Please Help - Punching Holes Into A Dome?

[msoetenga]

Hello - I need to punch some venting holes in the crown of a leather helmet, and I have no idea how to do this. I've always punched holes in flat leather against a flat cutting board back. I need to place my punch (1/2" punch tool to be struck with a hammer) on the outside of the dome and punch through to the inside against a solid back.

I'm struggling with what to use on the inside as something solid and round to punch against, and my best guess would be a hockey puck.

Please help with suggestions if any of you have done this before.

Mitch

[Beaverslayer]

Try punching the hole from the inside as you hold the helmet against your punch board.

[Hennessy]

here's what ah'd do.i have a vise in my shop and some 2in pipe i use to roll equip aboot with .i'd get th pipe set it hard grip in vise lay or temporary glue a piece of skirt lea on pipe,punch outside in punchin into glued lea on pipe ,probably do th same with a 2 x 4 easy as pie^ !

[Havamal]

I met a guy a couple of weeks ago that had a similar problem with a helmet he was doing... he ended up puting the helmet on a bowling ball and punching it.... not sure how he kept it from rolling, but I imagine it was interesting!

[Northmount]

If it must be punched from the outside, take a short length of 2x4 or 4x4 wood. Round the edges down somewhat and use it. Punching into the end grain gives cleaner cuts generally than into face or side grain.

I like the idea of punching from the inside better. Less work, less to have to hang onto while punching.

Tom

[msoetenga]

Thank you to all for the advice. I used the wood method posted by northmount, and it worked great.