[icyone]

Hi everyone. I'm looking for some quality or at least sturdier glaze dipping tongs.

All I've found it the cheap generic type ones that do with light stuff but once it gets to heavier items they tend to fold sideways or slip

I've seen some Raku ones that might work, is that an option. Does anyone have any recommendations or what do you all use?

[Mark C.]

I have several types most as you noted are for smaller pots-I got some imported ones that will do larger pots last year from Baileys that are spring loaded.
check them out at baileys ceramics site. Raku tongs seem huge to me.
mark

[Denice]

I have a dipping tong that looks like a large plumbers pliers and it has metal points welded on to it, it was fairly pricey. I ordered it on line so when I received it and got a good look at it I realized my husband could have made it for me. I don't remember the brand and there is no label but if you have a welder and some old pliers you might give it a try. Denice

[icyone]

Thanks, I looked at Bailey's and only could find the cheapies but I know finding items on their site can be a challenge sometimes so I'll keep looking.. Might have to try the large plier adaptation. I already use a pair of needle nose ones for little lids so I can see how that might work if I found a big enough pair. BTW seems odd to call it a pair of pliers or pair of scissors.

[icyone]

Found the ones at Bailey's. Just had to search through several pages instead of just using the search. Looks like those will be a much needed improvement. Thanks again

[GEP]

icyone,

Did you buy the spring-loaded tongs from Bailey? I'm thinking of buying this for myself, I'm wondering if you think they are easier to use than the basic tongs?

Mea

[smokin pots]

I purchased the Brown dipping tongs, "Brtongs" , from krueger pottery and they do look like pliers that have been welded together.
Blue handles and large. They leave big claw marks on my pots and I just easily broke a thin bowl right in half with them. Snap.
I might be looking at the spring loaded from Bailey because the claws look much smaller and spring loaded too!!
Another bad purchase down the drain.
juli

[jojoaruba]

icyone, on 22 April 2012 - 06:24 PM, said:

Hi everyone. I'm looking for some quality or at least sturdier glaze dipping tongs.

All I've found it the cheap generic type ones that do with light stuff but once it gets to heavier items they tend to fold sideways or slip

I've seen some Raku ones that might work, is that an option. Does anyone have any recommendations or what do you all use?

The best I found was getting the vice-grip model (can't remember the #) that you can get at Home Depot that has rectangular jaws. It is adjustable, it grips a small area of the pot and it is cheap and very reliable.

[icyone]

GEP, on 11 May 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

icyone,

Did you buy the spring-loaded tongs from Bailey? I'm thinking of buying this for myself, I'm wondering if you think they are easier to use than the basic tongs?

Mea

Yes I got those. I had a hard time with the spring so I ended up removing it. They are sturdier but I still like the cheapie version better however so I only use the new ones on heavier pieces

[GEP]

icyone, on 16 May 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

GEP, on 11 May 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

icyone,

Did you buy the spring-loaded tongs from Bailey? I'm thinking of buying this for myself, I'm wondering if you think they are easier to use than the basic tongs?

Mea

Yes I got those. I had a hard time with the spring so I ended up removing it. They are sturdier but I still like the cheapie version better however so I only use the new ones on heavier pieces

Thanks for the review. Hmmm, I guess I'll keep looking. Maybe I'll head to Home Depot to look for the ones jojoaruba mentioned.

Mea

[JBaymore]

I just saw some really nice heavy duty ones over in Japan in the supply shops in both Mashiko and in Shigaraki. Unfortunately, they do not seem to export a lot of the really good tools to the USA. ( I buy such stuff when I am in Japan.) Mostly because with the typically lower prices for pots here in the States compared to the prices in Japan, the high cost of such tools would not lead to a suitable volume market for export. They are beautiful tongs.... but pricey. Like in the equivalent of the $50 - $100 price range.

You can try Maruni (a large Japanese ceramic supplier) or Shimpo (the Japan Division..........not US division) and see if you can manage to order them somehow.

http://www.nidec-shi...o.jp/index.html (main company page)

http://www.02-maruni.co.jp/top-f.htm (catalog request page)


You can also try talking to these folks (in English) and see if they can get them custom ordered for you: http://www.japanpotterytools.com/

Or these folks: http://www.bambootools.com/


Hope that is of some help.

best,

........................john

[icyone]

GEP, on 17 May 2012 - 04:26 PM, said:

icyone, on 16 May 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

GEP, on 11 May 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

icyone,

Did you buy the spring-loaded tongs from Bailey? I'm thinking of buying this for myself, I'm wondering if you think they are easier to use than the basic tongs?

Mea

Yes I got those. I had a hard time with the spring so I ended up removing it. They are sturdier but I still like the cheapie version better however so I only use the new ones on heavier pieces

Thanks for the review. Hmmm, I guess I'll keep looking. Maybe I'll head to Home Depot to look for the ones jojoaruba mentioned.

Mea

I mostly had a hard time with spring just because I was used to using one without it. They work fine with spring too I just did not like it so I took it off. I've got a special opening technique I use with my pinky for the cheap ones so I figured I would just remove it. Many people would find it usefull I imagine it just did not work for me and my technique . They are however sturdier than the cheapies and that was what I wanted.

I like the look of the channel lock plier type and will end up making a set like that with help from my metal shop neighbors or look at the Home Depot ones eventually.

[GEP]

icyone, on 19 May 2012 - 11:00 PM, said:

GEP, on 17 May 2012 - 04:26 PM, said:

icyone, on 16 May 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

GEP, on 11 May 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

icyone,

Did you buy the spring-loaded tongs from Bailey? I'm thinking of buying this for myself, I'm wondering if you think they are easier to use than the basic tongs?

Mea

Yes I got those. I had a hard time with the spring so I ended up removing it. They are sturdier but I still like the cheapie version better however so I only use the new ones on heavier pieces

Thanks for the review. Hmmm, I guess I'll keep looking. Maybe I'll head to Home Depot to look for the ones jojoaruba mentioned.

Mea

I mostly had a hard time with spring just because I was used to using one without it. They work fine with spring too I just did not like it so I took it off. I've got a special opening technique I use with my pinky for the cheap ones so I figured I would just remove it. Many people would find it usefull I imagine it just did not work for me and my technique . They are however sturdier than the cheapies and that was what I wanted.

I like the look of the channel lock plier type and will end up making a set like that with help from my metal shop neighbors or look at the Home Depot ones eventually.

Maybe I'll give them a try after all. My quibble with the cheapie tongs, aside from feeling flimsy, is that it's hard to open them with one hand. So maybe I will like the spring. If not, I can always remove them, and learn a "pinky technique" for myself. At the very least I'll have some sturdier tongs.

Mea

[icyone]

Quote

Maybe I'll give them a try after all. My quibble with the cheapie tongs, aside from feeling flimsy, is that it's hard to open them with one hand. So maybe I will like the spring. If not, I can always remove them, and learn a "pinky technique" for myself. At the very least I'll have some sturdier tongs.

Mea

My pinky technique is basically two middle fingers under and two outer finders over on the finger handle side.

It allows me to open the tongs by moving fingers