Porter-tongs are used when an ordinary straight porter cannot be welded to a forging which is in progress ; also after a porter is cut off for the purpose of finishing the end to which the porter was welded. Porter-tongs usually consist of a few bars and plates that are bolted at one end to the forging, by means of screw-bolts and nuts; and at the other end is bolted a straight piece of round iron, which may be a porter that has been welded to other forgings. This straight piece is used for piloting the work, in the same manner as if the porter, or handle, were welded to the work, instead of being merely bolted to it.

Fig. 263 represents a porter-tongs that may be made to fit the ends of several shafts, or bars, of different thicknesses. This is effected by the tongs being capable of opening or closing while attached to the porter. The porter consists of a straight rod of round iron, or steel, having a T-head at one end, which is forged solid with the porter, or, properly speaking, the handle. The two arms of this T-head may be of square section or of circular; and each arm fits a hole in one of the tong-pieces, named jaws. This hole, being through the jaw, allows the jaw to be moved along one arm of the T-head, and fixed at various places, according to the thickness of the pieces to be gripped with the jaws. The other arm of the T-head also holds the other jw, and this jaw slides along the arm with the same facility as the opposite one. Through this freedom in bringing the tongs together, or pulling them apart, forgings of several sizes and shapes may be put between the jaws ; and the porter may at all times be in line with the axis of any shaft, rod, or axle that is being forged while attached to the porter-tongs.