Need advice for hole punching - can't tell if I have poor tools or just my inexperience

[Doc Reaper]

I have used many hole punches down through the years, straight black ones purchased at hobby stores, silver handled with interchangeable cutting heads, steel punches are great. 
 

I have scraps of leather specifically for hole punching, I sharpened em once the day I purchased them.

sharpen the outside of the punch ONLY! Sharpening from the inside makes the hole larger on the inside of the shaft and the cut pieces travel up a thinning tunnel which will cause minor problems (jams) 

the angle at which the punch makes a big difference also. Shallow angles last longer (usually factory ground is best)

if the angle is too long it will dull horribly quick and may even cause the sharpened edge to roll (high tin amounts will also do this - even on round knives)

im seeing a lot of businesses mix in cheaper metals - like tin, and it is done to help their bottom line

TOOL MANUFACTURERS TAKE NOTE - WE WILL PAY THE XTRA DOLLAR, RETURN TO OLD SCHOOL METHODS WHEN MAKING TOOLS

china will keep making cheap because folks wanna save a damned penny

[Frodo]

I learned a trick from watching Tony {dieselpunkro]  Videos

lay a piece of see through paper tape over your pattern or * leather

rub wax on the tape and the punch poop does sticks very little

 

* will not hurt your leather

[jcwoman]

Thanks, everyone, lots to take in!  Some of this advice I have already found in general Google searches.  I should add that some things like trying to sharpen or polish the inside of the punch just ain't happening here.  As I mentioned, the only thing I can get into the 2mm punch is a wire brad.... or think unbent paper clip (which is too soft, but just about the same diameter as the wire brads).

I'll take a look at the Tandy punches and make sure they're not Osborne's. 

I love RockyAussie's idea of using a drill press to make straight lines, but can you advise if it would work with 1/2" wide leather strips?  I feel that I'm in a tricky spot:  bigger than watch bands, but smaller than everything else, so very few people are doing the same work that I am.  Makes it tricky!!

13 hours ago, bruce johnson said:

I wind some coarse steel wool onto a slow spinning drill bit and make a steel wool QTip. I run that in and out of the tube a few times from the top end to clean the inside of the tube

I really want to do this, but the punch size I'm using is too small. 

[Frodo]

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[RockyAussie]

10 hours ago, jcwoman said:

I love RockyAussie's idea of using a drill press to make straight lines, but can you advise if it would work with 1/2" wide leather strips?  I feel that I'm in a tricky spot:  bigger than watch bands, but smaller than everything else, so very few people are doing the same work that I am.  Makes it tricky!!

It will work fine but I may be tempted to put a fence on both sides of the strap to keep it firmly in place. Many of my punches I polish the edge but for ones in the drill press I just leave them sanded as it sort of helps like a sawing effect which is a better finish on the back side. A side benefit of doing the holes this way is that you can leave the punch spin long enough in place to give a nice burnish look to the hole at the same time. Works real well with webbing holes as well.

[fredk]

I had a thought; there might be a burr up the tube of the punch. 

Either; try a different punch or get a jeweller's rat-tail file and file the insides of the punch you have. Not to sharpen it but to smooth the insides of that tube

[jcwoman]

On 7/8/2022 at 12:42 AM, bruce johnson said:

I wind some coarse steel wool onto a slow spinning drill bit and make a steel wool QTip. I run that in and out of the tube a few times from the top end to clean the inside of the tube

I was thinking about this in bed last night and was working out how I might do it with 2mm punches.  Maybe I could wrap a tiny bit of cloth around the end of the wire brad, dip it in some course polishing cream/powder and then do this trick.   It would be tricky but might be worth a try.  I really feel like the cheap punches I have currently are poorly finished on the inside, causing them to jam up constantly. 

And I can still buy better quality punches, if it don't work.

On 7/9/2022 at 2:33 AM, fredk said:

I had a thought; there might be a burr up the tube of the punch. 

Either; try a different punch or get a jeweller's rat-tail file and file the insides of the punch you have. Not to sharpen it but to smooth the insides of that tube

Ohhh, a jeweler's rat-tail file.... that's a new idea!  Thanks, I'll google that!

[toxo]

48 minutes ago, jcwoman said:

I was thinking about this in bed last night and was working out how I might do it with 2mm punches.  Maybe I could wrap a tiny bit of cloth around the end of the wire brad, dip it in some course polishing cream/powder and then do this trick.   It would be tricky but might be worth a try.  I really feel like the cheap punches I have currently are poorly finished on the inside, causing them to jam up constantly. 

And I can still buy better quality punches, if it don't work.

Ohhh, a jeweler's rat-tail file.... that's a new idea!  Thanks, I'll google that!

You're over thinking it. Use a silicone chopping board and hit it hard enough and the plugs will work their way out.

[chuck123wapati]

if you are doing a lot you should consider a cheap drill press and drill your holes with a drill bit,  many folks do that, when set up its much faster and a lot easier.  2mm hole punches are hard to clear because of their small size more than anything.

[sbrownn]

1 hour ago, chuck123wapati said:

if you are doing a lot you should consider a cheap drill press and drill your holes with a drill bit,  many folks do that, when set up its much faster and a lot easier.  2mm hole punches are hard to clear because of their small size more than anything.

Rather than using a drill bit I just chuck my punch in the drill press as it makes a much cleaner hole.