Are Tandy'Pro Strap End Punches' Worth Their Salt?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi All,

The 1 & 1/2" Pro End Strap Punch is on sale for Tandy's 'Preferred Customer' sales sheet for $34.99 (down from $69.99 it says)

Is this really a good deal? Has any body used them?

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre]

I wouldn't even try to make a belt without one. They're expensive, but worth it. One whack, and you have a belt.
I've seen videos of people using a round knife, but I'd never try it.

[Graveyard Jack]

They're good tools, heavy duty, welded steel. I found them on sale and bought several. No more funky strap ends for me!

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Get the best they have, the cheap ones aren't worth there salt..

tEN wOLVES 

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Thanks everyone!

Ten Wolves, is thr 3150-04 one of the good ones?


TTFN,

[ChuckBurrows]

be sure to sharpen and POLISH them - never bought a set , even higher end like Osborne that didn't get helped by a good sharpening and polishing....

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Thanks for the heads up! I will sharpen it!

TTFN,

[Graveyard Jack]

Thanks everyone!

Ten Wolves, is thr 3150-04 one of the good ones?


TTFN,

Yep, the pro version is the good one.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Get the best they have, the cheap ones aren't worth there salt..

tEN wOLVES 

I've had both kinds. TW is right here. I dealt with the marginal ones until I finally went with Osborne.

[bedbugbilly]

I have had one for maybe 4 or 5 years.  I'm amazed at how often I use it.  I also wondered if it was worth having but good the dive and got one - now, I'd be lost without it   I have an accumulation of Osborn hole punches that go up to 2" diameter that I use often for inside curves on such things as holsters - and I have found the belt end punch just as helpful in cutting various inside curves on holsters as well.  I'd kind of be lost without mine now that I know how useful it is

[Massive]

It depends whether you are in the "nothing but the bare necessities" mode, or the "give me an excuse mode"

I own one of the 1.5 inch belt ends, and I don't really like the look it gives.  I don't really find the high end belts are done that way.  For one thing you can set out your belt by doing it a really distinctive way, look at the way Slye's bolster attaches, though that is the other end.  Currently I see more oval ends, neither pointed or full rounded.  I sometimes hit the end of a belt so the point is off the end, then use a sanding belt to round the corners and that makes a fast oval.

My thinking at the moment is to move to patterns from CAD to the shapes I want (or hand drawn), or even looking towards a CNC cut-out.  Chunking down large amounts of money for single use tools, doesn't really make any sense.

Two other tips.  I use the 1" round end all the time cut down fronts, and all manner of other things.

Also, look carefully at the two pointy ends, the american, and the english.  Being american you might well think that is the one you want, but I think I liked the other one better.  You decide.

What I don't want is a long flimsy point that gets wrinkled easily.

[St8LineLeatherSmith]

they work good just make sure to use a poundo board under it when in use
and ya an extra sharpening session before use will make it work better.
it seems to me that tandy is making an effort to raise quality standards  of their  tool line here lately
probably beginning to listen to the numerous complaints that their tool quality dont match the price point by a long stretch.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

ADDENDUM;

I ended up getting the Tandy one ... I figured at $39 (plus change), it was worth what I have in it ... and after I write this, I am going to email a sharpening friend and hope he is interested ... per Chucks suggestion

TTFN,

[Slowhand Bob]

My preference for all styles of the strap end punches are the welded bridge style shaft.  With these I get a nice 90* edge cut but I seldom get this with the forged(?) punches.  I am guess that having the shaft located over the punches point causes me to get an angled edge cut, the bottom is slightly longer than the top.  AND yes, this even happens, to a lessor degree, when using forged style round strap punches.

[St8LineLeatherSmith]

I cant count the diffrent shape strap end punches I made through the years when I was welding and fitting but don't have a single one now when I could actually use one again.
But anyway I have noticed tandys effort in making better quality crafttools here lately
any one else notice that their tool quality is getting better?

[theshoer]

I cant count the diffrent shape strap end punches I made through the years when I was welding and fitting but don't have a single one now when I could actually use one again.
But anyway I have noticed tandys effort in making better quality crafttools here lately
any one else notice that their tool quality is getting better?

It is not just the tools, I bought some dye from them the other day that is far better then the eco dye they sell, even better then the oil base

[St8LineLeatherSmith]

Ya I like the ECO FLo professional dyes too.