Anticlastic raising

Jewelry Discussion
1

Susan, I’m sorry this reply took so long, but I am interested in
a discussion on anticlastic raising also. I’m now using it to
make a bracelet out of a strip of 16 gauge brass. I hope to try
silver as soon as I get the technique down. What kind of
material do you use for a stake? I’m using a block of hardwood
that my teacher shaped into a curve on the top. It works pretty
good, but I heard that nylon blocks work well also (and last
longer). Eventually I’d like to make smaller pieces, like
earrings, pins, pendants. Do I just make a stake with a few
smaller curves carved into it? Is this technique the same as
hollow forming? Questions!Questions!Questions!

Betsy

2

I am interested in this subject also. I know so little about it
I will probably just read whatever comes our way until I learn
more.

3

Susan/Betsy In a recent issue of Metalsmit ALLCRAFT in New York
advertised a set of stakes designed by Heikki Seppi who is so
much responsible for the current interest in anticlastic
raising. If you dont have the magazine or cant locate Allcraft
let me know via E-mail. Sol K.

4 
Susan, I'm sorry this reply took so long, but I am interested in
a discussion on anticlastic raising also.

As would I! (If I can be permitted to stick my $0.02 in) I’m a
‘newbie’, though, and might have some rather basic questions.

I'm now using it to
make a bracelet out of a strip of 16 gauge brass.  I hope to try
silver as soon as I get the technique down.  What kind of
material do you use for a stake?  I'm using a block of hardwood
that my teacher shaped into a curve on the top.  It works pretty
good, but I heard that nylon blocks work well also (and last
longer).

Seppa is recommending a high-tech nylon, filled with carbon
fiber, I think. He doesn’t seem interested in retaining stakes,
but reuses them frequently after regrinding. I think he may be
missing the need for us newbies to repeat forms until we get it
right!

Eventually I'd like to make smaller pieces, like
earrings, pins, pendants.

Look for the jewelry of Michael Goode, a student of Seppa’s, in
up-scale jewelry stores. It looks as if it is stake hammered,
despite the size!

Do I just make a stake with a few
smaller curves carved into it?  Is this technique the same as
hollow forming? Questions!Questions!Questions!

If you haven’t seen “Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths” by Heikki
Seppa, 1978, Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio, ISBN
0-87338-212-9, you might find it a good read, if a trifle hard
to understand in places. The explanation of terms (That were
likely invented by Seppa) is good, after a bit of reflection.
Difficult, but worth it, is a good summation!

Marrin Fleet
@Marrin_and_Mary_Dell

5

Hi I have a friend who made stakes from a steel tapers that he
turned his self. Very fast and effective. He was able to get the
most complex forms twisting and turning in on itself. He had to
take time on the hammering but when the flow started there was no
stopping him. You just have to put

the tensions in the right place to achieve the seemingly
impossible. There is a Crafts woman in UK that specialisesin this
technique I will t ry to find out her name for you if you are
interested. She does major Crafts

Council exhibitions in UK. BFN…Brian S

6

I’ve been lurking, reading and trying to learn from you all -
and there is quite a lot to learn I see. I’m totally overwhelmed
… but still very stimulated by what I read. ANYWAY TO GET TO
THE QUESTION - just what is “anticlastic raising” and how is it
used?

Thanks in advance,
Mary Erdman @merdman

7

Dear Sol, I am very interested in the forming stakes at
Allcraft. Could you please e-mail me the info? Beverly
@Beverly_Ann_Bevingto

8

For stakes he -Heika has a small one, made of steel, for jewelry
and it is great… Also the delrin one that has curves works great
too…Sometimes the big stakes are easier to learn on as a
beginner… calgang

9 
  just what is "anticlastic raising" and how is it used?

I’ve been rather curious about that myself.

Tom

10

Mary, Anticlastic raising is a way of forming metal sheets into
shapes using may different hammer strikes, Have you ever seen
the beautifull work of Mike Good? This is done using this
technique. I am sure that there are people out there that can
explain it better. These are my laymens terms. Amber

11

When one pounds on metal, whether it be pound out, or pound in.
(anticlastic- think is the ‘pound out’ method (aka, you are
pounding into another form - starting with FLAT metal, you put
a form (indented) under the flat metal, and then you pound away!
Pound in (not sure of the techinical word . . .would mean the
opposite of what I’ve stated . . . instead of the indented mold,
it would be one that had height - hope that makes sense!!)

