Fed Up Of Cheap Rotary Punches... What Next?

[erniethemilk]

I'm getting a bit fed up of the cheap rotary hole punches I'm buying and using. Given about 3 weeks or so and I seem to keep breaking them, bending them on 4mm veg tan leather.

I'm thinking what next, and wondering how good the Osborne rotary punch is. It's quite a pricey option here in the UK (c. £70) compare to the £7-£8 I'm spending at the moment.

Anyone have thoughts/recommendations.

[Northmount]

Handles made of pressed metal always failed for me. Finally bought a rotary punch with solid steel handles. They don't squash! You'll either pay for one incrementally in replacements, or just go get the right one first off and ultimately save more.

Just keep the web between your thumb and finger out of the hinge area anytime you release your grip! It pinches and ...

Tom

[Ferg]

My rotaries are definitely "Vintage". I have had at least two of them for 60+ years. Never bent or broke one, just continue dressing the copper pad so the hole is cut complete.

Guess you might look for an old one.lol

ferg

[George3]

Osborne all the way, had the cheap ones, had to use a hammer to make it punch 12 oz leather.

Bought the Osborne leather punch with replaceable tubes and never looked back.

Cuts through thick leather with little or no effort.

cheap tools cost more in the long run...

[erniethemilk]

Thanks guys. Ordered an Osborne this morning. Palpitations ordering an £80 hole punch but there you go, hopefully will stop me going through them every few weeks! :-)

Edited March 1, 2016 by erniethemilk

[George3]

I've been using the Osborne punch for 3 years and still going strong with every day use.

Don't punch anything that's not leather such as nylon webbing as it will dull the cutting edge.

Tip # 2 you can sharpen the tubes by putting them in a drill and holding a stone against it and work of the inside burr with a drill bit😎

You made a good choice...

I've been using the Osborne punch for 3 years and still going strong with every day use.

Don't punch anything that's not leather such as nylon webbing as it will dull the cutting edge.

Tip # 2 you can sharpen the tubes by putting them in a drill and holding a stone against it and work of the inside burr with a drill bit😎

You made a good choice...

[simontuntelder]

Wad punches might be a solution. They can be sharpened and maintained.

Otherwise there's a good one from Germany - I can't remember the name of the maker, but it has a red handle. Ivan makes a terrible copy - that can't be sold in Germany, but if you get the German one I'm sure you'll be pleased. I've had mine for 8 years and it's still going strong.

[Colt W Knight]

The CS Osbourne is the only brand of rotary punch I have ever used that worked well after use. Even those, you have dress the brass anvil and sharpen the punches frequently. If you can set the work down on a table, the Weaver master punches or Cs. Osborne drive punches you strike with a mallet are the way to go.

Growing up, we used a lot of rotary punches on horse tack, and I can't tell you how many times that damn punch pinched the hell out my palm.

Edited March 3, 2016 by Colt W Knight

[LumpenDoodle2]

Having small hands, I have difficulty using rotary punches, so have been using the one's you hit with a hammer (what are they called again?).

Biggest problem I have is the quality. Although I use a dead weight plastic hammer, and a big lump of end-on grain tree trunk, they don't last my abuse for long.

Does anyone know a good make of punches in the UK (or EU) that I can buy, and sneak past the husband.

[Colt W Knight]

Having small hands, I have difficulty using rotary punches, so have been using the one's you hit with a hammer (what are they called again?).

Biggest problem I have is the quality. Although I use a dead weight plastic hammer, and a big lump of end-on grain tree trunk, they don't last my abuse for long.

Does anyone know a good make of punches in the UK (or EU) that I can buy, and sneak past the husband.

In my opinion,

Weaver Master tools are the best punches with C. S. Osborne punches coming in second. I think they both have distributors in Europe, but I could be mistaken. They both hold up well when used with a proper hammer and backing, like your tree trunk. I keep mine very sharp and strop them regularly so I don't have to hit the punch very hard at all to get nice clean easy holes.

They are often referred to as Drive Punches or Belt Punches ( Although some refer to belt punches as drive punches that punch oblong holes like you see on belts).

Edited March 3, 2016 by Colt W Knight

[LumpenDoodle2]

Many thanks, I shall now commune with the great god google.

[TinkerTailor]

Having small hands, I have difficulty using rotary punches, so have been using the one's you hit with a hammer (what are they called again?).

Biggest problem I have is the quality. Although I use a dead weight plastic hammer, and a big lump of end-on grain tree trunk, they don't last my abuse for long.

Does anyone know a good make of punches in the UK (or EU) that I can buy, and sneak past the husband.

How do they fail? do they get dull or do they break?

[LumpenDoodle2]

One bent, and two others have a distinct 'list' (I obviously don't know my own strength). Another, after punching just 4 holes, the end crumpled inwards.

[Matt S]

One bent, and two others have a distinct 'list' (I obviously don't know my own strength). Another, after punching just 4 holes, the end crumpled inwards.

Gmace on here has a YouTube channel with some great tips. One on rotary punches is to put a scrap of leather between the anvil and the piece you want to punch. This not only protects the cutting edge but makes for a cleaner cut hole. I guess this might help with your problem too, where I think in order to complete the hole you might be squeezing so hard as to bend the punch tubes. I find that if I use a scrap on top of the anvil the punch is much easier to use.

[TinkerTailor]

One bent, and two others have a distinct 'list' (I obviously don't know my own strength). Another, after punching just 4 holes, the end crumpled inwards.

Do you sharpen them when you get them? I have never bought a punch sharp enough, and a dull punch does not cut well. You can sharpen them by spinning them in a drill press and holding a stone to the bevel. I have also done them by hand with a diamond file. My drive punches are sharp enough to push through 6 oz veg by hand.

[Red Cent]

Stopped using a hammer most of the time.

https://www.zoro.com/dayton-press-arbor-1-ton-4z328/i/G3382994/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA_%7BCampaignID%7D&utm_term=A_PB200_PowerTools

[LumpenDoodle2]

I'm learning to sharpen my tools, and maybe these punches were at the bottom of my learning curve. I'm not entirely ruling out cheap metal being part of the problem though.

I have gently sharpend, and mainly polished the punches, and the ones that haven't died, work well.

As to using an arbour, I bought myself a 1/2 ton arbour, and it certainly does the job, but for the moment, I'm enjoying releasing my pent up frustrations and inhibitions, by hitting things with a hammer. :-)

[judgebc]

I have a old Sargent Rotary punch.

I need to replace one of the punches.

The thread size is 5/16-24 which is Fine,

I tried Tandy and they are 5/16-18 Coarse but won't fit.

Does anyone know the thread size of Osborne Rotary punch?

Also my Copper anvil needs to e replaced?

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread.