die for stamping beltplates

[Matt Lukes]

I just use small 100g and 200g hammers myself, and they work just fine- so while a dedicated chasing hammer would be the ultimate tool, it's certainly not absolutely necessary. It's my understanding that a chasing hammer is specifically designed to minimize fatigue on the hand and wrist for those who work for long periods of time, as does the large head which requires less specific 'aiming'. So unless you plan to work for long hours, days on end, you'll be just fine using any small light hammer- especially if you work with quite thin metal and good chasing pitch.