Question about punch and chisels

[anthonyfilice]

I'm currently in the market for some punches and chisels, and am wondering if lets say i buy the HF ones, are they good or bad? and if bad, what makes them so bad, like do they mushroom really easy or crack or something. I dont really want to spend alot on the mayhew ones, but if the harbour freight one are really flawed i might. I dont want people praising "x" brand in this thread. I just want to know if they are good or bad and if bad the reason why. Educate me. Thanks in advance

 

[diesel research]

dull quite easily

 

[anthonyfilice]

at 12 bucks a set you think it would be worth it to buy 2 sets and keep sharpening them on the grinder

 

[reptilezs]

epsteins has good prices on punches and chisels

 

[Dave455]

Stiriking tools take more punishment than any other hand tool, so quality makes a big difference to how long they last and how well they work. Type of steel, how it's worked and how it's treated make a big difference! Good ones are really hard at the tips (but not so hard they shatter) but soft enough you can dress out any mushrooming on the striking face.

I can vouch for Snap On, and being a Brit I use brands like Eclipse and Priory, but my all time favourites are Starrett. The Starrett are really made for the engineering trade rather than the Automotive, but are superb steel, well treated and beautifully ground. I tend to save them for important stuff though - too good for banging out a roll pin!

 

[smothers33]

i have these http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-jumbo-punch-and-chisel-set-66214.html
theyre alright. the bigger ones work fine. they do mushroom alot and dont stay sharp and the punches mushroom on both ends but you get what you pay for. i also bought some small pin punches and those bent almost immediately. i think the larger ones arent that bad but the metal is alot softer than the more expensive brands so the smaller they are the more likely they are to bend. if i were you id step up and buy better quality ones. mayhew are really nice and make punch/chisels for some of the truck brands but if you dont wanna spend the money on them id get craftsman. the craftsman punches i have have held up pretty well so far and they are lifetime warranty if i rememeber correctly

 

[anthonyfilice]

any one ever use or seen otc chisels aand punches?

 

[d.mcfarland]

Save yourself the time and trouble and get ones that will last a while and be useable. Isn't there a Craftsman USA punch/chisel set for like $20 maybe?

 

[adamsredlines]

Idk aboubchisels butnounches are abundant at the flea market....I get tons of older ones that are like new for a buckbirbless each. All really good brands.

 

[CWP1616L]

Go ahead and buy the HF punches and chisels...

See how long they last you.

 

[ken w.]

If your not in a hurry for them I would buy them at flea markets , garage , or estate sales.Thats where you will get the best quality and price. Or buy one at a time as you need them. The Mayhew's are kinda resonable compared to the Snap On's.

 

[dirtmister16]

i don't own any harbor frieght punches or chisels. but i will give you this advice, cheap punches and chisels don't hold up to much, they mushroom and break easy.

i have a set of craftsman from a few years back and they are good, but still mushroom on me fairly easy. i have a few mayhew and snap on that seem to hold up better yet.

id say for a diy guy the craftsmans are good value and will do most of what you want, if you are going to be doing some really heavy chisel and punch work, but the mayhew ones for those particular jobs.

i have a large mayhew punch and a medium chiesel, and they have taken everything ive thrown at them. i honestly belive them to have a good steel and treatment. i can buy mayhew locally at my hardware hank so ive bought when needed.

 

[Steinmetz]

I have a couple of old sets of Lufkin center punches. In my estimation, the best ever made.

 

[Jeff]

For something that you will beat to death with a hammer and hope to live, I wouldn't skimp .

 

[Exceller8]

Go to just about any swap meet and there are hundreds if not thousands of quality used punches and chisels that usually run $1 a piece or less. Buy the HF set to hold you over, but there is nothing like quality punches and chisels.

 

[HaroRider]

The green HF is worth the $12..at least the punches are..havent used the chisels from that set

 

[GRX]

Go to just about any swap meet and there are hundreds if not thousands of quality used punches and chisels that usually run $1 a piece or less. Buy the HF set to hold you over, but there is nothing like quality punches and chisels.

^^ this.

 

[sberry]

How bad are you going to beat them? Are you a blacksmith or will the reside in a drawer 99/9% of their life? Its something I got to have but dont spend 8 hours a day beating the shitout of them.

 

[tank4114]

i would second swap meets or id get some USA ones from epsteins

 

[mtnkrake]

I have Starrett punches. They are real tough. You can't even tell they have ever been hit with a hammer.

 

[rlitman]

Good metal and differential heat treatment is what you get with good punches.
Neither come with HF.

A good punch will be hardened at the ends to resist mushrooming, and will be made of really tough steel. Expect an HF to mushroom at both ends, but also to bend or even break in the middle. Bending I'm ok with, but you've got to warranty the punch at that point, there's no grinding that out. Breaking; that's totally unacceptable, as it pretty much inevitably ends in injury. I'm not taking that chance with my fingers, so I don't own HF punches.

I've done some awful things to my Snap On punches and chisels, and they still look fine.
I've used my Starrett punches pretty well, and they look like new.
I've destroyed some of my Craftsman punches, but I'll reach for these when I think I'm going to do damage, as they're easier for me to warranty, so that's not a huge surprise.

I will say that the older chromed square Craftsman punches (look at the flea markets) took a lot more abuse than the current red hexagonal ones.

 

[Chuck122]

They are probably not great but they are punches. Unless you plan to use them extensively or have money laying around, i'm sure they Will be satisfactory

 

[quattrojon]

Just order some Wilde punches and chisels from Harry Epsteins. Excellent quality and the prices are good.

 

[Duck tape Bill]

Just order some Wilde punches and chisels from Harry Epsteins. Excellent quality and the prices are good.

^^^^This 100%^^^^