Tong making part 1

This is a small guide to making a pair of

small flat bit tongs that can be put across any kind of tongs.

Two pieces are necessary. At each step, make sure both

pieces are matched.

1. To start with you need to get yourself two pieces of 8" of 5/8 Square or 200mm of 16mmSq
2. Mark is 35mm into the bar from the end
3. Get a good heat on the bar and place the marked end on the edge of the anvil, with heavy blows to set down the end, you want to go down till about half way. Do this on both and this will make up the jaws, try to refrain from hitting the sides of the jaw as this will give a different dimension on the metal than you need
4. Turn it 90% now you are going to be working on this side, you want to mark out on your anvil a 45% angle this is where you are going to be striking it.
5. This point is essentail to make yourself a pair of tongs that fit your hands right, if your right handed then you need to be making the tongs for your left hand and the same goes for left handed people, if you mess this up then you will have akward tongs.
6. You are going to bring the tongs out of the fire and place them with jaws just over the edge of the anvil at the 45% degree line that you have drawn. If you are right handed you want to have the jaws facing to the left on both tongs and if your left handed you want it facing it to the right. DO NOT MESS THIS BIT UP OR ADRIAN WILL LAUGH.
7. With heavy blows set it down over the side, allow the metal to spread out to make the hinge plate, you want to again hit it down by around half way to about 8mm wide.
8. Now turn it around again 90% so the jaw is on the bottom, you are going to be setting it down around 38 to 40mm from the jaws. This is where you need to do really heavy blows to draw it down to make the right form.  
9. Place the bar at your mark over the end of the anvil and hammer down, you want to get it as thick as the hinge plate and two thirds as high
10. Now your are going to be drawing out the rein but remeber this is only roughing out so dont pay too much attention to smoothing off. 

Part 2 will be coming soon, yours should be looking something similar

to this about now.