Why does nobody talk about the difference between a good and a great knockout punch?

I was cutting a 2 inch hole in a 12 gauge panel last week. My old punch was dull and took a lot of force, leaving a rough edge. I borrowed a buddy's Greenlee punch that was sharp, and it went through like butter with a clean cut. The time and effort saved was huge. Which tool upgrade made the biggest difference in your daily work?

3 comments

3 Comments

mitchell.shane1d agoProlific Poster

2 inch hole in 12 gauge? That's a lot of metal to punch through, must have been a solid workout with that dull one. I've seen guys skip the knockout punch and just use a step bit on thin stuff but that would be asking for trouble at that thickness. Honestly never thought about the punch being sharp making that much difference until you laid it out like that.

emma_ramirez1mo ago

Ever try a really good pair of wire strippers? That smooth, clean strip feels just as good as a clean punch.

brown.susan1mo ago

Oh man, that's so true. It's like the little wins that make a job feel good. I get the same feeling when I sharpen a chainsaw perfectly and it just glides through a branch. That clean cut, no pulling or tearing. Makes the whole task smoother, you know? What's your go-to brand for strippers?