Otto Frei-Fretz Hammering & Forming Tool Kit

Cold forming a jewelry piece takes a hammer for each move and a stake with the right curve to move it over. This Fretz hammering and forming kit gathers 23 tools for that work, curated for the Metalsmith Essentials Basic Jewelry Hammering & Forming (Vol. 1–2) curriculum.

Those DVDs are no longer published, but the selection remains a practical foundation for classic Fretz forming workflows, from planishing and raising through texturing, fluting and shell forming. Spanning hammers, stakes, holders, bench anvils and micro mandrels, the kit lets metalsmiths work across a wide range of cold forming techniques in a single purchase.

Features

• Balanced mix of hammers, stakes, holders and anvils suited to shaping, planishing, embossing, blocking and texture work
• Three bench anvil profiles, flat top, low dome and medium dome, cover a broad range of forming surfaces
• Progressive fluting stakes, F-2A lining convex and F-2B sharp convex, plus a double convex stake for refined flute and channel work
• Micro stakes and a four piece mandrel set add fine control for small scale jewelry forms
• H-1 miniature stake holder and H-2 micro stake and mandrel tool holder keep stakes secure and bench ready
• Nine hammers spanning planishing, raising, embossing, texturing, blocking and insert work
• Fretz fit and finish deliver clean working surfaces that reduce post forming cleanup time

Notes

• Additional shop equipment is required for a complete workflow, including a flex shaft, torch and polishing setup; basic soldering and finishing skills are recommended
• Use appropriate eye and hand protection, and secure the work on suitable stakes or benches during all forming operations