I got my start in metalsmithing with a work study job as a blacksmith at the University of Oregon. I was to, among other things, make tools for the jewelry studio, especially various punches. All things cycle back around, and I am once again making tools, though the tools I made back then look rather crude, when compared with those I am selling now.
This is a batch of punch tools that has been hardened, but not yet tempered. The black firescale will be removed and the tools heated until they no longer are brittle.
Out of Stock for the Moment
I don’t make these often, but I sometimes have a few Carnelian Burnishers, with walnut handles left, and wanted to let folks know that they are available. I’m selling them for $40 each. If you are interested let me know, just go to the contact and ordering page. Thanks so much. I hope to have more before too long.
Traditional Tegane Blanks
In Japan goldsmiths make most of their own punch tools gravers and chisels from this sort of preshaped tool blank. I make these tegane blanks in the traditional way, forging them by hand, one at a time in a charcoal fire. Both ends taper so that the point of hammer contact is aligned with the working tip. They are annealed and treated with camellia oil, so the tips may be shaped directly with a file before hardening, or heated and hammered to shape. Heat treating is simple, just quench in water, and temper to whatever hardness in required. After heat treating the tips may be polished or honed to the final shape and finish. You can find them for sale below with both square tips and rectangular tips, each in large medium and small sizes. Small-$6. Medium-$8. Large-$10. Ask about discounts for large purchases.
An Assortment of Traditional Tools Made from Tegane Blanks
All manner of small cutting marking and shaping tools may be made from these blanks. Those pictured above are mainly for inlay carving and engraving work.
Tegane Blanks with Square Tips
Tegane Blanks with Rectangular Tips
Megan Corwin Tool Collection
These sets include 6 rather large repoussé punches, one liner, and 3 undercutting punches, all designed especially for the techniques Megan teaches in her Chasing and Repoussé workshops. The liner and undercutting tools are heat treated and tempered, and the working ends have been polished. The repoussé punches are work-hardened and ground to a satin finish to better grip the metal. They can, if desired, be polished, heat treated or both.
Cost: $250 per set of 10.
Single Tools For Sale
Below are some of the chasing tools I have available for sale. If there are tools you would like that you do not see here, contact me about whether I have such a tool for sale, or to make a custom order. I will be posting more tool patterns as I get them photographed.
All the punch tools in this section are made from W1 tool steel, which has been hardened and tempered before finishing. The hammer end has been softened so as not to mark the hammer face. They are about 4” long, by 1/4” wide, and most are roughly octagonal in cross section.
These tools have an edge that is slightly crowned, allowing the artist to chase lines with a smooth and consistent curve. I make tool number 106 in various widths from 2 mm to 10 mm. Above are pictured 2, 4, 7, and 9 mm examples. When ordering be sure to let me know what width you wish to buy. $20 each
I make these curved liners in three versions, 114, with a fairly tight curve, 115 with a moderate curve, and 116 with a gentle curve. $20 each
These are similar to the teardrop shaped punches, but they have a point on both ends, like an American football, and are a little slimmer. They are great for working against gentle curves and getting into tight corners. $15 each
The working face of this tool is about 4 mm by 6 mm, blunt, but rounded on the edges. I mostly use these for smoothing and planishing, but they are also good for pushing back the top of deep repoussé. $15 each
This tool tapers to a slender waist and then flares to a working face that has a sort of top of a bread loaf shape, and is 5 mm by 6 mm. These can be used as pushers in confined spaces, especially where there is to be deep undercutting. $20 each
178 – Photo to be posted soon
This tool also tapers to a slender waist, its working surface has an egg-like shape, 4 mm by 6 mm. The narrow end notches under a little to get into tight corners. $20 each
The face of this tool is around 10 mm, round, flat in the middle and quite rounded around the edges. These are sometimes called a shallow dap, a pusher, a mushroom, and sometimes a puffer. $20 each
These tools have a smoothly rounded face, an hourglass neck, and round shank. I make them in 4, 5, and 6 mm sizes. When ordering be sure to let me know what size you wish to buy. $20 each
222 Photo to be posted soon.
The working face of these tools, are round, and blunt, but rounded on the edges. I make them in diameters of 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm and 6 mm. They are god for pushing from behind, making a spotted texture, as well as ornamental dots. $15 each
The face of these punches are slightly rounded, rectangular, 3 mm by 5 mm, and have textured faces. Number 300 has a fine parallel line texture, 302 has a medium cross hatched texture, and 305 has a fine linen texture. Sometimes called a matting tools, they create a variety of textured surfaces on soft metals. $20 each
This punch has the same linen texture as tool 305, but a teardrop shaped working face, so that textures may be worked in corners and tight spaces. $20 each
These tools have a round shank, and a slightly domed face, with fancy texturing patterns. Tool 321 has a concentric circle, or rain on the water pattern, that can be used in all sorts of ways, including creating fish-scale patterns. Tool 322 has a radial mill-wheel pattern, that can make all manner of radial, and star-like designs. And tool 323, has a honeycomb pattern, that can be used for all sorts of bold textures. $30 each
These tools have a working face that that is more or less rectangular, 3 mm by 5 mm, with a raked angle in one axis, and quite rounded in the other. The shaft has been cut away a bit behind the leading edge, which has been polished right back to the cut out. They are often used for planishing the vertical surfaces along the edges of recessed areas. Tool 402 has a straight shank, while tool 404 curves to reach into even more challenging areas. $20 each
Both of the facets on the working end are polished completely flat, for undercutting outside curves. However the transition to the surface of the shaft is rounded so as not to leave edge marks. $15 each
This tool has one surface that is polished completely flat, and one that is curved, for undercutting on inside curves. $15 each
This tool also has one flat side, and one curved, but it is much more blunt. The shank tapering back from the flat facet is beveled on both sides so that there no sharp corners to dig into the metal when cutting a curved line. I used many variations of this tool while doing chasing work in Ireland, and found them to be extremely versatile. $20 each
This tool is quite similar to number 430, but is not at all blunt. It will cut very fine lines and reach into deep recesses, but care must be taken not to cut through the metal unless desired. $20 each
These tools are sometimes called “butchers”, or “skews.” They have a working face that slopes from a crisp edge back to a more rounded edge. This allows the artist to punch one side of a sketched line down and leave the other at its level, without first cutting the line into the metal. On Tool 431 the crisp edge is completely straight, on tool 434 it is slightly curved, and on tool 438 it is a tight curve, to make inside corners. $15 each
If you have questions about any of my work, or want to see more detailed images of any of the things you see here do not hesitate to contact me.
Bill Dawson
2103 Harrison Ave. NW Ste. 2.
P.M.B. #341 Olympia, WA 98502
Bill Dawson, Metalsmith 
Hi there, i really like your tools and what you are doing. I am writing a paper on chasing tool categories and functions for the Santa
fe symposium. http://www.santafesymposium.org/papers I am interested in your 402 and 404 tools. Did you make them up or are they referring to other tools you have seen? My email is lewtonbrain@gmail.com, best Charles
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