel I’ve ever seen. Wow. I also think I’ll stick to a drawknife and perhaps keep my fingers. I just don’t have that skill.
I notice the blacksmith in the video you referenced had multiple rings with rough squared edges and I noticed he slid them and slanted them and then did a light smack against the anvil so that the friction of the corners provided a soft lock in position. My guess is he probably prefers those since they are versatile so he's not juggling multiple sets of tongs the entire time.
Perhaps you just showed an early form of tongs when black smithing was in its infancy. Early workers would not have had any tools until they made them. Great video.
I have seen this style of tongs being built in other videos, they referred to them as African style. They looked crude to me but definitely functional. I think I will cut off a piece of pipe for a ring rather than forging a round ring. Essentially that would be the same as forging a ring out of flat stock. Anyway, glad to hear your perspective on this.👍
Chop stick tongs? Awesome!
🎶 ... That tong, tong tong tong tongs!... 🎵
I can barely manage chopsticks…these look like a disaster waiting for me! 😁😬🔥
Interesting fellow and shop. Like others have commented it's flat bar. At one point it looked like two rings attached together then later it seemed to be a single piece and cut on each end to make a scarf joint when bent into a circle. In either case he had good control of the tool. Made my morning!
So I made a set of these tongs yesterday. 3/8 round stock 17 inches long and 3/16 x 3/4 flat for the ring. I am impressed at how well they hold, I have not tried to forge with them yet, they will take some getting used to but they are on the rack with my other tongs.
Hi John, what a fantastic simple idea.
Amazing work, interesting that although no words were said we understand the language of moving hot steel. Thank you John for sharing the link.
I also highly recommend occasionally trying google translate to find videos in other languages.
I once needed to make some Swiss style cow bells and couldn’t find anything but the little box shaped cowbells searching in English. When I looked in German I was able to find several fantastic videos showing the making of big Swiss cow bells.
I have a feeling the ring was flat square stock and double wrapped. Which almost is like double nutting a bolt. Such a great idea! I'm sure the gentleman has used those tongs for years and has become very acquainted with it!
Afternoon John ,
It's amazing , I mean that such a Simply made set of tongs, can be so useful ! Terrific Information !
So glad you passed it on to us !
I will check out that Video !
Take Care and Enjoy your Vacation !
A couple of years ago while demonstrating to a group of school kids during the summer, and one of the kids asked me, if blacksmiths make their own tools how did they make the "first" tools!? and I had no answer for the young student... Now I have an answer! need to make a set for demonstration purposes.
One of the big things to remember when we think about the evolution of tools is that they didn't have existing expectation and could make do with much simpler tools while learning and making newer better tools. It probably took generations of very crude tools before they started making tools that were truly efficient.
I got a chance to make a pair of these this evening and they work remarkably well! Thanks for the tip! I watched the video referenced and found a few others as well and went with a collar made from some 3/16" x 3/4" bar stock instead of a ring that was round in cross section based on what it looked like they were using. I think the wider flat profile of the inside of the ring gives a bit more bite and keeps them from slipping as badly. Handy addition to the tong rack!
I enjoy how you took something you found fascinating and shared it. Great video... Also I watched the video you shared.. I couldn't believe while swinging like a madman he had such control and accuracy.
Great post. Thank you for this. It is amazing to see the ingenuity and skill of these smiths. Great find!
That’s different, but as long as they work! Thanks for sharing!
Great pair of tongs. Very useful when nothing else is available. Another great video John. Take care my friend.
Really cool music being played. And some really amazing artwork that surrounded that maker. It seems that you have some good taste in what you are watching. Love watching you keep up the good work
Thanks
That was a very interesting video John and a bunch of the Black Bear fans watched it your even giving us some worldly culture
Thanks for pointing that video out. That's some VERY interesting tongs. I did watch the man's video, and yeah, they look extremely adjustable. I will be making a set of those very soon. I will also probably make the Jaws a bit more like the ones I ususally use, a bit more like worf jaw tongs. Can't wait to see how they work. Again thanks for the video as always, and thanks for the information you have shared here.
