Boker punch: misshapen or just dull?

[rune1279]

I hope the mods will let this fly in this forum -- I know, it's a maintenance/sharpening question, but given that punches usually only occur on traditionals, I thought it would find more experienced hands here.

I recently picked up a Boker Plus stockman with a punch, but the punch is not what I expected. Where the awl/punch on a traditional normally narrows to a definitive, piercing point, this thing is actually *rounded* on the end (with a radius around 1/16"), and the cutting edge is fairly dull as well.

Have I simply goofed up and mentally conflated "punch" with "awl" and/or "reamer" here? Even in leather I have a hard time envisioning this dull thing punching a hole (let alone in wood or plastic, as I hoped to use it.)

Now I can tune up the "edge" easily enough with sandpaper and/or stones. But without a point on it to "start" the hole, I don't think it will work very well in any case. The thing is, I keep looking at that rounded point and thinking it's too explicit to just be bad workmanship.

Maybe I'm supposed to be sharpening that rounded end into something like a gouge? Or maybe awls traditionally shipped unsharpened and I'm supposed to put a point on it myself? ...Or maybe it's just a crummy awl design, and that's that.

Any advice, O aficionados of harness jacks and such?

Thanks,
--Mark
PS: I don't have a photo of my own yet and I don't like to lift ones that aren't mine, but if you go to images.google.com and type "Boker Plus stockman punch yellow" into the search box you'll get good reference images.

 

[Markesharp]

Sharpen the conical side with a 6" fine mill file so you have control as compared to an electric sander or grinder.

 

[Pipeman]

You don't need a point you need a sharp edge on both the tip and the cutting edge. The GEC 85 harness jack has a roundish end sharpened like a scoop and it cuts perfect holes when pushed through leather and rotated. The #15 harness jack also works very well. Some punches were made to cut circular holes other made just slits.

Regards

Robin
This one is a push through that punches a slot.

This one cuts small round holes when pushed through and rotated.

The 15 cuts a round hole when rotated. This one cuts from small to medium holes as you push through and rotate.

This is the best punch of all times IMO, the Charlie designed GEC #85. It has a round tip and is rotated through the leather and cuts perfect round holes from 1/16th to 1/4 inch.

 

[rune1279]

Sharpen the conical side with a 6" fine mill file so you have control as compared to an electric sander or grinder.

Always good advice. Nothing makes a mess quicker than a dremel tool and a guy who doesn't quite know what he's doing (I have proven this more times than I care to admit.) I ought to have a set of needle files tucked away somewhere.

You don't need a point you need a sharp edge on both the tip and the cutting edge. The GEC 85 harness jack has a roundish end sharpened like a scoop and it cuts perfect holes when pushed through leather and rotated. The #15 harness jack also works very well. Some punches were made to cut circular holes other made just slits.

Regards

Robin

That's a pretty definitive answer, given in excellent pictorial form. Guess I'll put in some time trying to "tune it up" this weekend, see if I can't get it punching better.

Thanks!
--Mark

 

[Pipeman]

Hi Mark If you can post a picture of both sides of the punch blade it would help. I checked the yellow stockman pictures and it looks like a pretty useless punch Unless the other side is pretty hollow cut at the tip on the back. I recently got a neat little pocket sharpener (from the BIG sharpener company) that has a foldout diamond tapered "steel", it fits the scooped out punch on the 85 harness jack perfectly. If your punch is as round and dull as it looks in the pictures you may be able to reprofile it to actually work.

EDIT: Hi Mark, I found a good pic of the hollow side of the punch. It should be fairly easy to get a sharp round and working punch. If you don't have a file that fits the groove perfectly I would find a nail that underfits the groove and wrap it in 220 black sand paper and work the groove untill it's sharp.

Regards

Robin