Fig. 100. Blacksmith’s Tongs.
Fig. 101.
Fig. 102. Fig. 103.
In forging the jaws a heavy hand hammer is used, and the bar is heated to the welding heat, or near it. One and one-eighth inch of the bar is set on the inner edge of the anvil and the lip is hammered as shown in [Figure 102]. The lip must not be turned and hammered on its edge. Let it get as wide as it will, and do not hammer it too thin. After the shoulder has been started for the length of the lip, it must not be moved. A common fault is to start the shoulder and then to find that the lip is not long enough and proceed to make another shoulder. The result of the second shoulder is that when nearly finished a crack will be discovered. The reason that second shoulder starts a crack is that the metal stretched over the first shoulder. This is called a cold shut. See [Figure 103]. Another common fault is to lower the bar when making the lip. This pulls the lip on an angle with the bar and when it is straightened, another crack is formed in the corner. See [Figure 104]. The bar must be on the same plane with the anvil face at all times. When the lip is made, the bar is turned to the left, setting it on the outer edge of the anvil and hammering to form the shoulder for the eye. See [Figure 105]. It is then turned again to the left hand and hammered down for the last shoulder.
Fig. 104. Fig. 105.
At this time the stock required for the eye is beyond the outer edge of the anvil. See [Figure 106].
