American Farriers Journal
American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.
How to Make Forging Tongs
Hall of Fame farrier Randy Luikart explains his step-by-step process
Takeaways
- Mild steel or a stronger spring steel, such as 5/8 round coil spring, can be used to forge durable and lightweight tongs.
- The forging process relies on a precise sequence of 90-degree rotations and specific anvil-edge strikes to shape the jaws and create necessary offsets.
- Cutting a groove in the jaw while heated and shaping the reins properly ensures that the two halves align correctly and lie flat against steel.
- Finalizing the tongs by sizing them around a specific thickness of steel and shaping wide, rounded and tapered reins provides a better grip and reduces hand fatigue.
Tongs are an item that wears out, breaks or just doesn’t fit the size of steel you would like to use them on.
I’ve made all my tongs since learning how from International Horseshoeing Hall of Famer Lester Hollenback of Deltona, Fla.
These tongs are made from mild steel. I made a pair from 5/8 round coil spring to use on ½-inch stock while in Lester’s school that I use today. Spring is stronger, so the tongs will end up lighter than mild steel. Mild steel will be quite serviceable for years.
Don’t be tempted to make these reins opposite of each other, as they are the same. You will find that out the hard way when you go to put them together and they are opposite.
“A robust shape provides a solid feel while reducing muscle cramping from the narrower reins…”
How To
Start with two pieces of 3/8 x ¾…
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