Question About Punches From Round To Strap End To Everything In Between.

[Windrider30]

Ok so my question is a simple one this time. with punches do you have to do anything to them to keep them shape enough to punch though leather or is it just brute force?

[penguineer]

You do need to sharpen them.

Al stohlmans "leathercraft tools" book covers pretty well everything.

In general though

- sharpen the outside/bevel as normal

- clean up the inside with fine round stone or file to remove the burr/wire

Cheers!

[Windrider30]

Thanks will have to look that book up as I do not think I actually have it.

[mlapaglia]

It is a book worth getting. Tandy has it in paper and digital download. Here is a sample page from the book. He mentions how to use nad sharpen almost every leather tool.

sharpening punches Leathercraft-Tools-by-Al-Stohlmantest.pdf

Edited September 27, 2015 by mlapaglia

[Colt W Knight]

Keep them sharp. If your punches are sharp, you cut a hole in thin leather by just pushing the punch, dont even have to strike it with a maul. On thicker stuff, you dont have to hit it as hard if they are sharp.

[snubbyfan]

I keep my stuff clean and sharp. They're stropped on a regular basis.

I've got a video on how I care for my sharp pointy stuff.

[Woodyrock]

The traditional punching anvil was (is) a block of lead. It does not move, does dull the punch, and is more or less self healing. You can 'heal' the surface by lightly peening it with a smooth faced hammer. I have been using the same block since the late sixties. It is roughly 6" x 6" x 1".