sharpening round pointed punches

Since these tips are for hand-held center punches, the points don't have to be perfectly centered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the punch (as opposed to, say, transfer punches). Therefore, you have the option of using slightly less precise methods of sharpening the points.

Have you considered chucking the points in a die grinder and then spinning them against an abrasive stone?

- Michael

That's a pretty good idea, Mike. And of course you're correct about the precision of the point's centering not being critical. Thanks! - GWE

. . Grant, I've always set the punch in a drill chuck and hold the poit against a grinding stone (6" grinder)... works well for me! Bill

Done the same with a cordless drill. Worked fine.

Pete Keillor

On Mon, 09 May 2005 17:22:49 -0700, the inscrutable Grant Erwin spake:

Someone mentioned a cordless drill, but nobody mentioned grinding inline with the direction of the punch vs. at 90°. Points don't last as long if you grind at 90°, as with a pencil sharpener. Twist slowly when you sharpen so you don't get the radial lines which shorten the life of the tip. (I just picked up that tip today while browsing through a library book called "The Complete Library of Metal Working, Blacksmithing, & Soldering" by Oscar Almeida, J.G. Holmstrom, and B.M. Allen, respectively. It was made regarding scriber sharpening but I think it logical that it also applies to punches.)

I use my 1" belt sander to tip tools and square those !@#$%^& blade screwdrivers.

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My understanding is to grind like TIG - leaving long vertical cuts that slide into metal. Circular rings plug up a hole as the punch starts in.

Martin

You're welcome. As others have pointed out, it's preferable to have a radial grain pattern in the finished point (as opposed to concentric rings). I'd still use the die grinder to shape and sharpen the point, stepping down to a fine whetstone so that I'd have a very smooth finish. Then I'd buff the point on a cotton or felt wheel loaded with emery compound, holding the tip pointing down and rotating it against the wheel so that the buffing removes any concentric grooves from the grinding. With enough polishing, there won't be any grinding marks (and any microscopic grain from the polishing will be along the longitudinal axis of the point).

By doing it this way, you'll get a truer conical point, than if you try to grind it along the longitudinal axis.

- Michael

Greetings Grant, I sharpen hollow gasket punches by chucking them in the lathe, indicating 'em, and using a dremel tool to sharpen. Works great. Eric

Grant

I've sharpened mine by mounting them in a 1/2" drill and running them against a fine belt on my belt sander. Just make sure you counter rotate them or you get flat spots (guess how I know :-)

Jim

Why not just offhand grind on the bench grinder? Similar to sharpening a drill, it takes some pratice. Once you have the skill, it takes about 30 seconds to sharpen your punch.

Regards,

Robin

These are tips, not whole punches. Not easy to manipulate something that small around a grinding wheel. I may make up a pin with threaded hole, or I may try holding them in a small chuck and spinning that by hand. In general I don't think it's worth practicing it enough to get real good at it when I only do it once every five or six years. - GWE

It just feels like a waste of time to do all kinds of setup just to put a point on a punch. I don't own an auto center punch as they don't make sense for tool and die work. The regular prick and center punches are really easy to sharpen if one can sharpen a drill already. I sell auto center punches and I'd imagine they'd be equally simple.

Good luck one way or the other.

Regards,

Robin

1/4 in - 3/8 in - 1/2 in electric drill and a grinder. maybe a good eye and a forgiving nature too.

Hul

Grant Erw> >

I just sharpened mine today. I noticed it was dull a few days ago. Using the thoughts on this list. I chucked it in a cordless drill ran it at low speed and sharpened the bit on my angle grinder, grinding in the direction of the point. Nice and sharp now. Thanks Karl

Trick a pattern maker showed me one time is to use an ice pick or punch to control small bits of wood as you run them through the table saw. Works a lot better than push sticks because the point is actually in the wood. If they catch, you just loose a bit of metal not a finger. I've used it several times and had to sharpen the pick once (after I picked it up from the far side of the shop). Really glad to do it. Interesting thing was it didn't make a detectable mark on the carbide blade.

============================================== Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

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The possibility of an ice pick being propelled at high speed through the air does not impress me as a gain in safety. Maybe it's just me :)

- - Rex Burkheimer

Yes indeed. Bad juju.

Gunner

Liberals - Cosmopolitan critics, men who are the friends of every country save their own. Benjamin Disraeli

As a long time woodworker there are occasions when an ice pick is exactly the right tool. The main reason for using one is when ripping narrow thin stock as this has a tendency to rise on the back of the blade. Board Buddies and other hold down devices are fine but require too much space between the fence and blade to be universally useful.

Any machine operation can be dangerous, and there are plenty of cases where people go out of their way to defeat all the manufacturers and OSHA safeguards. But, IMHO, and speaking as someone who's been using powered woodworking machines for over 50 years and with all original fingers and limbs, your safety is in your own head and hands, evaluating each operation, ensuring clear paths for each item and paying attention from before you switch the machine on until its off again and the work piece removed.

Bernard R

Gunner wrote: