Hi, It seems that most of the respondents on this subject suggest
hitting the punches onto hard wood end grain.  I too, would go
along with this but once you start using punches larger than 1 inch
diameter you have to use more and more force with the Hyde Mallet.
Striking the punch hard and possibly at a non-vertical angle means
you run the risk of splitting the side of the cutting face of the
punch.  If this happens you've a lot of grinding to re-hone the
cutting edge.

I have punches in increments up to 2.75 inches diameter, and very
expensive they are, too!  What I did to avoid this scenario was to
firstly ensure that the cutting edge was really sharp, and I would
hold the punch flat against the leather and twist the punch body while
preventing the leather from turning with the punch.  I have produced
hundreds of pouches this way and never damaged the punches once.
Provided that the cutting edge was always sharp, the leather would
cut easily.

I also found an alternative to an end-grain wood block.  A 12-inch
square of thick MDF, with the surface sanded to rough it up, worked
extremely well.  As the surface became ringed I would dress it over
my finisher or surface planer and carry on punching, or twisting as
the case may be.

On the odd occasion where I needed a set of pouches larger than my
biggest punch (and this is a rare exception) I would make discs or
washers of zinc or tin-plate and cut 'round by hand with my scalpel
with a razor sharp blade installed.

Cheers, Paul Camps