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

Highest quality item. But a high level of arm strength needed to operate. Perhaps the design needs an enhanced setting mechanism.

I bought one and then used it this weekend. Be sure to disassemble and lubricate first. Then unless you release the spring tension a lot be ready to push real hard. But good dimple.

The Starrett 18C Automatic Center Punch is the most heavy duty center punch Starrett offers. The automatic center punches offered by Starret are the 18AA, 18A, and 18C. The main difference is the length and diameter of the handle this allows for stronger spring compression and greater size. With an increased spring size the 18C is capable of driving a starter hole punch is the toughest of material, without the need to hammer a manual punch after. General: Excellent Knurling - Amazing Grip. Great Finish. Not good for center punching most wood materials—too heavy-duty. Perfect for 16 Gauge Steel.

Finally broke down and bought this one after trying the spring tools punch and the general tools 79. The spring tools punch the spring eventually broke, snapped and hit my finger. The general tools 79 I still use for wood. Only issue I have had when I have it a heavy tension and I am odd angle cannot easily depress it but that is ok.

This thing put a nice notch in hardened steel pipe with 0 trouble whatsoever. It will mark whatever you need it to mark. Its strong and clearly well made. Great investment.

I use it at work

Been using these punches for decades at work. Needed some better punches at home so I went straight for these. Expensive compared the Chinese alternatives but there really is no comparison. If you appreciate nice tools and need a power punch, look no further.

Almost gave up on this. The punch arrived a few days ago and I could not get the stroke adjustment to work. Assuming it might be defective I returned it - I was tempted to use a vice and pliers to see if the top would turn but thought this might damage it and a new product shouldnt arrive jammed like this. Sure enough the replacement would not turn eitehr - so into the vice with soft jaws and use and use some tape to protect from the pliers teeth. Didnt take much and now it works! But no way either of them would turn by hand and I tried pretty hard. I guess some bodybuilder works at the factory? Love the tool - well built - its replacing my General Tool punch I left out in the rain by mistake and that was already damaged (tip falling out)

The body is beefy, knurling is perfect, sharp hardened point. Performed exactly as expected.

I have used both the 18C and the 818 automatic punches and I prefer the 818 in my tool pouch and the 18C on the work bench. The 18C is a workhorse that can be counted on to punch a clear impression on just about any material. Because of the added weight of the 18C, I feel that it provides more comfort in terms of kick-back than the 818 and is better suited to situations where repetitive use is needed. The redesigned tip is an improvement. I had an older one on a previous job that had a screw-in tip that always came loose at the worst time. The tip and shaft form a single unit on this model. The tip can still be replaced if you would rather not resharpen and reharden your old one as it wears down.