Heat treat 410?

[benmychree]

)-1

This project was a oval hole punch for leather belt making. If I was going to purchase material specifically for this, what would be a good choice? Would A1 or A2 work well or would O1 or 02 be better?

0-! is easily found, relatively cheap, easy to machine and heat treat, that would be my choice. Look for it in McMaster Carr.

 

[woodchucker]

This project was a oval hole punch for leather belt making. If I was going to purchase material specifically for this, what would be a good choice? Would A1 or A2 work well or would O1 or 02 be better?

how'd you make the oval ? Lathe, mill? Eccentric turning? I'm curious. Can't help on the metals.

 

[John_Dennis]

how'd you make the oval ? Lathe, mill? Eccentric turning? I'm curious. Can't help on the metals.

I have a 7degree end mill. I made an oval hole in a block of steel and hammered the round punch into the oval tapered hole in the block while it was hot.

 

[benmychree]

One might use a commercially available gasket punch and modify it as you suggest.

 

[John_Dennis]

how'd you make the oval ? Lathe, mill? Eccentric turning? I'm curious. Can't help on the metals.

I have a 7 degree end mill which I used to make an oval tapered hole in a block of steel. I inserted the round punch into the block while hot and struck it with a hammer.

 

[pacifica]

This project was a oval hole punch for leather belt making. If I was going to purchase material specifically for this, what would be a good choice? Would A1 or A2 work well or would O1 or 02 be better?

I think s7 is a better choice and should be available.

 

[pontiac428]

Save the oil hardening stuff for blades, for a punch you want the toughness of air hardening steel. Else choose an alloy. You don't want hard and brittle for chisels, punches, or dies. You want tough.

 

[jwmelvin]

For leather belt making especially, I’d submit there is little practical difference between O1, A2, and S7. But I suppose it depends how many belts you intend to make with the punch. At some point, you might favor abrasion resistance (e.g., D2). it may interest you to read some:

O1 Steel - History, Properties, and How to Heat Treat - Knife Steel Nerds

O1 steel has been used in knives for decades. I provide the story of where the steel came from, its properties, and why it has been popular in knives.

knifesteelnerds.com

A2 Steel - History and Properties - Knife Steel Nerds

All the information I have about A2 tool steel where it relates to knives. How long has the steel been around? How do you heat treat it? How good is it?

knifesteelnerds.com