frontboot

Aha. Thanks!

Nice work. How will you handle the soot around the edges without making a mess on the leather?

Thanks for all the input, folks. What I thought would be a simple project to fix up an old set of hole punchers turned out to be a lesson in assuming that modern parts would fit an old tool. Looks like I'm the old tool now.

Brilliant! Unlike my old hole puncher (which is my new paperweight) , that expression needs to be preserved and handed down through the next generations.

I managed to get them unstuck, but now I'm trying to figure out where to buy replacement tubes that aren't threaded. This is what I get for trying to go cheap.

My cheap vintage eBay hole punchers are about to cost me as much as a good new set. I tried using my screw extractor today after having soaked the whole thing over the weekend in ATF/acetone. After some aggressive words and actions, one of the tubes popped out revealing the fact the tubes and cylinder are not threaded- the tubes have tapered ends that fit into corresponding holes in the cylinder. Anyone know where I could buy replacements? I have already tried Weaver/Bruce Johnson/Springfield/eBay/Amazon/Buckle Guy/Frog Jelly.

I’ve seen that suggested on other forums but not for leather tools specifically. Thanks for the info!

I have managed to break them off flush. I have a broken screw extractor, but I want to make sure that the rust in the threads has broken loose/absorbed penetrating oil before I apply force. I'm afraid of stripping out the center of the tubes before they break loose

I bought an old WM Johnson rotary hole punch recently. A few of the tubes are broken and rusted too snugly in place for me to remove them. I have had the rotary part more or less soaking in PB Blaster for a couple of days, but to no avail. Any suggestions?