12

I took a class at Revere Academy several years ago taught by
Jack DeSilva, a very talented metal smith that now teaches for
himself somewhere in the bay area. I also think that Revere
still has an anti-clastic class and I know that Jack is teaching
anti-clastic raising. at the time I took the course, Michael
Good had just quit teaching at revere and was selling anti
clastic stakes that he was making. I ordered a set and have
found many uses for them over the years. I don’t know if he is
still selling them or not, but with the right pattern they look
pretty easy to make. I think the pattern for some of them, is in
the book by Seppa previosly mentioned in this string.

Ray

13

Anticlastic raising is forming of metal so that it curves in 2
opposite directions.

The easiest way I can think off to describe it is this. Pricture
a nice b ig donut. Now picture that same donut after someone has
taken eaten all arou nd the outside diameter, 1 bite deep. Hollow
out the remaining inside. What’ s left is the skin around the
hole & curves outward (the skin covering the inside of the donut.

Synclastic rasing on the other hand is forming metal so it
curves in 1 direction, doming a disc is a form of synclastic
rasing.

FWIW: Craftspeople ‘form’ metal, metal butchers ‘bend’ it
(bg).Think professionally!

Dave

14

Tom/Mary, To answer your question, I’ll quote heavily from Tim
McCreight’s book, “The Complete Metalsmith” (one of my jewelry
bibles). First, synclastic raising is accomplished when “…the
two major axes [x and y-from geometry or trig, or one of those
ometries] both curve in the same direction. A bowl is an
example.” In anticlastic raising, “…the curves of the two
major axes travel in opposite directions. An example is the
surface of a saddle.” If you can picture the shape of the
saddle, you’ve got the principle down: one curve formed to fit
the horse’s back, the other curve formed to fit your butt, and
all on one mass of material. I hope this description helped.

Betsy

15 
   just what is "anticlastic raising" and how is it used? I've
been rather curious about that myself.

G’day. The term ‘raising’ means to hammer, stamp or otherwise
make a two dimensional change in a flat sheet. Anticlastic raising
is a method of taking a flat sheet of metal and changing it’s
shape in three dimensions. Like for instance a simple saddle
shape. Or to take it further, to make a hollow vessel like a
goblet from a flat sheet, usually by beating the metal over
especially shaped anvils called stakes with specially shaped
hammers. A simple example of anticlastic raising is the common
earings curved in one dimension from a flat strip like a rounded
channel, then further hammering to curve the rounded channel at
right angles to make it into a loop. Anticlastic raising is by
no means easy to do. Cheers,

        /\
       / /    John Burgess, 
      / /
     / //\    @John_Burgess2
    / / \ \
   / (___) \
  (_________)
16

hi everyone, besides allcraft, jack da silva sells tools for
anticlastic raising as well. 510.223.1616. as mentioned by ray,
he also gives workshops.

the genteral rule of thumb he taught was that either a ‘soft’
(delrin, nylon, wood etc.) anvil and ‘hard’ hammer be used
together or visa versa. hard stake or anvil used with a 'soft’
hammer.

best regards,

geo fox

17

In anticlastic raising, “…the curves of the two
major axes travel in opposite directions. An example is the
surface of a saddle.”

Ahhhh!!!  I see it clearly now.  It looks just like a 
Pringles potatoe chip, right?  Thanks Betsy!

Tom

p.s. I just couldn’t resist the gratuitous Dan Quayle
reference. I’m sorry, I know I’m bad, very, very bad.

18

The easiest way I can think off to describe it is this. Pricture
a nice b ig donut. Now picture that same donut after someone has
taken eaten all arou nd the outside diameter, 1 bite deep. Hollow
out the remaining inside. What’ s left is the skin around the
hole & curves outward (the skin covering the inside of the donut.

So, the donut would look like a big round channel setting, 
only greasy?

Tom

19

For stakes he -Heika has a small one, made of steel, for jewelry
and it is great… Also the delrin one that has curves works great
too…Sometimes the big stakes are easier to learn on as a
beginner… calgang

Very interesting. Howcan I reach Heikki for info? SolK

20

FWIW: Craftspeople ‘form’ metal, metal butchers ‘bend’ it
(bg).Think professionally!

I appreciated your FWIW even more than your anticlastic
definition. I think it is difficult to project an image of
professionalism if we dont express ourselves adequately.
“Pounding” and “putting a bump” in metal just make me grind my
teeth. I hope I dont come off as a snob,but those who practce
their craft only part time have to work doubly hard at not being
viewed as a hobbyist. Sol K