The Mettle Works

Tools and Supplies

Repoussé and Chasing tools - by Gene Olson

These tools are normally in stock and ship within a couple of days.

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Repoussage and chasing combine in the art of transforming sheet metal into art.

Repoussé is French and it means pushed from behind and when working on a flat sheet, that is often the first step. We form it to add dimension, push it around and change the shape of the metal sheet. The tools used are meant to move the metal, not to cut it. A design is developed with large radius tools and defined and refined with smaller radius tools, or specially made ones with specific shapes. When the metal has been pushed into close to the final shape, sometimes by alternating working back to front, front to back other times working just from the front we begin chasing in the final details. Chasing was the English word for the process but it has come to have more to do with the texture of the surface than the shape of the metal. We use the term chase and some of the same tools when we chase a weld on a sculpture to match the texture of the cast parts on both sides of the weld. Chasing tools are often sharper and leave crisp sharp edges, or they can have patterns on them, like leather stamps for pressing in designs or textures such as the small cup shaped tool that was used to form the individual little balls in the berries in the design above. When we have finished forming the shape of our piece, we chase in the details.

As such, I divide the tools into a few general catagories, Pushers - liners (metal moving tools), and Chasers ( for forming detail and texture) there is of course some overlap, but that's life.

The tools on this page are finely crafted of oil hardened tool steel. They are great for working copper, silver, bronze, brass or gold, but will also work with steel and tin plate. Indeed, I made my first set when I started the Altoids tin project, years ago. The tool shafts are 4 - 5 inches (10-12.5cm) long. ;The working faces of the tools are hardened and tempered while the struck end is left annealled so that it doesn't shatter from the blows of the hammer. Eventually the struck end may start to mushroom out. When this happens the end should be ground or filed back to round. As my instructor told me, years ago, repoussé tools wear out from the back forward until they finally get too short to hold. If left untended, the mushroomed edges can break off and fly with great force when struck. These bits can be very dangerous to tender things like eyes. Always wear safety glasses when using struck tools and use hearing protection as well.

Tools for Repoussé and most tools for Chasing look kind of like chisels but they are not. They are designed for moving metal, not for cutting or piercing it. These tools are hand formed. The sizes listed are approximate. If you need an exact size, please ask.

Tools for Repoussé and Chasing

These twelve tools are an excellent starter set for learning the art of repoussage.
Formed from oil hardening tool steel, they are oven tempered and polished.

Basic Starter set.
A Dozen Basic tools, including A large liner (5x10mm) for forming the intial shape of your work, a slightly smaller one (4x8mm) for refining your shapes and getting into smaller corners, as well as an oval liner (4x6mm) of about the same thickness for getting into smaller spaces and working around inside curves. Once your overall shape is developed these three smaller liners (2x6mm, 1x3mm, & .5x1.25mm) can be used to develop your lines further, along with these three pearls (5, 2, & 1 mm) to add texture and interest. Finally, you may need to planish portions of your piece to smooth it, make smooth transitions from narrow to wider lines or clean up an edge where you want it really crisp. That's where this round planisher(8mm), tapered liner (tear drop 3 mm), and sheepsfoot can come in handy

$109.95

Photo of full set of tools including 25mm chasing hammer

The same twelve tools described above but also including a chasing hammer.

Liners

5x10mm (5mm2:1)
4x8mm (4mm2:1)
4x6mm (4mm1.5:1)
2x6mm (2mm3:1)
1x3mm (1mm3:1)
0.5x1.25 (.5mm2.5:1)

Pearls

Special Purpose

3mm Tapered liner
8mm Round Planisher
Sheepsfoot

25mm Chasing hammer

$119.95

Individual tools

I have tried to provide a wide assortment of tool types and sizes. because sometimes we need one just a bit, larger, smaller, longer, wider . . .
Repoussé is not an exact science, and often it is possible to use a less efficient tool with more elbow grease, but having the right tool is always a joy.

If you don't see the type of tool you need, Please Ask. One of my favorite tools shapes, "The Sled" came from a customer request.

