Somerset blacksmith

On Saturday afternoon, I had the opportunity to watch the blacksmith at the Somerset Steam and Gas Pasture Party hand forge this pair of blacksmiths tongs.

These tongs were fabricated from mild steel stock using only a hammer, a 150 year old anvil and a punch to form the pivot hole. The jaws were formed first and then the handles were welded to the jaws. Once the handles were in place, the hole for the pivot was punched and the pivot was riveted in place.

With the workpiece in the fire, the blacksmith explains that obtaining the correct temperature for each operation is critical to successful forging. Temperature is judged by eye, according to the color of the glowing metal. In fact, the entire process was regulated by eye without measuring tools or patterns.

When the forging was complete, the blacksmith agreed to sell me the completed tongs which had taken shape before my eyes. This is the only tool in my collection that I actually saw being made.