Starrett Steel Automatic Center Punch with Adjustable Stroke - 5-1/4 Length, 11/16 Punch Diameter, Lightweight, Knurled Steel Handle - 18C

Despite laying in salty slush for two weeks over the winter after falling out of a hole in my pocker while entering my car, a wipe down with some scotch brite and some oil made this punch work like new again. Nice and sturdy with a smooth action and sharp knurling. Temper on the tip is excellent, with minimum tip rounding, even on harder materials, deforming rather than cracking when struck against something harder than it can handle. The only drawback Ive found is that sometimes the spring doesnt fully reset after use, and will just depress without hammering the tip when pressed against the stock. However, this only happens rarely and doesnt require disassembly to fix, you just have to press it again. This is in my pocket every day at work, and gets whipped out at every opportunity. No one else is allowed to touch it, just me.

If you appreciate quality tools you just cant go wrong when buying a Starrett tool. When you need to mark out placement for a hole to be drilled these make it a snap. Position the tip where you need to drill your hole and give the tool a quick push till it pops and youre done. But, dont be a doofus and hit it with a hammer and then do use a center punch and a hammer to give your drill bit a good solid starting point. This tool is only meant to mark placement for a hole and is not meant to replace a center punch. Use this fine Starrett tool properly and its most likely gonna still be workin the same as when it first came outta its box every time you use it.

I have used automatic center punches quite extensively for metal work when fabricating industrial control panels. They are a vital tool to drilling precise holes in metal and they offer the convenience of not having to use a hammer. I purchased this starrett punch because of the quality of their other tools and because I have used cheaper ones that would take multiple blows to create a small dent because they just do not have the striking power needed. I also know that when it comes to tools the best ones are a joy to use and the cheap ones will only make you wish you just paid the money and got the best one to start with. I was unsure of which one to order because I could not find any information online comparing the AA, A and C sizes, I ended up purchasing the 18C because it was listed as heavy duty and I figured I could turn down the striking power but if it was not enough on the smaller ones you cannot turn it up. I think for most peoples uses the 18A would be the most ideal size and power. The punch showed up in perfect condition, when held in the hand it does display true craftsmanship and quality which is so hard to find these days. The tip is not quite as sharp as I would have liked for those jobs where you want absolute precision, clearly it is made for heavier duty work than the other punches I have used in the past, and when the spring is turned to its maximum power it does take quite a bit of force to depress and strike a blow but you can be sure that one is enough. I would be mindful that when turned all the way up if you were to push down at any sort of angle you would risk the tip slipping and just putting a huge gouge in your work but sometimes you need that sort of power. When turned down however it delivers a much lighter blow that is even useful for wood, albeit maybe not something like balsam. The machining and quality of this tool is as I said top notch. Yes you can get a punch for just a few dollars that might work just fine but you invest in a tool like this and it will last a lifetime. It is also very easy to take apart to clean or lube if you ever need to. Very pleased with this tool and I wish I could afford to outfit my entire toolbox with tools of this quality.

Not my father’s Starrett center punch. Doesn’t operate with the same clean smooth feel. And most important it does not appear to have the very hard and very tough grade of steel at the tip as the ones I grew up with: Punching mild steel with the Starrett punch set to highest force I could press (a lot), the mill finish on the test piece is barely touched. SAD!

I have only used this punch on mild steel and within two months the point has become very dull. I suspect a hardening issue. Not what I thought I was getting when I bought a Starrett. Otherwise it seems nice.

This tool has superior quality and strength. Lots of spring force (adjustable to reduce if you wish). Nice hard tip can mark anything softer than a hard chrome socket. Incredibly useful for scribing as well and center punching.

Well made but very expensive. Durability can only be gauged after extensive use.

If you are looking at the reviews this is already the product for you cause you must care about quality. It’s built like a brick wall. It’s made to last. Most importantly it’s made in America. Not much more to say.

Great punch and heavy duty. I use it to punch steel mostly, but also for aluminum surfaces. One punch is all you need for aluminum, but for steel, a few punches work best depending on your pilot hole size. My only complaint is that it doesnt fire sometimes, and you need to let it go and try again until it does.

I had a Brown and Sharpe 770 that I liked a lot but it failed with an internal fatigue crack after long use. I wanted something of comparable quality so Starrett was the obious choice. When this punch came in I noted it was quite a bit smaller so I was concerned that it might not make the clear punch marks I was used to. Those concerns were quickly dispelled. This is even better. The end cap has to be unscrewed a bit to allow it to work with reasonable pressure. The punch marks are clear and deep. I have no doubt this will last for many years. It is a bit pricey but quality tools cost money