The tongs are a tool used by the blacksmith to shape, bend and cut metal and to grasp it when it is red hot. They are also used to grasp tools that have become very hot due to contact with molten metal, such as crucibles.
Larger than pliers but similar in form, tongs are made of two iron arms that cross in an “X” shape and are joined by a rivet or pin. The lower ends, very long, act as a handle, while the upper ends (called jaws) allow the manipulation of the metal. The jaws of the tongs, often made by the blacksmith himself, take on different shapes depending on the intended use (flat-nosed, gouge-like, cutting jaws, etc.).