Coppersmithing and tinsmithing go hand in hand – the same tools are used interchangeably since the thickness of the sheet metal is pretty much the same. You can always be looking for different vintage stakes, which were used for very specific tasks or can be re-purposed for myriad things as well. Or, you can get a basic set and make it work! But here are the basic stakes you’ll want to hunt out to get yourself started and some basic uses for each (but you are not limited to using each stake for that one thing!)

1. Tinner’s anvil or beakhorn: the basic “anvil” of any tin or copper smith
2. Needlecase stake: originally for making…you guessed it! Needlecases!
3. Candlestick stake: also obvious – this was for making candle molds
4. Wiring stake: for preparing edges to take various gauges of wires along rims, etc
5. Hornbill stake: to shape conical items
6. Bottoming (or double-bottoming) stake: to shape the bottom of a circle, create a burr on a circle, or hammer a double seam
7. Stovepipe stake: for shaping a smaller diameter piece
8. Square stake: to create square-edged boxes and lanterns
9. Hatchet stake: to turn edges and hammer on an angle
10. Hollow mandrel: to shape larger diameter pieces