Grinding Down Punches

[whinewine]

Hello:

in the process of using filigree punches to make prototype designs for an article I'm writing, three of my punches broke- the metal is too thin at the cutting faces. I called Hidecrafter this morning & was informed that their vendor has stopped carrying them and, "oh, well, too bad, you lost your money"(my words, not theirs, but the same effect)... These are the punches that are formed of one piece of metal. My questions are directed to the guys here on the forum who work with tempered metal, specifically reforming punches...:

1] Can the punches be ground down past the point of breakage (a 1/16th inch deep) & resharpened? (I know that the openings will be larger, but I don't care.)

2] What about temper?, and,

3] Will they need to be retempered?

4] Before or after sharpening?

I would only be punching through 4 oz leather, so the cutting faces wouldn't need to be all that thin.

Any help would be appreciated , as some of my punch shapes aren't found anymore, and I don't want to order from Japan & have the same troubles- this is the second time a punch has broken on me :poofan: (the first time, the broken one was replaced, but I can't do that now).

[Luke Hatley]

Hello:

in the process of using filigree punches to make prototype designs for an article I'm writing, three of my punches broke- the metal is too thin at the cutting faces. I called Hidecrafter this morning & was informed that their vendor has stopped carrying them and, "oh, well, too bad, you lost your money"(my words, not theirs, but the same effect)... These are the punches that are formed of one piece of metal. My questions are directed to the guys here on the forum who work with tempered metal, specifically reforming punches...:

1] Can the punches be ground down past the point of breakage (a 1/16th inch deep) & resharpened? (I know that the openings will be larger, but I don't care.)

2] What about temper?, and,

3] Will they need to be retempered?

4] Before or after sharpening?

I would only be punching through 4 oz leather, so the cutting faces wouldn't need to be all that thin.

Any help would be appreciated , as some of my punch shapes aren't found anymore, and I don't want to order from Japan & have the same troubles- this is the second time a punch has broken on me :poofan: (the first time, the broken one was replaced, but I can't do that now).

[/quote

I would FILE them to a useable point then use a Hardwood block.

if you use a grinder you could over heat them ,that would remove the temper, it they ever had any..I M H O.......