How are Hammers Used in Jewelry Making?

Hammers are needed to shape and manipulate metal. The main hammers needed are the chasing hammer and the rawhide or rubber mallet.

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By Megan Coward, Graduate Jeweler Gemologist, GIA, Graduate Gemologist

Hammers are needed to shape and manipulate metal. The main hammers needed are the chasing hammer and the rawhide or rubber mallet.

  • The chasing hammer has a head with one smooth, slightly convex side and one ball-shaped side. The smooth side is used for chasing or indenting metal and the ball-shaped side is used for peening or smoothing out dents. Amazon and Gesswein have chasing hammers available.
chasing hammer
Chasing Hammer
  • The mallet is used to shape metal without marring it. Think of a bent cuff bracelet that needs to be pounded into shape. Rawhide, wooden, and rubber mallets are used somewhat interchangeably for this purpose. Amazon and Gesswein have rawhide and rubber mallets for sale.
rawhidemallet
Rawhide Mallet

A metal bench block is a solid surface for pounding out and shaping metal with the hammers. Amazon has bench blocks for sale on their website.

benchblock
Metal Bench Block

Megan Coward, Graduate Jeweler Gemologist, GIA, Graduate Gemologist

Megan Coward is a graduate of the GIA with Graduate Jeweler Gemologist and Graduate Gemologist accreditations. She has 20+ years in the retail jewelry industry in various roles including as a diamond buyer and gemstone appraiser.

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