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Making a repousse tool / chasing tool:
- There are three basic parts to a chasing tool - FACE, SHAFT & BUTT
- You forge, grind & polish the face for the shape you want it to make.
- You hold the shaft to position the face where you want an impression made.
- You hit the butt end with the hammer to make the desired mark.
- Heat the heads of several concrete nails (bigger is better) and let them air cool to anneal (or soften) the striking surface to avoid chips, etc. Heat only about 1/4" of the end to red/orange or until it's nonmagnetic. If you overheat the steel, it will emit sparks which means you are losing carbon content. You do not want to do this.
- Heat the pointed end to red/orange and forge flat as shown in figure 1 for the liner. If you're quick you can do this with your fingers while tapering it down to about 1mm. near the end.
- Next grind the shape you want for the face of your tool. Eye balling is good enough. Rotate the face as you grind to help keep the plane of the face perpendicular to the shaft. If it's off to the right or left it won't strike straight and level. See figure 2.
- So far you have been working with annealed or softened tool steel which you will now harden by heating the business end to red/orange or nonmagnetic and quenching vertically in water. Don't stir, swirl or move it.
- Your tool is now hardened and ready to polish. Use a light touch and avoid overheating by quenching frequently in a can of water if you regrind. If you can, keep the face true to the original shape. Just remove enough to get a level surface and polish with 400 grit sand paper held on a flat surface for flats or a magazine for rounded faces.
- Repeat steps 2 thru 6 for dapper & flatter using a cut masonry nail for the flatter. To upset ends as shown, heat 1/4"of tip to red-orange, hold opposite end on surface plate and hammer straight down on hot area. This will shorten and thicken the target area. If it bends, hammer the top of the bend until straight and repeat until area is the size and shape you want.
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