Shanks & Tongs

Lansing Forge Foundry Tools

Lansing Forge is a family-run business (just like Midwest Technology Products) and one of the country’s top producers of forging tongs for the heavy industrial market. Starting in 1956, they have grown from supplying hand-crafted tongs to forging plants, to being a recognized leader in railroad, industrial, military, marine, construction, plumbing, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, automotive, and other industries. Along the way they have expanded their product line while building a reputation for high-quality forged hand tools produced in the USA.

Metal Melting Tool Styles

When it comes to foundry and smelting tools, the right style of tongs will help a project be smooth and efficient while minimizing the risk of accidents.

Straight Lip Tongs - These tongs have straight, flat tips, just like regular kitchen or grilling tongs. They are used for gripping square, circular, and hexagonal-shaped workpieces.

Single Pickup Tongs - The tips of these tongs open up into a small oval shape to grasp around circular objects. Some may be called double or triple pickup tongs because of the number of openings they have.

Round Holding Tongs - These tongs have a more rounded and slightly larger opening than pickup tongs, but are still smaller in diameter than gad tongs.

Gad Tongs - Ideal for gripping general workpieces, these tongs have a large-sized diameter opening compared to pickup and round holding tongs

Foundry tongs also come in a variety of lengths including 18”, 20”, 22”, and 24”. It can be a good idea to offer a variety of sizes in your classroom for different projects and a student’s level of comfort.