Abstract: A reinforcing material compound and method for employing same characterized by a resin that will cure in the presence of a hardner to form a solid thermosetting plastic, a filler and thickening agent, carbon fibers, and a hardener; the resin, filler and thickening agent, carbon fibers and hardener being in respective porportions such that a solid, stiff backing results when applied to the back surface of a tool. Also disclosed are specific concentrations of the respective ingredients, as well as two component compound such that the respective components can be maintained separately without effecting curing of the resin until they are admixed; as well as a method of providing a tool by emplacing a tooling surface onto a pattern and reinforcing the backside with the reinforcing material compound before the final article is formed by molding, forming, casting or laminating the article onto the tool with the stiffened backing.