Tools for moving metal, The pushers and shovers

Liners (fullers),
Ovals, & Pearls

Liners, sometimes called fullers, are the workhorses of this discipline. They are the main tools that we use to stretch, bend, squash, form, . . the metal. It is nice to have a selection of them. They can be used to stretch the metal more in one direction than the other, They can be used along the narrow axis for that width, bumped slowly along the wide axis for wide lines, or used at a diagonal for intermediate widths and anything between. The ovals and pearls (round ball end tools) are great for texturing and stretching in all directions.

Standard Profiles →

5/16" ∼ 0.315 ± 5%

Click on the down arrow next to the description for other widths available in each thickness and their prices.

Shape - longer tools take more force to use, but they make smoother lines. They are easier to blend one blow into the next with. Shorter tools can turn sharper corners, they apply more force in one spot and can be more agressive. I make these from a long and skinny 5 times the thickness, on down to ovals, rounds. The ratio of thickness to length is most important. 5's are for long lines and dressing up edges 2's to 3's do the bulk of the work, and ovals and pearls (rounds) are often used for tight corners, rough shaping and final texturing.

You need some of these tools. You don't need all of them.

It is useful to have a variety, and the right size and shape can make the job go more smoothly.

5/16" ∼ 0.315 ± 5%

15/64" ± 5%

25/128" ± 5%

5/32" ± 5%

15/128" ± 5%

5/64" ± 5%

15/256" ± 5%

5/128" ± 5%

5/256" ± 5%

Additional Shapes

These are fuller type tools with a radiused face. The "Sled" is slightly crowned in one direction with the sides more like a planisher, the High Crown Fuller has a crown of about .25 of it's wdth; it is usefull for inside curves.

Tear Drop Fullers

Tapered liner Tear Drop Fullers

"The Sled" a Planishing Fuller

$11.95

size is measured at width of rounded end

$11.95 to 16.95

$11.99

Planishers

Planishers are nearly flat. They have a very slight crown with a stronger radius towards the edge so that overlapping blows can be blended without leaving sharp edge marks.

Round Planisher

Diameter

Half Round Planisher

Teardrop Planisher

Square Planisher

Rectangular Planisher

Thickness

Rectangular Planisher

Thickness & width

Football / Leaf Planisher

base & height

Equi-Triangular - Planisher

Triangular - 3 : 1 Planisher

Chasers

Coming soon texturing tools, curved liners, curved chasing chisels, matting tools. . .

Sheepsfoot (edge definer, 2nd pass butcher, face is tapered back from edge) ~ 5.8 x 5.3 mm

Included in
the basic set

$11.95

Matting tools

Matting tools are also nearly flat but they have a texture embossed on their surface which is transfered to the work.
I have started off with three variations. The points on these tools are about 1 mm apart. ( 26 / inch ) The tools are hex shaft so you can keep them lined up.
They are about 1/4" - 6mm dia. The first is square cut, the second diamond cut ( 60 degree) and the third triangular pyramids in a hex pattern.

three chasing tools with samples

Square Cut - - $15.95

Diamond Cut - - $15.95

Triangle/hex pattern Cut - - $17.95

Curved liners

These are the new 1/4"inside diameter tools. The working edge of the liner is avail in 0.5 mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm.
(nominal sizes, polishing tends to make them slightly larger)

1/8
1/8"id curved liner 1mm line wt.

1/4" (6mm) inside dia. - - $14.95

1/8" (3mm) inside dia - - $14.95

Current stock has about a 1mm line thickness

A tool for making small circles.

These are import Nail Sets. You can get them at Menards, your hardware store, Home Depot, etc. etc. or you can buy these.
They fit into the same flat rate envelope with the rest of your order.

3 nail sets, 1/16", 3/32", 1/8"
(1.59 mm, 2.38 mm, 3.18 mm)

- - - $4.99

Chasing Hammer

1" (25mm) chasing hammer

$12.99 ea

Custom tools - as a point of reference I have posted pictures of Pete Renzetti's set of small chasing tools and numbered them.
Point out one similar to what you want and we will consider making it. Email Gene Olson

Materials

Copper

none currently available.

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