Slitters, Punches, Drifts, etc

I'm making a few handled tools, hot cutters, punches, etc. The material will be 1 " or 1 1/4" jackhammer bits. I understand the overall geometry of the cutting end of the chisles. How do I figure out the dimensions of the of the cutting edge. Thanks

does anyone know a good store bought hot punch or equivlent and i need to make a hot drift for a tomahawk head for the handle what is a good steel i could use that i can find in a juckyard or scrap pile?

Not sure if this should go in the "tools" section......the disription thing under tools didn't say anything about making them so I decided to post here. I need a drift for punching small hammer eyes. (I'm thinking about making a splitter.) Right now I have a regular round hole punch that will punch a little over 1/2 inch holes. However, I was wondering if a drift is different than a punch, if so how is it different. Is there a blueprint somewhere on making one? Also the only carbon steel I have is leaf spring and half inch sucker rod. Should I find something else or will one of those work? The main thing I need to know is how is a drift shaped and the type of steel n…

Hi all. Still working on getting or making the right tools for the job.... Tried my hand at a RR Spike tomahawk, then realized I don't have anything to make the hole for the handle to go in... So I used another RR Spike. Went through the hot spike pretty well, but it made me wonder.... 1) would this be a drift or a punch? 2) is a HC RR Spike considered Tool Steel? If not, what would it be? So many smiths use RR Spikes for stock, just wondering if it's the quality of steel, or the ready availabilty? David

Worked this down from 1 1/4" round 1045 all by hand, as powerhammer use is suspended until the noise problem neighbor moves out. It is based on a design by Brian Brazeal, a tool used for making the initial hole in the hammer stock for the eye. I forged this one, and it goes along with a large tapered drift for drifting the eye to final shape which i'll get a picture of also, forged from the same 1 1/4 1045 but I did it at the Peter's Valley pig roast on the Say Mak. I have linked the pictures so they can be veiwed indefinately in light of the thumbnails dissappearing. "]picture 1 "]picture 2

I know this horse has been darn neer run into the ground, But the last time I made a punch a quarter of it broke off. I brought it up to yellow worked the metal then brought it up to non Magnetic, Then quenched in Oil, Then cleaned and polished and ran the color's up to Straw, and quenched in water. I would love to hear how you make your punches. I know everyone has there own method that works for them.. Please share yours.. And thanks in advance, Tom..

Well this is the tool section so I hope this is the right forum. Don't know if this is supposed to be covering how to make tools though!? So I apologize if this is out of place.... I need to make an eye punch. The only carbon stock I have is leaf spring which I think makes good tools. I have done a square punch out of it and even made a shift to temper it...seems like it's holding up though getting the right temper is a complete accident for me. Anyway, what I am wondering about is how to make the center hollow. Do I first need to forge a center punch to hollow out the eye punch? Can I clamp it in the vice and drill the center out? Need some suggestions! Thanks ahead …

I have purchased several old spud wrenches at flea markets. They are often bent a little but I can easily straighten them. The large ones make good ring mandrels and drifts. I recently cut the wrench end off of a smaller one and am using it as a small diameter hot punch. It works very well for making holes for screws in my wall hooks and suchlike. Mine leaves about a 3/16" diameter hole. These can be expensive new but I can usually get them for five dollars or less at flea markets. They are tough steel and hold up well for hot punching, even in small diameters.

Can somebody tell me how to make a punch, I really have searched but could not find anything and if it's not to much to ask could it be with pictures please. I would really appreciate it and what steel should I use?

I tryed to forge a punch out of car spring steel, made it to a 1/4 inch at the punch,question do you make it long and then taper it, or do you make it short the punch is used for 1/4 inch steel. after i made it i heated it up to bright red and put the point in the water and stirred it until it turn purple 1/2 way and then smerage it in the water. used it got locked up and broke the shank when i tryed and reheat after broke it split all to pieces what did i do wrong:confused::

After building my son a gouge for Christmas, I had some stock left over and forged a new parting tool for my lathe. Yes, it's oversized for a pen lathe but I'll buy a real lathe someday. Handle's of cocobolo, finished with beeswax and set with a copper plumbing cap ferrule. http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr98/ghostlyshows/Blacksmithing%20Projects/ All the best for the New Year, Leland

Here's a set of BBQ tools I finished today. Wire rope and walnut handles. I get a charge making things other than knives from welded cable. Couldn't get agood shot of the pattern , it's pretty small from being worked so much.

The chisels and punches that I am making keep breaking in half or shattering. I quench them. Then I re-heat them to a red heat. I then let it dry. I don't understand why they are busting. I'm using them with hot steel. I use a graphite soap lube for the chisels and punches while forging.