COPPER SPRING TONGS WORKSHOP

Make a pair of wooden serving tongs that bring together hand-carved timber and simple coppersmithing techniques.

During the workshop, you will shape and refine a matched pair of wooden blades before adding a carved surface with gouges. The texture can be developed in your own way, allowing the marks of the tools to remain visible in the finished tongs.

You will then learn how to cut, form and work-harden a copper spring, creating the tension that opens the tongs after each use. The wooden blades and spring are joined using traditional copper boat nails and roves, producing a strong mechanical fixing and a distinctive visible detail.

This is a practical introduction to working with both wood and copper, exploring how two very different materials can be combined to create a simple, useful object.

No previous woodworking or metalworking experience is necessary, and you will leave with your own completed pair of copper spring tongs.