Tongs
| Tongs | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Tool |
| Weight | 1 |
| Metal Value | 30 |
| Research |
|
| Crafting Skill | Blacksmithing: 1 |
| Crafting | See How to Craft |
| Location | Containers |
| Spawn ID | /additem Base.Tongs
|
| Crafting XP | 25 XP (Blacksmithing) |
Tongs are a pair of metal gripping tongs used in blacksmithing. They hold hot metal at the forge and the furnace. They are one of the core tools for any metalworking recipe.
They suit survivors who take up Blacksmithing to make their own tools, armour and weapons. Their main strength is how many forge and furnace recipes accept them. Their main cost is the hunt for a pair, or the tools to forge one.
Tongs are found by fireplaces and wood stoves, in tool stores and in Wild West themed blacksmith shops. A smith can also forge a new pair. The Carpenter is the best occupation for tools. It starts with the most Carpentry skill. The Construction Worker and the DIY Expert also start with some Carpentry skill.
Using
Tongs serve as a kept tool in a very long list of recipes. At the forge they help turn scrap into chunks and bars, cut bars and pierce ingots and blocks. They are needed to forge tool heads such as hoe, scythe, ball-peen hammer and garden fork heads. They also help forge swords, shortsword blades and metal armour such as body armour, helmets, masks and gloves.
At the furnace they handle smelting iron and steel from old metal items. They also help cast a Blacksmith Anvil.
The Forge Tongs recipe makes a new pair at a Primitive Forge or better. It needs Blacksmithing at level 1, three charcoal and two quarter bars of metal. A hammer, a punch, a heading tool and a gripping tool such as old tongs or Metalworking Pliers are kept.
The inventory option Research Craft on Tongs teaches Forge Metalworking Pliers and Forge Heading Tool.
Simple Wooden Tongs are a crude stand in, but their tooltip warns that they break when used for Blacksmithing crafts. Metal Tongs are the lasting choice.
Upkeep
Tongs show their condition and wear with use. Worn out tongs can be melted down, since they count as a medium iron item. Scrapping them gives a good amount of metal.
Research
The Research Craft option in the inventory menu studies Tongs and teaches the recipes below.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge Metalworking Pliers | Metalworking Pliers | 
|
/additem Base.MetalworkingPliers
|
| Forge Heading Tool | Heading Tool | 
|
/additem Base.HeadingTool
|
How to Craft Tongs
Each recipe that makes Tongs is listed with its materials and the tools it keeps.
Forge Tongs
The Forge Tongs recipe makes Tongs. It needs Blacksmithing level 1. It is made at a Primitive Forge. The recipe has to be learned first.
| Name | Image | Amount | Kept | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charcoal | 
|
3x | No | /additem Base.Charcoal
|
| Iron Bar Quarter | 
|
2x | No | /additem Base.IronBarQuarter
|
| Claw Hammer | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.Hammer
|
| Kitchen Tongs | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.KitchenTongs
|
| Metalworking Punch | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.MetalworkingPunch
|
| Heading Tool |
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.HeadingTool
|
Used in Crafting
Any recipe that asks for a tongs accepts it as the tool, such as Forge Codpiece, Forge Metal Neck Guard and Forge Fingerless Metal Gloves.
These recipes accept Tongs by its type rather than by name.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Station | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smelt Iron From Medium Item | Iron Chunk | 
|
Primitive Furnace | /additem Base.IronChunk
|
| Smelt Medium Iron Item | Small Ceramic Crucible with Iron | 
|
Simple Furnace | /additem Base.CeramicCrucibleSmall_Iron
|
| Smelt Steel From Medium Iron Item | Steel Chunk | 
|
Advanced Furnace | /additem Base.SteelChunk
|
Locations
Wild West themed blacksmith counters are the best place to look, holding a pair about two times in five. Fireplaces hold a pair about a third of the time, and wood stoves fairly often. Tool stores and tool store storage are good spots. Jewellery stores keep them on counters and desks. Factories, the golf factory and the wire factory hold them now and then. Construction sites, closets, attics, kitchens and survivor safehouses turn a pair up less often.
The places where it spawns, with the rough chance per container. Each tab shows one kind of place.
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Wild West blacksmith | Counter | 40.4% |
| Jewelry storage | Desk | 13.5% |
| Golf factory | Metal shelves | 7.1% |
| Factory | Counter | 6.3% |
| Wire factory | Metal shelves | 5.6% |
| Wire factory | Tool cabinet | 5.6% |
| Construction site | Other | 3.1% |
| Catwalk | Other | 2.1% |
| Storage room | Other | 2.1% |
| Studio | Metal shelves | 2.1% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Any building | Fireplace | 33.3% |
| Any building | Woodstove | 18.5% |
| Bedroom | Crate | 3.1% |
| Closet | Other | 3.1% |
| Attic | Cardboard box | 2.5% |
| Attic | Crate | 2.5% |
| Hall | Other | 2.5% |
| Kitchen | Other | 2.5% |
| Closet | Crate | 2.1% |
| Shed | Other | 2.1% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Tool store storage | Other | 14.7% |
| Jewelry store | Counter | 13.5% |
| Tool store | Other | 12.4% |
| Tool store | Shelves | 12.4% |
| Wild West tool store | Counter | 8.1% |
| Construction site | Small box | 3.1% |
| Tool store | Small box | 3.1% |
| Warehouse | Small box | 2.1% |
| Tool store | Counter | 1.5% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor safehouse | Metal shelves | 2.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Metal shelves | 2.1% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Metal shelves | 2.1% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Inside a bag or case | Toolbox | 0.6% |
| Inside a bag or case | Bag skill maintenance duffel bag | 0.5% |
Notes
- Tongs are needed for most forge and furnace recipes.
- Fireplaces and wood stoves often have a pair beside them.
- Research Craft on Tongs teaches Forge Metalworking Pliers and Forge Heading Tool.
- Simple Wooden Tongs break when used at the forge, so metal Tongs are worth finding.
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