Using A Strap End Punch

[Narles25]

Hello everyone!

I am using a strap end punch with a poly mallet that just doesn't pack the punch needed to get through the leather. I've done some research on what mallet would be better to use and I keep coming up with a maul. Tandy leather sells them, however they are quite expensive and out of my price range. My question is, with a strap end punch, what is an effective, affordable mallet to use? Could I just pick up a 1 pound rubber mallet at Home Depot?

Thanks for reading!

-David

[electrathon]

http://t.harborfreight.com/2-12-lb-neon-orange-dead-blow-hammer-69003.html#.UxNxT5K9KSM

[SLudlow]

I use the very same mallet in my shop. I call it "Bertha." She gets the job done.

I find anything less doesn't really work that well.

[Troy I]

I use a 2 lbs. Deadblow hammer. It is plastic with "lead" shot in the head of the hammer. Just like the one in the link from Electrathon.

[bruce johnson]

The other two things to consider are punching surface and how sharp your punch is.

You need a firm backing to punch against.I use a piece of LDPE cutting board on top of either an anvil or a stamping rock. You don't want any bounce or give in the surface.

No punches come sharp enough out of the box. They need to be taken out to a fine edge, then stropped and polished. My personal drive punches are sharp enough to rock through the leather by hand. I have some of the wood handled end punches I use for fun too, and once I put that same edge on my drive punches they came to the party. Some people don't want that fine an edge for various reasons, but I think you should be able to slice leather with the edge on any of them.

[footrat]

I use a rubber mallet for strap end, oblong hole, and button hole punches.

I use a framing hammer for letter/number stamps and for driving the burr on copper rivets.

I use the ball of a ball pein hammer to peen the copper post over the burr, and the face of the framing hammer again to drive the doming tool and to flatten the dome.

I use a poly mallet for tooling only. It is THE least used striking tool on my bench. Use what works.

[Narles25]

Hey! Thanks for the response everyone! Really has helped me out! I'm going to get that dead-blow mallet and take my punches in to be sharpened!

[Nuttish]

All you need is something to whack with that's not going to get too dinged up too quickly. If you follow Bruce Johnson's good advice you'll keep your punches sharp enough that you won't need a long heavy maul. I bet if you take your chisel up to a 8000 grit waterstone or sand paper you'd be able to whack through harness leather with a piece of 2x4.