Anvil Hole Punch: Forged C-Frame With a Steel Die Block and Top Die, Set in the Hardy Hole (Richardson, 1889)

"I think every blacksmith should have a set of them."

Take Swedish iron 1-1/2 by 3/4 by 10 in, upset one end a little, and weld a square of good steel 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 in firmly on it. Punch a hole in the centre of the steel a little larger than the hole to be cut, driving from the iron side so the hole is largest at the bottom and the slugs drop out. Heat the other end, cut it half off 1-1/2 in from the end, bend it over and weld it, then punch and work out a perfectly true 3/4 in square hole (Fig. 68).

Weld an iron the size of your anvil's square hole on the bottom side, 2-1/2 in from the round hole (Fig. 69). File and dress the piece.

Cut 6 in of 3/4 in square cast steel, draw it down and file one end to fit the round hole; for the 1/4 in punch make the round part 5/16 in long, larger for larger punches (Fig. 70).

Heat the frame and bend it so the two holes line up; fit the top die and make sure it enters the hole perfectly true. Let it cool slowly, check the bottom die face and that the die works straight and easily, then temper as for any tool that cuts iron (Fig. 71).

From M. T. Richardson (ed.), **Practical Blacksmithing**, vol. I (1889), "Making an Anvil Punch" by N. C. M. (checked on the archive.org scan practicalblacksm00richrich, pp. 126-128). He gives no temper colour; the tools and metric figures are ours.