Oblong Punch

[jmuir]

Quick follow up. I took the oblong punch to the local Tandy leather store and they tried it with their rawhide punch and thick solid base that they use and it wouldn't cut the leather so it looks like the punch was the culprit (though I still plan on buying a good mallet). Now the decision is if it's worth it to return for a different (hopefully sharp) punch or if I should buy a stone and learn how to sharpen the one I have. Found this video on sharpening oblong punch and other leather tools. https://youtu.be/UuSuFZz9b40

John

Edited November 14, 2015 by jmuir

[Boriqua]

Given the opportunity I would not buy the tandy again. I would take the refund and look online and buy weaver or osborne. I dont have experience with the osborne but I know it cant be worse and most say they are far better. The tandy you have is Sooooo far away from being sharp that you will take a few hours to make it usable. You may still want to touch up the osborne or weaver but its nicer to learn to sharpen from a place that is not completely fubar. I had to take a dremel with a 60 grit drum to my tandy to shave down a bunch of material before I could even start with a file and THEN start to sharpen and polish. imho ... look elsewhere.

Alex

Edited November 14, 2015 by Boriqua

[jmuir]

Thanks for the reply, Alex.

I bought the punch at Springfield and it was one of their more expensive punches (about $40 at their wholesale pricing).

There is a Tandy store about an hour from me. I drove to Tandy to buy a rawhide mallet as others have suggested but I first wanted to try the Springfield punch that I purchased with a proper mallet and base to narrow down what the problem was (it's the punch).

I will follow your advice, probably best to return and get another punch. Also will learn how to sharpen/maintain.

John

[Colt W Knight]

I've bought several oblong punches......all CS Osborne........all sharp right out of the box and have never had to touch them up. Right around $50 per as well.....

None of my Cs Osborne punches came anywhere near sharp enough. I had to sharpen and polish every single one.

My weaver Master tool stuff came plenty sharp to use and the edges were beveled much more consistent than the CS Osborne stuff

Once they are sharpened properly , you really can just push them through the leather with a little hand pressure, twisting, or rocking motion.

My tandy punches started falling apart once I started resharpening them. I think they heat treat or harden the very end, and once you polish/sharpen that area away, you get into super soft steel that doesn't hold up that well.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Colt W Knight

[Nuttish]

You'll thank yourself for picking up some stones anyway.

And if you don't want to spend a lot of money on a fancy maul, you can pick up a 1 foot length of 3" HDPE rod from McMaster-Carr for $20. It will whack things real good.

[jmuir]

Thanks for the tip on the HDPE!

John

You'll thank yourself for picking up some stones anyway.

And if you don't want to spend a lot of money on a fancy maul, you can pick up a 1 foot length of 3" HDPE rod from McMaster-Carr for $20. It will whack things real good.