Maintenance of Tools and for Shoe Making and Alterations

by Bill Rose

Are your pritchels, punches & sole knives blunt, bent, or badly in need of restoration?

Before starting, make sure you know what material they are made of eg alloy steel (spring steel) or W302-H13 hot die steel. First heat and reshape, allow to cool naturally, then grind to shape and re-heat the cutting or punching ends.  

For spring steel, heat to 850-900 degrees C, and quench approximately ¾" or 20 mm in oil, continually moving in the oil until cool. Then polish tip and watch for a medium straw colour to reach tip, then quench in water.

For hot die steel, forge as above after natural cool.

  1. Heat treat by heating to approximately 1100 degrees C and cooling in air blast (fan or exhaust of vacuum cleaner).
  2. When cool, gently heat part of tool struck by hammer until tip shows dullest of red colour in a dark environment then air cool.
  3. Same process as (2) is called double temper.

Polish, and the tools will give you much better service and be easier to use.