Cutting Down Brass Pin Punch....?

[EmilioG]

I have these Starrett pin punches that are brass tips with steel knurled handles, 8" Long pin punches.
They are designed to take a beating to save the finer finish on metal parts, but I'd like to cut them down
as they get mashed since the Brass end is so long, I figure I can get more life out of them.

What is the best way to cut off the "mashed" ends without ruining the brass?

Thanks

 

[george wilson]

How are you going to ruin the brass by just cutting the mashed end off? If possible,I'd chuck them up and turn the ends off. If they are too long and slender,I'd hacksaw then off and carefully file the ends square. That can be done by any one who has minimal equipment.

 

[Dave Smith]

Yes--like George says--- or if you have a belt sander or disc sander you can hold them parallel with the belt or disc and rotate them carefully with your hand to take just the mushroom part off even, and sand the punch face straight--very simple and the brass will last longer than cutting them off----same thing if your punches don't have brass tips------Dave

 

[EmilioG]

Thanks.
What I meant by "ruining" was, I did not want to heat up the brass and change it's
composition too much, harder/softer? Brittle?
These Starrett pin punches are really well made and since they're so long, I can keep
cutting down the mashed tips.

Thank you

 

[kd4gij]

sander or grinder you arn't going to change ther hardness.

 

[dulltool17]

No worries, Emilio- Brass, like most copper alloys, only hardens by work hardening. Heat will anneal it or keep it soft. Cut away and file to your heart's content.


Doug W

 

[Bill C.]

I have these Starrett pin punches that are brass tips with steel knurled handles, 8" Long pin punches.
They are designed to take a beating to save the finer finish on metal parts, but I'd like to cut them down
as they get mashed since the Brass end is so long, I figure I can get more life out of them.

What is the best way to cut off the "mashed" ends without ruining the brass?

Thanks

One way is to grind off the mashed ends using a belt sander. I have done this to the mushroomed heads of chisels.

 

[Cadillac STS]

I agree chuck them up and turn them down if you can. Protect the knurls by getting some thick plastic to carefully wrap around the piece first. Just one wrap and be sure each jaw has same amount of plastic under it so you stay centered.

 

[george wilson]

I did not include belt sanding as brass is soft enough to possibly retain some of the abrasive grit. Then,I would not want to use them on fine surfaces like gun pins.

You have to get brass just about red hot to soften(anneal) it. Of course,you don't want to do that since there is no way to re harden it except to forge it.

Thinner brass punches can easily grab and get bent and ruined by trying to face them off in the lathe. If the punches are long enough to chuck them by their thin,straight portions,leaving just a little of the length sticking out,then they could be faced off.

I have no Starrett brass punches,so I don't know how long their punch sections are. It is very easy to just make them from brass rod when needed.

 

[EmilioG]

I did not include belt sanding as brass is soft enough to possibly retain some of the abrasive grit. Then,I would not want to use them on fine surfaces like gun pins.

You have to get brass just about red hot to soften(anneal) it. Of course,you don't want to do that since there is no way to re harden it except to forge it.

Thinner brass punches can easily grab and get bent and ruined by trying to face them off in the lathe. If the punches are long enough to chuck them by their thin,straight portions,leaving just a little of the length sticking out,then they could be faced off.

I have no Starrett brass punches,so I don't know how long their punch sections are. It is very easy to just make them from brass rod when needed.

Thank you.
Starrett punches are very inexpensive, so they're worth buying. They have nice knurled steel handles on them.
I would like to make metric size transfer punches from O-1 tool rod. Is this possible?