May 29, 2007
I have recently been experimenting with anticlastic raising using sinusoidal stakes to add an extra dimension to forging. The stake resembles a tapering wavy line, or what I like to refer to as the "Devils Tongue." Metal can be forged into a concave curve along its face while the opposing curves can be formed at the same time. It's great for forming a bangle, ring, or necklace.
A sinusoidal stake can be made from wood, steel, or plastic, as can the wedge-shaped hammers. Anticlastic raising is a labor intensive process, but the final product is definitely worth the effort. Each of the pictured bracelets took on average around 5 hours to form.