I used to forge my tongs with a 3 pound hammer and a prayer, now I just use a hydraulic press.

Noah Chen · 2026-03-18T20:30:08.464025+00:00

Back when I first started, my mentor in Boise told me to 'feel the steel move' with a hand hammer. I spent a whole afternoon on one pair, my arm was JELLO. Last year, I finally got a used 12-ton press from a shop closing sale. Made a set of box jaw tongs in under 20 minutes yesterday. The old way taught me patience, but my elbows are much happier now. Anyone still doing it the hard way for the 'character'?

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I used to forge my tongs with a 3 pound hammer and a prayer, now I just use a hydraulic press. | Blacksmiths - Opinions Matter