Blacksmithing hammer solves copper raising problem
This is a thank you post. I was given the most beautiful hammer as a gift today. (Yep, I said ‘beautiful hammer’, I say stuff like that) Thank you Dave. And thank you Brad for giving the hammer to Dave!
I was explaining how I was raising this copper vessel and couldn’t get the ‘umpfh!’ onto it to turn it back onto itself and get the egg shape I wanted. I whined about not having just the right raising hammer. My good friend and blacksmithing mentor wanders off for a second and comes back with this Peddinghaus hammer and gives it to me! I could hardly believe it. I have always wanted a Peddinghaus hammer. As far as hammers go, this is some sexy stuff…
I rounded the sharp edges, polished it up, and voila, I got my egg shape!
Make Stuff With Your Hands 
September 20, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I like how the copper bowl turned out…looks great!
September 20, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Thanks! It still has a little work to go but I like how it looks now too.
November 18, 2011 at 6:17 pm
I’m also having problems getting to the egg shape. What shape stake did you use. could you describe how you got there. Sorry to ask for details but where did you hold your bowl on the stake? hammer used. etc.
many thanks….stuck HL
November 21, 2011 at 6:44 pm
I don’t have time now to elaborate, but did you sink the piece first into a sandbag to get the shape started? I will try and elaborate more this evening.
November 21, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Hi Jim,
Thanks for the reply, Yes I did sink the vessel before the courses of raising.
Thanks
Deborah
January 9, 2012 at 3:22 am
Hi Deborah,
I apologize for not getting back to you before. I used the stake pictured in the bottom of this previous post:
https://makestuffwithyourhands.com/2010/07/05/blacksmithing-and-leather-work-to-do-some-coppersmithing/
I used it pointing straight up out of the vise and hit a little farther away from the edge of the stake than normal, not against the stake at all.
Does that help?
March 12, 2013 at 12:39 am
I’m a late arrival at the party as usual. This is the exact shape of bowl I’m trying to make, and I love it. But, as you say the tools needed are really expensive, and I don’t have the skills or access to a forge to make my own. I’ve trawled the web until I’m blue in the face, trying to work out how to do this – and I do have some small idea now, but in all the demos I’ve seen on Youtube, the ‘bowl’ is usually very shallow or pretty rough – they seem to start out with a ball-pein hammer and then bash most of the bumps out with a planishing hammer and call it good. Nowhere have I seen anything as remotely beautiful as this, or a shape anything like it either.
It’s so frustrating to know it CAN be done, but I can’t do it! I wonder, is there any chance at all that you might be able to do an online tutorial (or even a paid for one) that would give somebody like me a base to start from and some idea how to carry on towards achievng this shape? Perhaps a list of must-have tools as well? So far I’ve got a sandbag, and that’s about it! I have to scrape myself off the floor when I see the prices of most of the tools, and can’t afford to just buy anything I see in hopes that it’s the right thing.
It probably sounds stupid, but I’m so confused now about which hammers to use in which order, and which kind of stake – I was looking at this mushroom stake which is about the cheapest I have seen, (but still too expensive to get if it’s no use).
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Silversmithing-Stake-G24-prcode-999-881
I live in the UK and everything is twice the price it is in the US, although I have a realtive who can sometimes bring things back for me.
I would really appreciate any help or advice you may feel able to offer before I give up in despair and go back to making flat pieces! Many thanks and kind regards, Loren Adams.
March 25, 2013 at 1:47 am
Hey Loren,
I am trying to see if I can get time to do a step by step thing. My two best metal forming stakes are both handmade. One is made from a sanded and polished railroad spike. I will see what I can do in the next few weeks.
Thanks for the kind words,
Jim
March 25, 2013 at 11:17 am
Hi Jim
Thanks for your reply – it would be just great if you could find the time to do the step by step thing. I have bought a 90mm ball stake for a reasonable price from ebid, and can get a smaller one if I have to – no real idea if it’s the right thing, but oh well, too late now! I honestly can’t see any prospect of me making my own stakes – I just don’t have the facilities or the skills. So any help or advice would be very much appreciated. Many thanks again.
Loren
April 8, 2013 at 12:45 pm
I am going to start on some bit of a tutorial this week.
-Jim
April 8, 2013 at 1:29 pm
That would be great – thank you. Can’t wait!
Loren
July 27, 2013 at 1:26 pm
It’s hard to come by knowledgeable people in this particular subject, but you sound like you know what you’re
talking about! Thanks