How to make Wood Carver's Punches 

Vaughn - There are 3 sorts of punches shown in the picture. Counting 1 to 5 from the left: Numbers 1-3 are used to accentuate or deepen shadows, punching back the wood in the tight punch-shaped recess. Number 4 gives surface texture, in this case little circles. Number 5 is also surface texturing and called a 'froster' or 'matting tool'; it gives a stippled effect to a background, say. You can buy punches but it's really quick to make your own.

Those are really Kool. How do you use them?