I took a break from rigging and made this old chisel today. A generic render. no radiosity
The model has diffuse map set to color, a grayscale map set to diffuse, 2 spec maps, and a normal map.
The spec maps I'm still working on as 3Dcoat and how AM renders them is different. 3Dcoats spec map will work,just have to tweak them some more.

Bump map will make it shine.

Ok Eric, I used the grayscale diffuse as a bump map to add some more texture the normal map did not show and rendered with some radiosity.
Yes, the gray is funky, just working on the chisel for now...

Since you are showing several hues in the red range on the blade, I'm assuming it's pretty rusty? Try the Simbiont rusty steel material found here: http://www.darksim.com/html/download_simbiont2.shtml

Also, a diffuse map is terrible for detail bump mapping, don't use it for that.

Chisel is done now but I still have to setup a better lighting routine... The upper small right image is the reference image that was used for some of the colors I painted for the rust texure.

Is that lignum vitae on th handle?

Even if you decide not to use it, you might want to try using the Simbiont rust material. It will give you more insight into the way different aspects such as color, bump, and specular work together. What version of AM are you using? It also doesn't look like you applied a proper bump map to your chisel.

Bump maps are supposed to help bring out the material and surface details. Look at your reference picture. You'll notice how sharply defined some of the details of the rust crud are. To quote Webopedia: "Bumps are applied by matching up a series of grayscale pixels with colored pixels on the rendered, colored object. Lighter grayscale pixels create a sense of maximum relief or maximum indentation; darker pixels have less effect."

Although this definition states that grayscale pixels should be matched up with color pixels, that is not always true, especially if you are dealing with grunge and rusty surfaces. I took the liberty of applying a simple desaturated rust map to your blade and adding a very light yellow/red specular color with 43 spec size and 50 spec intensity. As you can see it gave your blade more definition, making it look more 3d. I got the rust color map from CGTextures. It's a great site for free textures. http://www.cgtextures.com

This is the rust color map from cgtextures that I desaturated (took the color information out in an image editing software) and applied to your blade
Click to view attachment

This is the basic no AO no radiosity 9x render with the bump and specular additions.
Click to view attachment

I hope this helps explain what I meant about bump maps.

Cheers

Eric

Thanks Eric for your replies. Though I might disagree with the shinnies of your rust, I saw that my rust had too many indentations.
Yes, I know what bump maps are, I have used them for quite awhile though now I will use a normal map. Then use a displacement map but put it in the bump channel to help bring out the details of the normal map. On this occasion, I went a little different route. I did reworked my normal map to futher give the chisel an even older look and to reduce some of the indentions. The rust color reference map was just use as color reference not the details.
I like creating my own textures as you can see that way I will improve my skill.
The lighting is terrible I know but this just started out as a quick Sunday fun project, LOL but as lighting in AM is new to me I will study that part and make a better lighted scene.
Oh, I did change the chisel model alittle. The handle will need to be reworked in the normal map to give it an older look to match the blade...
Thanks again for the input as it makes us strive to be better...

AM version 15.j

MJL, That is a nice trade wood (very very hard,I went and looked it up)you spoke of but nope it's just a generic wood style on the chisel...

My apologies, I never know what level of experience members have here. I did not mean to sound condescending or aloof when I talked about bump maps. Keep up the good work.

Eric