This is my own design to avoid having a twist on the jaws as my previous pair broke on the twist
I start with a 13” length of  2” x 5/16” mild steel  marked up as in the picture. Measurements  are 1” in from both ends and a central line.

I cut this with a disc cutter and hacksaw but it can also be cut with a hacksaw for the 1” lines at each end then hot cut down the central line. Note the new lines marked on both pieces. The measurements are the same on both pieces.  On the bottom piece the top line is 1/4” in from the top edge. The bottom line is 1/2” up from the bottom edge and 1 1/2” length. These will be cut off as well to form the jaws.

Pieces now cut off . As you can see I cut them at 45 degrees instead of the 90 degrees I marked

Now to the forge take a good heat on the jaw end reheat as needed.

I stretch the width with I cross peen then beat out the dents on both pieces on one side only. Do both the same way round . The side you hammer on will be the inside of the box jaw. You are aiming to end up with 3/16” thickness.

Now to start the U bend on the jaw I go to my high tech bit of angle iron held in a vice with a lump of wood underneath to stop it from dropping out as I hammer with a cross peen.


Bring the bend round a bit more on the edge of the anvil.

Finish the bend around whatever thickness stock you will be using the tongs on . In my case it is 1/4” leaf spring.

Should look like these.  I had to straighten out  a little bit of twist in the jaws.


Now mark 4” from the jaw end of each piece with a centre punch. This is where I fuller to start the reins

Fuller on the centre punch marks with a bottom fuller or on the edge of the anvil just 1/2 way through.

Now draw out the reins. I use the edge of the anvil for this.

When they are long enough cut off any excess metal. As you can see I fullered one side a bit longer than the other but I can tidy that up with a grinder.

Flip the top one over and lay it on the bottom one. Oops I just spotted I forgot to round the reins off.


Right I have rounded the reins off . Now to align the jaws I get a good heat on both pieces on the tongs end and clamp the jaws around a piece of 1/4” stock with a pipe wrench then working both sides I tap the rivet area together. When the stock and tongs line up that’s it ready for normalising

After normalising I do some grinding to tidy up the inside edge of the jaws. Then drill and  rivet before grinding the ends of the jaws even.
The rivet I do the same way as in the flat jaw tongs Tut.

They  should look like this. With small adjustments to the reins they will fit various widths of stock