New tongs kinda stiff

[Shinji_Ikari]

Just finished a pair of flat jaw tongs I got from Ken's Custom. They are stiffer than the other set I made. What are some ways to loosen them up so they will be easier to use?

Thank you!

 

[quenchquest]

I ran into the same problem with a pair I made last year using them hot a few times really helped them loosen up.

 

[WeldandTell]

When I put together my first set I just kept using them for small projects, and they naturally broke in over time.

 

[Shinji_Ikari]

Thank you for the help. I will just use them and see how it goes. Honestly, for now I think I am going to mostly use the split jaw tongs I did. Those seem to do good holding 3/8" round and 1/2" square so far.

 

[Dociron]

Just finished a pair of flat jaw tongs I got from Ken's Custom. They are stiffer than the other set I made. What are some ways to loosen them up so they will be easier to use?

Thank you!

Heat the boss or joint area to a red or orange heat. Quench in water and while quenching open and close them rapidly until cool.

 

[Shinji_Ikari]

Heat the boss or joint area to a red or orange heat. Quench in water and while quenching open and close them rapidly until cool.

Thank you!

 

[t_bone]

Heat the boss or joint area to a red or orange heat. Quench in water and while quenching open and close them rapidly until cool.

I did this to loosen my new tongs, but after that, I put a little beeswax at the pivot point to help lubricate it for future use

 

[Alan]

Great idea! That beeswax tip is really clever it’ll make using it again so much easier.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I use a dab of johnsons paste wax on the rivet while still warm and work the tongs open and closed a bunch of times to lubricate the rivet and help the tongs work smoothly.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Alan]

That's a neat idea getting the wax in there while it's warm seems like it would really help those tongs move without any trouble.

 

[FPDoc]

Just finished a pair of flat jaw tongs I got from Ken's Custom. They are stiffer than the other set I made. What are some ways to loosen them up so they will be easier to use?

Thank you!

As long as you've got new tongs.. dont forget to keep chain links that you forge that don't turn out quite right.. use them to slip over the reins (think vise-grip pliers) when you want to keep a.. tight-rein.. on a piece of stock.. (Never throw away an odd piece of metal that you find in an old blacksmithing shop.. it's a tool that you just haven't recognized that you need yourself, yet)

 

[Alan]

Great tip, never considered holding onto old chain links like that but it really does make a lot of sense.