Blacksmith’s tongs
device · 1500 BC · Ancient world
Hinged tongs for holding red-hot metal.
What it is made of
- Plier jaws — has part. Gripping the workpiece.
- Pivot joint — has part. The pivot of the halves.
- Plier handles — has part. Long handles increase the force.
Principles and materials it uses
- Lever — uses. A lever tool.
- Bronze — is made of. Blacksmith’s tongs were bronze, later iron.
- Iron — is made of. Since the Iron Age, tongs have been made of iron.
Where it is used
- Forge — is used in. The smith holds the workpiece with tongs.
Things built in a similar way
- Pliers — works like. Blacksmith's tongs and pliers work the same way — two levers on a hinge.