Nechamkin Chasing Tools Set Kit #1

Nechamkin Chasing Tools Set Kit #1 combines the 25-piece chasing tool set (Otto Frei part no. 125.285) with the 4-piece matting tool set (part no. 125.284) into a single, comprehensive kit for the serious chaser or student of the craft.

Otto Frei is proud to offer Nechamkin Chasing Tools to the jewelry industry. For years, students and professionals have lacked an accessible source for ready-to-use chasing tools — by best accounts, the last time a commercially available set of this type existed was the mid-19th century. Designed by professional chaser Liza Nechamkin and available through a top tool distributor, this kit fills that long-standing void. The 25-piece set provides a central core for any chasing tool collection, or a powerful addition to an existing one.

Nechamkin's tools are formed from W1 tool steel with tips heat treated in a controlled environment to ensure consistent Rockwell hardness. The 4.25" (108 mm) shanks are square — delivering precision and control superior to round stock — with chamfered corners and a satin finish for comfort in hand. All tool faces are precisely shaped and polished to travel smoothly across metalwork, with long, balanced tapers for excellent sightlines to the working face. Each tool is numbered for easy identification. The 25-piece set ships in a durable stainless steel container with a non-marking Delrin™ lid and bottom, designed with room for future augmentation. "These tools are made to very precise specifications within extremely close tolerances. They are expertly crafted for grace and balance. I personally final polish and inspect each one. A substandard tool will never leave my workbench." — Liza Nechamkin

The 25-piece set was developed over several years, inspired by Nechamkin's personal antique collection of over 2,000 individual chasing and repoussé tools formerly belonging to generations of Tiffany & Co. and Gorham chasers. The tools are best suited to Western-style jewelry and silver chasing — low to moderately high relief, outlined from the front and subsequently embossed with repoussé — as seen in the celebrated 19th- and early 20th-century work of Tiffany & Co., Gorham, Kirk Steiff, and Danish silversmith George Jensen. The 4-piece matting set draws inspiration from finely made French matting tools of 19th-century Paris, designed to complement matting tools K1 and K2 already included in the 25-piece set.

Features

• W1 tool steel construction with heat-treated, controlled-hardness tips
• 4.25" (108 mm) square shanks with chamfered corners and satin finish
• All tool faces precisely shaped, polished, and numbered for identification
• Long, balanced tapers for excellent sightlines to the working face
• 25-piece set includes core chasing tools spanning a wide range of requirements
• 4-piece matting set complements K1 and K2 from the 25-piece set
• Stainless steel storage container with non-marking Delrin™ lid and bottom
• Container sized with room for additional tools

Specifications

What's Included

• Nechamkin 25-piece chasing tool set (part no. 125.285) in stainless steel container
• Nechamkin 4-piece matting tool set (part no. 125.284):
  • K3 – Small Rectangle face, Honeycomb texture
  • K4 – Medium Rectangle face, Raised Points texture
  • K5 – Small Oval face, Raised Points texture
  • K6 – Medium Almond face, Honeycomb texture

Notes

• CAUTION: Always wear eye protection when using these tools.
• Regularly file or grind off any mushrooming on the striking end to prevent injury.
• A lacquer coat applied at manufacture will wear with use; keep tools clean, dry, and stored in the container when not in use.
• For extended storage, lightly coat shanks with machine oil to inhibit rust.
• Remove minor rust with steel wool, fine sandpaper, or a coarse synthetic scrubby pad.
• Maintain working face polish with green rouge or steel polish on a small soft buff — do not over-polish.
• For slight reshaping of faces, use a 3M light deburring wheel or medium grit emery paper, then a compressed felt buff and steel polish. Do not allow tools to overheat — heat compromises temper.
• Modifying these tools voids their warranty and should only be attempted by experienced metalsmiths.

California Prop 65 Warning:
Cancer and Reproductive Harm. www.P65warnings.ca.gov.