These are so simple, brilliant!! Thanks for sharing mate :)
Very cool, neat idea, good solution!
Cheers from Tokyo!
Nice never seen a pair of tongs made that way. That's pretty cool and I could see it come in handy every once in a while. I might have to make myself a pair. great idea to whoever's the originator. Thank you John sir
Nice find John. My vote is that the ring is actually an old outer bearing race. No forging required. :-)
That could be and if not would probably work
That was some neat tongs. Something different to learn and try. I need to try to make a set of those for the fun of it. Thanks
Fantastic video!
Cool concept! Just goes to show where there is a will there is a way! Thanks for sharing
I like this video. Good info. I will share it with my group and others for sure. Thanks
Cool!
I saw an interesting tong trick on UA-cam a time back, (edit-Glen GS Tongs) where the smith took a piece of round stock, doubled it over in the middle, crossed the legs of the doubled bar anout an inch below the doubled over center, flattened the two legs at the cross, punched through the cross and riveted it, then hacksawed through the middle of the first bend. Long story short the twist made by doubling and crossing acts as the two offsets you create when forming the boss and reins normally. The result is bulky looking, but made a functional tong with a jaw profile a little between flat tongs and fairer tongs, that was very simple to make, and no tongs used. Edit- Glen GS Tongs’ video, ua-cam.com/video/OPpeEvBiQHc/v-deo.html
Looks like a couple 6204 outside bearing races used to fulcrum the tong halves, like chopsticks.
I was less than three minutes into the video, when it looks like these tongs are very adaptable. I could see using them for various stock sizes and I think a pair made out of bolt jaw tong style could work as well, John, you really got my mind thinking!!
I've just been trying to make a pair of tongs from 1/4" X 1-14" using Roy's method (Christcenteredblacksmith ..... ing....?) of making tongs........ trying to make tongs to hold 1/4" X 1-14". Not going so well as they are getting a bit hot to hold 🤨 After watching this video I have made something similar using rebar and hammering most of the rebar texture in so it has a bit more grip to hold the ring. They still need tweaking but so far they are working well 😁 Thanks for the inspiration and link to the man using them 😊👍👍👍👍👍
Those have tremendous potential as pickup tongs. A little anvil face shaping of the jaws and you could get any number of cofigurations.
Those might be handy just to have in the shop for any odd sized pieces.
It does look easier to adjust than riveted tongs.
You definitely surprised me. At the beginning, I thought you were going to make a pair of salad style tongs, which are also very simple and effective. I like to start with a 3' long piece of stock, flatten an area in the middle and bend it over. Any kind of jaws can be made on the ends.
John, I watched that African video a number of times. The ring seems to be made out of square stock long enough to make TWO wraps with the ends tapered on one side to yield a sort of cylinder, 2x long. I drew some diagrams using single width and dual width rinds and it seems to make a difference on the jaw angle with less movement of the ring position. The wider ring may make it easier to orient the 2 tong halves. I made a single ring set with my grandson and they seemed a bit cumbersome, thus the research. I intend to make another, using a double wrap ring and see how that works. I have to remake the 2 halves new as he took the other set with him when he left to go back to school.
lad to hear you're having fun with the idea.
Now that, John, is cool! 🎅 🔥🐾⚒🏆
Definitely going to be making a set of these for my first pair of tongs, and I'll even make a video out of it. Thanks! :)
Very interesting, thanks for sharing this, I'd never seen tongs like that! Off to watch the video you mentioned now. Cheers.
@ 19:55 Look at the Cone Die infront of the 1920's old car, I think that is used for making an African Bell. It's atually two bell's forge welded together. A man from Africa told me how to play them. Trust me I'm a drummer. Now lets watch this how to make all in one African Tongs. ps I wanted to give him a box to stand on.
