My forge partner keeps borrowing my tongs without asking

Yesterday, I found my good tongs on his bench all bent. What's your rule for tool lending among blacksmiths?

2 comments

2 Comments

Painted a bright red stripe on all my personal tongs. This simple mark made it clear which tools were off limits for casual borrowing. We then set a firm rule that any borrowed tool must be asked for and returned in the same condition. It stopped the mystery bends and kept things fair.

samf956d ago

What's the worst tool damage from lending gone wrong? I borrowed a buddy's vise and cranked it so hard the screw stripped, totally my fault. That mess taught me to mark my tools with ugly spray paint. A clear rule stops the guesswork and the guilt. Just ask first and return it clean, it's that simple. My bench is a no-touch zone now, saves my tools and my temper.