For The Love Of Port

Where can I order/obtain a nice set of port tongs?
Usability / quality / effectiveness come first, pretty/displayable is only a bonus.

I expect to be in PT this fall, so that's an option.
I also wouldn't mind mail ordering a pair to have them before then and not have to pack them in the suitcase.

I reviewed a few threads on this and other sites but most of the discussions are from 8+ years ago.

The only US source I came across was https://porttongs.com/products/wine-tongs

Thanks!

I got mine at the old Vinologia. I wonder if the new Portologia has them?

The place you posted is the only place I've seen in the USA with what look like really quality Tongs. Not cheap, but they look like they should hold up after many uses.

You can have them made at a blacksmith. There are a few in MA. Other than going to Portugal, there is eBay.

Moses Botbol wrote:You can have them made at a blacksmith. There are a few in MA. Other than going to Portugal, there is eBay.

The only ones I've seen on Ebay are from these guys:
https://www.wineware.co.uk/vintage-port-tongs-opener
Anyone have any experience with these?

I reached out to a blacksmith out in Worcester MA. We'll see if they are interested and how much $$.

Andy Velebil wrote:The place you posted is the only place I've seen in the USA with what look like really quality Tongs. Not cheap, but they look like they should hold up after many uses.

They look solid. I can't find any contact info on their website, wondering if they're even still in business ...

I heard back from a local blacksmith shop. They are willing to make a set for me and so far the pricing looks OK. Depends on how fancy I want to get of course.

They will naturally need to know the inside diameter of the neck clamping area. I think want to request a slightly larger diameter than the widest bottle I'm likely to run into.

How much variance is there in modern and vintage port bottle neck diameters?

Thx!

Mike K. wrote:I think want to request a slightly larger diameter than the widest bottle I'm likely to run into.

I'm confused by your statement. If the inside diameter of the ring is larger than the widest bottle neck, you won't be able to clamp down on the bottle. The larger diameter will leave an air gap. You want the diameter smaller. Most necks are tapered, so my tongs have fully closed on every bottle I've found. I can measure them.

Eric Menchen wrote:

Mike K. wrote:I think want to request a slightly larger diameter than the widest bottle I'm likely to run into.

I'm confused by your statement. If the inside diameter of the ring is larger than the widest bottle neck, you won't be able to clamp down on the bottle. The larger diameter will leave an air gap. You want the diameter smaller. Most necks are tapered, so my tongs have fully closed on every bottle I've found. I can measure them.

Yes, I phrased that poorly.
If the clamping area does not form a complete circle, the the arc should follow a slightly larger circle than the largest common bottle. If it were smaller you'd only contact the bottle at two spots per side.

If they do form a full circle and close completely, then it seems you'd want a medium diameter that would fit somewhere on the tapered neck.
If that's what you have, I would most definitely appreciate a careful measurement of the closed inside diameter on your tongs.

Thanks!

I have some nice tongs I sourced from Portugal a while back. The ring usually does not fully close every time but is close to closing---I usually rotate a little after 15 seconds and have never had a problem. Good luck.

Mine have closed around every bottle I've tried. I've probably tonged 10-20 bottles, mostly 1970 or earlier. I had one bottle where I had to angle the tongs a little bit on the neck to get a better fit. I think that neck wasn't quite perfectly round.

Sounds like the majority of VP bottles have a very similar neck width. (within a slight range)

I'd greatly appreciate if a few folks could carefully measure the inside diameter of their tongs. (Just the ones that fully close around the neck)
That would give me a good consensus/average to provide to the blacksmith.

Thx so much!

Mike K. wrote:Sounds like the majority of VP bottles have a very similar neck width. (within a slight range)

I'd greatly appreciate if a few folks could carefully measure the inside diameter of their tongs. (Just the ones that fully close around the neck)
That would give me a good consensus/average to provide to the blacksmith.

Thx so much!

Now days yes, most necks are more consistently sized on the inside and why corks seal so much better now....outside is another story and there still is some variations. But much more consistent than older bottles where the outside diameter was all over the map from my experiences.


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A little story how I sourced my first of tongs...

I had been on a mission for a few years to secure port tongs without luck (posted here and on other port forum port if not mistaken as well as berserkers and spectator)without any luck. One day out of the blue I decided to write a letter to Kobrand who imports wines from Portugal including port wines. My email reached a women who worked on the portugese wine portfolio and she had NO idea what I was referring to. Long story short she inquired within the NY office and they could not sell me any due to liability concerns (nor did they have any for sale). However she did say she could give me a set as a gift however it would be a while as they were going to put them in a cargo container on a ship with wine. About 4 months later I received a package in the mail with 2 sets of fonseca branded port tongs. I wrote a lengthy thank you note with a few videos attached of me using the tongs.
Once you get going the fun part is getting creative with the cold application (feather in ice water, wet handkerchief, ice cube in bare hand, etc)

David Co wrote: Once you get going the fun part is getting creative with the cold application (feather in ice water, wet handkerchief, ice cube in bare hand, etc)

I like the wet hand towel in icy cold water. Not always sure how the bottle will cleave and the towel could save from a cut hand. I'd imagine the tongs need to really hot for the wet feather to work? If the tong wasn't so hot, a little forceful handling is need to break the neck. I hate heating the tongs twice.

I received one PM so far with an inside diameter measurement.

Anyone else willing to take a measurement for me so I can get these made right?

Thanks!

Mike K. wrote:I received one PM so far with an inside diameter measurement.

Anyone else willing to take a measurement for me so I can get these made right?

Thanks!

I've got a few. I only have a metal tape measure and not calipers, so here are some measurements (that may be off by a 1/10cm or so)

1- 3.5cm
2- 3.0cm
3- I can't find them at the moment. Opps.

I use the 3.5's for the old large flared necked bottles commonly seen from the 1970's and older. The 3.0 works better for newer bottles as the necks are not as fat.

Andy Velebil wrote:I've got a few ...

Thanks Andy!

I didn't have calipers readily available, but might use them this weekend to get more accurate measurements. I would estimate the inner length of my tong oval at 1-7/32", and the width at 1-1/8". I don't know if that variance is intentional or not. In the photos you can see a slight air gap suggesting the measurements should be greater, but I think that is a function of the close camera position looking around the curvature of the tongs.

Eric Menchen wrote:I didn't have calipers readily available, but might use them this weekend to get more accurate measurements. I would estimate the inner length of my tong oval at 1-7/32", and the width at 1-1/8". I don't know if that variance is intentional or not.

Thanks Eric!

That's a great picture and illustrates what I was so poorly trying to say above. Each side of the clamping area does not form a complete 180 degree arc. It is a bit less. That explains why they close in an oval. I bet when you clamp around a bottle neck they are not fully closed.

What is the larger loop for? Magnums?

Thx!!