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