Hammers and stakes

[Bill in Oregon]

Stumbled onto some YouTubes on sinking and raising copper cups and bowls and would really like to assemble a half-dozen basic tools. But in poking around, I see pretty high prices on hammers and stakes, etc. Anyone have a favorite source for these basic tools? Favorite book on copper or silver work?

[ThomasPowers]

Favorite source?---scrap pile, forge, buzz box, grinder.

I forged some 2.5" sq stock into the shafts for a couple of stake anvils made from old oddly shaped sledge hammer heads---one was a RR spike driver, they other had long tapered squareish ends. I tenonned the top and riveted the heads on through the eyes and put a spike on the base---(my thanks to Christopher Thomson for use of his *big* forge and powerhammers and his excellent help doing this project!) They ended up about 3' tall and quite sturdy.


Making them to suit yourself is usually the cheap way of going about it!

Unfortunately I have already picked up 5 more sledge heads to do this again, sigh...

[Bill in Oregon]

"Unfortunately I have already picked up 5 more sledge heads to do this again, sigh... "

Thomas, you certainly have a knack!

[Bentiron1946]

I have modified pickax heads for stakes, first I forge the curve out of it so that it is straight, then make one end round the other more square, grind it smooth as every bump and blemish will transfer to your metal, weld it to a another stout piece of steel to form a tee, then do the final polish. I have used all kinds of shapes to make my stakes, any and everything that looks like it may be handy. Here is a fellow that shows his basic tool kit http://davidhuang.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1418

[ThomasPowers]

*Constant Vigilance*! (and very understanding bosses that *know* I will be in late on fleamarket day and will work late to balance it out.)

[kpotter]

I make them for silversmiths and coppersmiths I could sell you some unfinished ones for less as that is where all the time and cost comes from I spend a few hours grinding and polishing on them but if you are willing to do the work you would save some money. I make a whole line of t stakes and mushroom stakes. Just thought I would throw this out there since this is what I do.

[medieval]

Stumbled onto some YouTubes on sinking and raising copper cups and bowls and would really like to assemble a half-dozen basic tools. But in poking around, I see pretty high prices on hammers and stakes, etc. Anyone have a favorite source for these basic tools? Favorite book on copper or silver work?

As far as books are concerned you HAVE TO GET " Silversmithing" by R Finegold & W Seitz. I found my copy at Powell's in Portland. It covers tools, metal as well as wood, hammers, stakes, etc. as well as techniques, design, layout, math (so you don't end up with wasted material), terminology, etc. Agreat book for anyone who wants to know how to shape sheet metal.

[bigfootnampa]

As far as books are concerned you HAVE TO GET " Silversmithing" by R Finegold & W Seitz.

I have an extra copy! I'll ship it for $40 (including shipping). PM me if interested.

[Bill in Oregon]

Bigfoot: PM sent on the book, and thanks!
Kevin: I appreciate your offer. Let me read a little bit to know what basic tools I need.

Being the impatient sort, I went out to the shop last night, found a section of tree trunk, gouged out a small circular depression, snipped a small disk out of some 22-gauge copper sheet, grabbed a ball pein and sank a small dish. I'll fiddle around the forge and see if I can't come up with a make-do raising stake ...

[Lein]

Head over to www.armourarchive.com, sheet metal work is basically all the same. I find it's easier when making a new dishing stump to use a torch to start the dishes, then go back after the torch with and clean up the dish with chisel, sandpaper, and a hammer. There's a step-by-step guide for it on Armour Archive. I make all my own stakes so there customized to my needs. Also you may want to check out "ToMAR" : Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction by Brian R Price. It's for making armour but there some cool tricks in it for sheet metal work that you may find helpful.

Good Luck and happy hammering,
Lein

[maddog]

As far as books are concerned you HAVE TO GET " Silversmithing" by R Finegold & W Seitz. ...

Yeah that's a great book. I love reading it even though I don't do any silver work and very little raising.

[knots]

I have modified pickax heads for stakes, first I forge the curve out of it so that it is straight, then make one end round the other more square, grind it smooth as every bump and blemish will transfer to your metal, weld it to a another stout piece of steel to form a tee, then do the final polish. I have used all kinds of shapes to make my stakes, any and everything that looks like it may be handy. Here is a fellow that shows his basic tool kit http://davidhuang.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1418

You can also cut a pickax through the eye for V shaped stakes. Or reforge the V into a variety of forms.

[Bentiron1946]

Here is a book I have enjoyed for a number of years: Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths by Heikki Seppa. He just died this year I think. He was a Finnish silversmith who lived most of his working life in the United States teaching and creating art. This is wonderful book teaching how to form metal. Most of the illustrations are line drawings, not to many photos. The book was published in the 1970's so it will be available as a use book only. Look at http://www.alibris.com for a used copy.
There is just a wealth of old steel out there waiting to be modified into near free stakes for the use as stakes, all it takes is discerning eye.

[bigfootnampa]

I knew Heikki a bit when he was in this area... he was a wonderful metalsmith and a very nice person too! Here is a link to a short obituary about him.

Heikki Seppa

One thing it doesn't mention is that he was the first to bring the techniques of reticulation to this country. He learned about it from a Finnish smith who returned home from the Tsar's jewelry service after the Tsar was killed by the Bolshi's. They worked together in a Finnish studio. Heikki himself developed a great many reticulation innovations later (as well as many in other areas of metalsmithing... he was an innovator). We talked at length about my work of the time in reticulated brass and some of his experiences reticulating high karat gold alloys.

[bigfootnampa]

The work of Tim McCreight or Charles Lewton Brain in anticlastic raising may be of interest too. Bare basics are covered in Tim McCreight's book "The Complete Metalsmith" and more can be found in his newer book "Metals Technic" (I don't have this one yet). Lots of stuff online about this too.

[HWHII]

I make them for silversmiths and coppersmiths I could sell you some unfinished ones for less as that is where all the time and cost comes from I spend a few hours grinding and polishing on them but if you are willing to do the work you would save some money. I make a whole line of t stakes and mushroom stakes. Just thought I would throw this out there since this is what I do.

I have some of Kevins stakes and am very happy with them. Good product at a fare price.

[Frank Turley]

Richard C. Thomas taught metal raising and sinking at Cranbrook Academy in Michigan. He wrote the good, out-of-print book, "Metalsmithing."

 

I have used old cast window sash weights as stakes. I have welded cast and forged balls onto appropriate shanks, good for spoon bowls and raising shovel pan rims, etc.

 

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