Hello guys! I could use some help.... Iv been making different tools. Like a pick an a hammer thingy... But every time I go to make the hole for a handle it bulged out on one side an makes it lopsided . Is there a trick to making the hole. Or just keep practicing ?

Going to a side can indicate that the piece is not at an even heat; or the punch's face is not normal to it's axis; or that you have a natural bias to the way you hold the punch or the way you hammer, or...

Some people like to pre drill a hole for the punch to follow; but usually it's *practice* in my experience.

Yaaaa... That's what I thought . Is there any other little trick I can do to help? Besides the drill thing. I don't have one for metal.

Flipping the metal top to bottom as well as front to back on both sides helps reduce any punch bias. Flipping your metal in the fire to even the heat out helps. Center punching the exact center helps if you aren't already. Cooling the thinner side so that the thicker side does the moving helps as well.

Very nice. Thank you.

You can correct the bulge by cooling the side that's out too far with water and leave the other side hot and redrift,done it a bunch of times--even thickness on both sides and an even heat is very important,but sometimes it goes wrong anyway Regards Butch

you have to make sure it is perfectly even. a small bit off will rely mess you up. happen to me with my first hawk.

Take a class with Brian Brazeal. Or at least go read what he has to say here on Iforgeiron about punching holes. He is a master at this, and the technique is pretty darn simple once you have it down.