The Line on Design

Repurpose old chisels to create custom texture tools

By Helen I. Driggs I like to repurpose old steel tools to create my own punches, stamps, and bench helpers. One of my favorite tools for this purpose is a cold chisel. Made of tempered steel, cold chisels are designed for cutting metals without the use of any heat. It takes only a few minutes to adapt an inexpensive cold chisel to create a custom design stamp. To create your own, you’ll need some cold chisels, 16-gauge mild steel sheet, a bench block and utility hammer, a utility file for steel, a bench sander or grinder, a flex-shaft with separating discs, and BurLife or another attachment lubricant. [[slideshow id=406]]