Old round punches - yard sale finds - need some TLC

[Sprocket]

Hi All,

I was able to score these round punches for a low price - I try not to buy obvious junk and these look like they could be rescued.  I thought about using my bench top 1x30 belt sander to polish them back to life but before I went and created paper weights, I thought I'd ask here...

Can someone point me to a "how to" for sharpening these?  Or possibly someone that can refurb them into working order again?

Thanks for the help and inspiration I find here.

helps if I include the photo...

Edited May 31, 2024 by Northmount
add pic

[TomE]

@bruce johnson is an expert who can advise you on value and how to refurbish.  

[bruce johnson]

Unless your 1x30 is variable speed there is a good chance it won’t be easy to do them on it. I sharpen these type punches on a variable speed belt grinder on really low speed in a slack belt section. Hit the edge already rotating the punch and never let it sit. I work the burr off the inside with a tapered diamond file. Go through the grits and then polish with a few compounds to remove grit lines and get to my final edge. 

[Sprocket]

Thanks Bruce - is there a service/vendor where I could send them out?  Otherwise they will get put in the "Trust your gut" box of mistake purchases.

[bruce johnson]

11 hours ago, Sprocket said:

Thanks Bruce - is there a service/vendor where I could send them out?  Otherwise they will get put in the "Trust your gut" box of mistake purchases.

At this point until I retire (1 years and 13 days) I sharpen anything bought from me for the cost of return shipping but don't take in much outside sharpening. That said, if you just can't find anyone close then let me know and you can send them to me to sharpen up for you.  

[Double Daddy]

On 5/31/2024 at 6:03 PM, bruce johnson said:

Unless your 1x30 is variable speed there is a good chance it won’t be easy to do them on it. I sharpen these type punches on a variable speed belt grinder on really low speed in a slack belt section. Hit the edge already rotating the punch and never let it sit. I work the burr off the inside with a tapered diamond file. Go through the grits and then polish with a few compounds to remove grit lines and get to my final edge. 

This is great wisdom, Mr. Bruce...thanks for sharing! I've been wondering about the best way to sharpen these kind of "handled" punches. My round punches are usually chucked into a drill press and get strips of wet/dry sand paper and/or emory cloth (working thru the grits as you suggested) to keep them fine tuned...but...the slack area on the belt sander would be great for what you are describing. Again...appreciate it!

[Sprocket]

Thank you again Bruce - I'll PM if I get stuck. In the meantime...

I was thinking of adding a pedal control like a sewing machine - or some other rheostat controller to control speeds on the belt sander. - I wonder if a dimmer switch would work?

Once I get the speeds managed - do you hold the part horizontal or vertical to the belt?  I can see creating a "grain" by holding the part vertical - in line with belt travel vs horizontal/perpendicular to belt travel.

Can you expand on keeping the part rotating?  I get the concept but do you use a jig, etc. to keep the part moving?  Or is it more of a feel with just your hands?

After that, it's just going through the grits to get a polished face?  What about squaring up the mouth?  If you look close you can see the irregularities there.

Am I overthinking this?  I do that - often...

[Northmount]

6 hours ago, Sprocket said:

Once I get the speeds managed - do you hold the part horizontal or vertical to the belt?  I can see creating a "grain" by holding the part vertical - in line with belt travel vs horizontal/perpendicular to belt travel.

Obviously you want to maintain the cutting edge angle and only take material off the outside, never the inside.  So not vertical nor horizontal!

 

[dikman]

8 hours ago, Sprocket said:

I was thinking of adding a pedal control like a sewing machine - or some other rheostat controller to control speeds on the belt sander. - I wonder if a dimmer switch would work?

If you have an ac motor belt sander (most likely) then no, a dimmer switch or rheostat will not work. There is no easy way to control such a motor. Variable speed grinders/belt sanders generally use a 3-phase motor with a Variable Frequency Device (VFD) used to control the speed. These can be run off the single phase household supply.

[oltoot]

be careful as too aggressive heats up the ends and you loose temper.  Try taking sheets of sandpaper of varying grits on your marble slab and finish off with a gentle hand and a rolling motion.