Strap End Punch

[Davi]

I'm looking for some advice on what strap end punches to buy. I'm not looking to buy the most expensive money can buy but I do want a reasonable quality. I figure if I get 10 years out of it, at that point I can buy the most expensive one to replace it. At the same time I don't want to go for the cheapest if a little more money gets me a lot more quality. These are the ones I'm considering:

http://www.leathercrafttools.com/shouhin.jsp?id=3804

http://goodsjapan.com/leathercraft-belt--strap-end-punch-for-leather-english-point-16-40mm-468-p.asp

http://www.handtools-uk.com/c603-strap-end-punches-uk-point (leaning towards these and can get them from abbey England)

http://www.ranch2arena.com/englishpoint.html (a close second to the osbornes)

http://www.theidentitystore.co.uk/productdetails.asp?ID=201&subcatID=21

http://www.bowstock.co.uk/acatalog/Pointed_chisels.html

I like the fact that 'Osbornes' and 'Horseshoe Brand' have a nice wide range of sizes so I can build them up over time maintaining the same brand.

Other suggestions are welcome too. As I'm in England anyone suggested would need to be willing to ship to the uk. I understand that delivery and customs is going to be a pita but I'll suck it up if I have to.

[Trox]

Good punches are expensive and not alway easy to find these days. I have no experience with the two first Japanese punches. However, it looks like they are constructed with clicker die steel and welded. Same goes for the number five option from Craftool/Tandy, this also can be called a arch punch. The CS Osborne arch punches are well known for their quality. I belive they make both the blade and arch them self, without using any clicker band steel in their contruction. They too are welded and are of course weaker than punches forged from one piece of steel (like the most expensive punches are). Therefore, I belive that the Jeremiah Watt punch" horse shoe brand" should be the best constructed punch of these.

I do have many different styles/makes of punches myself, included CSO (both arch and forged), Craftool/Tandy (both with clicking steel and forged). I have not been able to break any of these Craftool punches with clicker steel yet. They have issues, the English style strap punch are often not symmetrical made. (The curve are not similar on both sides, leaving a ugly punched out strap end) They are way to over priced, this should be a economical priced tool same as # one.

The only Horse shoe brand tool I have is a saddlers compass, so I cannot speak for the punch quality. Nevertheless, looks to be good tools of good steel. I do have some forged Weaver punches that I like very much. I belive them to be close related to the Horse shoe brand tools, perhaps from the same maker. I would look in to the Horse shoe Brand punches a little more closely. Check the feedback on them.

Good luck

Tor

[Colt W Knight]

My experience with strap end punches

Weaver Master tools are the best I have used, and come sharp enough to use right out of the box.

C. S. Osborne are second to Weaver Master tools, and usually need some work to get them sharp enough to work and sometimes they are not ground flush, and it takes a lot of sharpening to get them into shape. Once they are sharp, they are built much HD than Weaver, but I haven't broken or messed up any of my Weavers yet.

I wouldn't even fool with lesser quality punches. They have caused me a lot of trouble and banged up fingers in the past.

[Ole South]

I got a really nice English point from our own Texas Custom Dies sponsor back around Christmas. Don't know what shipping/vat's might run but the quality is spot on! Came sharp, stays sharp and very nicely made.

[Davi]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your input on this.

I'll look into your new suggestions and I'll cut the crap from my list. HSB does make some beautiful tools and I loved the review Nigel Armitage did for the edge beveller so I'm going to have a good look into those.

[JerryLevine]

Hi Davi,

I have Dixons, Bowstock and Horseshoe Brand strap end punches. Dixons is now out of action but worth buying secondhand if you can find them. The Bowstock ones work very well, although I had to sharpen them and polish them when they first arrived. I have a full set of the Horseshoe Brand punches (you get a discount if you buy the full set) and they arrived ready to go out of the box (actually plastic bag, bubble wrap and newspaper). I would buy them again if I had the money again in a heartbeat. No one has mentioned Vergez Blanchard tools which, although they have a reputation for being pricey, you definitely get what you pay for without the US import issues. They do have strap end punches (try this link and it subsequent pages: http://www.vergez-blanchard.fr/boutique/liste_produits.cfm?type=16&code_lg=lg_fr&num=2&pag=6). I do not have any Vergez Blanchard punches, but I do have their pricking irons and they are brilliant. I have no experience with the Japanese ones or the Tandy ones, but I would absolutely echo the comments above about going for the best you can afford and avoiding cheap ones ("buy cheap, buy twice").

Hope that helps.

Jerry

[Davi]

Thanks again guys.

I think I'm going to go with Jeremiah Watt / Horseshow Brand. I emailed yesterday to find out what international shipping would be and I actually got a reply from Jeremiah today with teh price and a recommendation to check out "Logis de Cord". They are a distributor for weaver and he believes they may have some HSB tools so worth looking into

[catskin]

I don't see why anyone would spend the kind of money I see being asked for round ( half round ) punches when you can make them in about 1/2 hour on a lathe. I made mine and showed the cuts to others and was told that they likely were as good as ANY I could have bought. And sharpening is just as easy. Put in the lathe and redo the edge. Plus there is no limit on the size you can make. I could make a whole set for less then Tandy wants for one.

Other shapes could be made with a bit more time and a few basic tools.

Edited March 22, 2016 by catskin

[JerryLevine]

I would agree with Catskin on making the round hole punches and, I'm sure the half round punches just need half their circumference bringing away. If I had a lathe and the training and expertise to use it, I would do exactly what he's done. However, judging by the links above, the strap end punches under discussion here are the English Point ones, which require more fabrication, and, as Catskin points out, more tools. They're also finished (in most cases) rather nicely which looks especially good when customers come to the shop and at trade shows, etc. I suspect that what most of us save up to pay a premium for is the convenience of not having to learn new skills and buy and train on new tools. There's also the confidence that the maker understands the requirement (including the need for value for money) and the materials and has a repeatable fabrication process backed up by pride in his product and, of course, a guarantee. For instance, Jeremiah Watt has spent decades making saddles, bridles and spurs and Horseshoe Brand Tools was born out of his experience needed to produce the right tool for the right job. The money I spend on buying HSB tools (all the way from England) is a price I'm willing to pay for the confidence I have in that experience.

All that said, I'm always up for trying to innovate and make my own tools where I can or find different uses for the tools I have.

All the best,

Jerry

[Colt W Knight]

Not everyone has a metal lathe.

[Davi]

First problem with that is that I dont have a lathe.

I don't see why anyone would spend the kind of money I see being asked for round ( half round ) punches when you can make them in about 1/2 hour on a lathe. I made mine and showed the cuts to others and was told that they likely were as good as ANY I could have bought. And sharpening is just as easy. Put in the lathe and redo the edge. Plus there is no limit on the size you can make. I could make a whole set for less then Tandy wants for one.

Other shapes could be made with a bit more time and a few basic tools.