I will have to give this a try tomorrow! I have a railroad rail as an anvil, which makes punching difficult, and the last time I tried making a set of bbq-style tongs they went in as one piece and came out as two. The method using flat stock, I tried to use 1/2"x2" flat, and my forge wasn't getting hot enough. If I'd been stubborn, I'd still be working on it. This, I can do if I can get the ring right. Even if not, I can still use the 'chunk-o'-pipe' idea and move on. I'm looking forward to trying it!
Very cool
I always hear the argument what is best in things, and usually it is what you are accustomed to. If you are used to using a certain tool you get use to its ways. Driving a car, at first it seems awkward and then you grow into it and other cars then seem awkward. You get to know where your cars switches and controls are the way it handles etc which you have to relearn on a new car.Same with tools, you get used to its shape,its weight, its balance and its feel. So no tool is better only what suits you.
Tony Papantoniou lol...reminds me of a dirtbike I had with bent handlebars I rode like that for almost a year, when I finally got a new set it took me another year to get used to it again.
Yep, what you are used to.
When the effort/cost required to change outweighs the projected benefits of the change.
I am well known for being a simple/basic type fella. Even when it comes to my silver pouring. I have modified tools for 45 years or more and have a very small really efficient furnace I made from firebrick only.This is right down my alley my friend. Come on over and have a look. You might like what you see my friend.
Great idea!! I bet if you made the ring out of twisted bar stock you would get better gripping on the reigns. I'm going to try that out myself. It seams like a good pair of tongs with a bit of flexibility.
The tongs he was using had multiple coils or rings much like a square wire spring. Watch when he is doing the final truing of the blade to get a better look. Perhaps that provides a more secure grip. Interesting find thanks for the video.
A great idea
That guy looked like the original Power Hammer! He did have skilz :)
Interesting
Saw that video awhile ago. Made a pair when I saw it.
Watched both videos, his appears to have dual rings with square corners, where yours has a round single ring. Like you said you could make 2 rings of different lengths from a piece of pipe, it would prove wether the longer piece holds things better or not, although the longer it is the less opening spread you would get. Thanks John.
I'm pretty new to blacksmithing. Som far i have used wisegrip tongs, because i dont have any blacksmith tongs yet. Maybe i'll try to make a pair of this simple style tongs. Thanks for another great video John! Cheers from Norway.
Vise grips were invented by a blacksmith trying to make better tongs.
those are also handy when you want to hold on to something in the fire and don't want to chance ruining a good pair of tongs lol
First to comment!
Keep up the awesome instructional videos! I always learn a lot on every video you post!
That ring idea might work for people trying chop sticks first time 😂
COOL!
you should check out the tongs made by Australian smith Pete Collins
Maak de ring uit 12m/m plat en ovaal dan blijft het beter zitten ,gezien toen nog ivoor kust Toen vaarde ik nog 1973 goede dinge blijven altijd!!! opa
check out the collins type tongs. peter collins blacksmith.. they are pretty cool blackbear. I think you should make a set and critique them. Would love to see that. I think Bigdog is gonna have a crack
One thing I noticed in the original video (see 1:26, ua-cam.com/video/eJNQu1HS94g/v-deo.html) is that his ring is sort of flat/double wide. I plan on making a set just to have as a universal pair this weekend and I'll probably make 2 coils on my ring or use 1/4x3/4" flat stock for the ring. That wider ring may help keep the pieces in their place better and provide more leverage. I like Kevin Smith's idea of a second larger ring to serve as a locking ring.
This Workshop is in Germany .And the wood Carver how make his own Tools come from Burkina Faso.
There's also the "first tool" / "no tongs" single twist tongs you make out of two pieces of flat stock shown in the Anvilfire site.
Also, one of the "daily notes" when visiting their site they had a note about the Channelok adjustable pliers came about from the inventor attempting to make adjustable blacksmith tongs.
Don't know if that's true or just a legend.
Great idea , I still need to make some as a old one they want $70 to $100 Au . I live on a pension and just cannot afford that.
Thanks for that link John...if you haven't seen it, you Must go back to that channel and watch the video "The hammer with two heads"...😐a little speechless after that one. Btw, there's a good close up on how the ring is formed @12:46 on that one.
Absolutely amazing, thank you for suggesting that video!
bschilt3 Already in the process of starting the two headed handle for my next hammer...who knows might end up being a good conversation starter for appreciating others.
Watching that video now. Really cool! At minuted 9:11 (ua-cam.com/video/netygPvVBKQ/v-deo.html) you can see another version of those tongs with an even wider ring.
Sam Athanassov I made myself a pair...tricky to use as first. Was definitely a fun little project.
Interesting that this shows up after two years but it looks like the blacksmith in the original video is able to use the ring to lock the hot chisel into the tongs.
Another good video, especially how to make a tool when you have no tools.
The country is in the title of the video. Burkina Faso is a west African country. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkina_Faso
It looked like his ring was flat stock as you stated, but it appear to be a double helix, He put everything he had into every swing on his hammer too. Interesting video. Thank you.
I made a pair yesterday out of 1/4 inch stock (Trial Run). Cold hammered the jaws and flaired them a little like a duckbill. Then I cheated and tried several different sized washers around the two blanks until I found a snug fit, then welded three of them together for a thick ring. Added a single washer to slide back after gripping to lock the grip, and was rather surprised at how well they held stock. They're a little "fiddly" to get your grip with in the first place (I use two hands), but I imagine you could get used to them fairly quickly.
Then I made a double wrapped ring out of 5/16ths material for a couple of 1/2" X 18" pieces of round stock That I cut and plan to make the real tools next time I fire up the forge.
What are your thoughts on making an oval ring. Would it stabilize the action any, do you think?
While it doesn't seem like you get much time for reading, you might enjoy "The Mande Blacksmiths" by Patrick McNaughton. The author studied with West African blacksmiths.
Looks like the square stock was coiled round twice and may have been spring steel.
Great video and having just started forging I used this as my first project today. Challenging enough to be interesting but without failure.
I have applied to join your Facebook group to show you result.
I have one ring too small and one
Too big although the large ring does allow gripping of large work pieces.
Thanks for the inspiration
Ahh went and had a look John, yes he seems to use flat stock to make that ring but the ring is bent around twice, this giving more surface area to grip the the two tongs pieces, that's just my take on it.
If you did two rings could you slide the second down the reins to lock the tongs closed?
Just watched that video. He don't need a dang power hammer. HE IS the power hammer! Not his first time cooking a chunk of spring!
Simple but effective
👍👍👍
I saw this video as well!
Though he certainly is forging an African style adze and using African tongs every other tool in the video is German and when he steps outside the foliage appears European to me.
The channel that video is on looks to be by a German smith (not the man forging in that video) who has some kind of connection with west African smiths.
Watch the other videos on his channel, there is a very interesting video im Africa where they make some iron from scratch and then forge a hammer in an amazing very African blacksmith shop, more of these tongs in use there.
One of my questions has always been " how did a blacksmith make the first hammer, without a hammer " ?
Iron age smiths had the benefit of thousands of years of bronze age tools which was built on even more experience with stone age tools.
Every time I go out to the shop to make tongs, she says: "Why are you making thongs and who else is in your shop?"
I wonder if you could use a tong clip with those.
Probably
@@BlackBearForge Mr. John, i have been struggling with making traditional tongs. Ive got some of Ken's tongs ordered. But today, after i watched this video, and the one on tong clips, thats what i made this afternoon when i got home. They work great with a tong clip. A little more fiddly setting them up, but work great. Ill post a pic in the facebook group.
Burkina Faso, West Africa