Chasing tools create textured patterns on various surfaces. Chasing is an ancient decorative art used in metalworking and other media. Tracking can involve lines, furrows, stamping, punching, and piercing. Experienced craftsmen can create intricate designs. Kits and standalone tools are available for purchase, but some people make their own. Chasing is often taught in pottery classes.
Chasing tools are tools used to create textured patterns on a surface such as wood, leather, metal, or clay. While chasing is often associated specifically with metalworking, it is a technique that can be used in other media as well. Hunting is also one of the oldest decorative arts, with examples of chased metal found in many archaeological sites. Many chasing tools are made from metal, with various choices available depending on the material you intend to chase.
The chase can take many forms. The simplest tracking is simply lines or furrows created with the use of a sharp tracking tool. Other types of textures and patterns can be created, and stamping tools are also available to create stamped patterns while chasing. Chasing can also involve punching or piercing to create cut out and pierced designs, some of which can become very intricate.
In the hands of a highly experienced craftsman, tracking tools can be used to create patterns with very high levels of detail and complexity. Soft shading and other visual effects can be created by someone with steady, controlled hands. Chasing can also be combined with other techniques used to work with or decorate the material for various visual effects. For example, it can be used with embossing, where patterns are created by striking the metal from the back to create a raised design.
Many companies sell tracking tools in kit form that offer a selection of basic starting tools. These kits include a caddy or stand for the tools, a hammer to drive them in, and sometimes accessories like polishing cloths and so on. You can also purchase standalone tools for specific needs and projects. Kit tools can sometimes be less, as companies can bundle lower cost tools to create an attractively priced package, but in other cases they are of very high quality.
Some people make their own tracking tools or adapt ordinary objects for use in tracking. Metalworkers often end up developing their own tools because they have very specific needs and can make a tool quicker than they can find a commercially available one. For things like pottery, anything from ordinary kitchen utensils to chopsticks can be used for chasing, thanks to the malleable nature of pottery. Chasing is often taught in initial pottery classes to introduce people to the range of decorative options available.
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