brian robertson wrote:Ray, the habit to get into with spring steel tongs is to dip them in the water BEFORE you pick up hot steel NOT after; they are then allowed to air cool a little before you could quench them at a critical temp.
i've been using light weight tongs since I took a class in industrial forging yrs ago from Steve Parker. Steve's everyday forge work consists of 40lb billets under a 2500lb hammer; his tongs look like chop sticks; all made from 5160(spring stock)
that's probably a habit I should pick up. Ben using the smell of burning hide as reminder to cool my tongs for too long. Red. Good plan might try them on my new helper.