General Tools Pocket Automatic Center Punch

14 reviews for General Tools Pocket Automatic Center Punch

1. Rated 3 out of 5

   Jevon Rohan (verified owner) – October 13, 2022

   I did not think it was well made. It took a lot of pressure to load the spring.

2. Rated 4 out of 5

   Floy Tillman (verified owner) – August 25, 2022

   This is a handy center punch. You just put the point where you want the mark and press down until the spring loads up and then trips. You have to press kind of hard but that is what makes the mark. No real complaints. There is a clip so you can clip it to your pocket. It is usable on wood or metal but you need the marks far more in metal because the bit wants to wander.

3. Rated 5 out of 5

   Tracy Balistreri (verified owner) – June 18, 2022

   This center punch has a pointier tip than most I have used. That is nice for making more precise dimples, which is the whole point of these things. On wood and soft metals like aluminum and brass, one hit makes a nice deep dimple very exactly; it doesn’t cover up your mark like a blunter one would. However, a couple of whacks at steel, and the point will probably be ruined. So don’t do that.

4. Rated 4 out of 5

   Eliane Gusikowski (verified owner) – March 21, 2022

   General Tools Pocket Automatic Center Punch is a handy pocket tool for the shop. It fits easily like a pencil in you pocket and is the same length. Weighs less than an ounce with a barrel made of aluminum. As an automatic punch, you press down on it and it releases a spring that drives the point down to make a mark in metal, plastic, wood or whatever. It can also be used as a scribe to draw a line with the hardened point end. The punch is often done to make a starting hole for a drill bit to grab hold at a precise point to prevent it from walking. The spring action is useful because it can be operated with one hand and with this punch the pressure can be adjusted for the material you are marking. This is done with a black knurled knob at the end that turns left and right to adjust the spring force. This punch is a good one and should last, if it isn’t misplaced or someone takes it. They do eventually wear out and General Tools sells replacement tips. I plan to try and keep it around as it is convenient in the workshop.

5. Rated 5 out of 5

   Dean Cormier (verified owner) – January 20, 2022

   Quality tool priced right.It was my first experience using a pickup locker.Everything thing went well.

6. Rated 4 out of 5

   Lewis Feeney (verified owner) – November 24, 2021

   I have it for 2 weeks. Easy to use it. It is pencil slim light weight aluminum with a pocket clip. I put it in my chest pocket easy. light and easy to carry in my t-shirt chest pocket while I moved around to work on my several different projects.I used a mullet hammer to hit it soft to punch a dent on wood, pvc materials easy before to drill. . It had a thin sharp point which made it easy to be accurate where that helped to pinpoint where I needed.

7. Rated 4 out of 5

   Nicholaus Marquardt (verified owner) – September 9, 2021

   The size is what I love most. Doesn’t always punch right away but fits into an already packed tool belt with less weight added.

8. Rated 3 out of 5

   Chaya Crist (verified owner) – June 14, 2021

   This is not a spring loaded center punch. No matter how i try to set the spring load the punch goes back to where it was. It will be a good hammer punch, but it is not an automatic punch. I could have used this a couple of days ago, had to use a nail and hammer to mark my spot. It’s cute little size makes it great to carry around in your pocket complete with pen ciip for the pocket.

9. Rated 5 out of 5

   Willis Murazik (verified owner) – May 24, 2021

   Lightweight but effective, this slim automatic center punch easily fits into one’s pocket (or pocket protector, as the case may be), making it easy to have at the ready when working in one’s shop (or in the field). The light weight (due to the aluminum housing) belies the ability to center punch effectively, however, when tested on aluminum, carbon steel and stainless steel (each at both extremes of spring rate) a precise imprint was made (though for stainless, the heaviest setting would be preferable to provide a start for larger size drill bits). The impact force is easily adjusted with the knurled adjustment at the top of the punch. Although shipped with the force adjustment at the max (all “in”), the spring did not seem to have lost any capacity (I would normally leave it in the minimum setting to prolong spring life). The punch is easily disassembled for cleaning (or sharpening of the anvil, should it be necessary). The length of the punch lends itself to a different grip than when using a conventional, shorter (but stockier) punch, but the slim body of the punch allows more precise positioning. A good addition to the shop.

10. Rated 3 out of 5

    Else Macejkovic (verified owner) – April 19, 2021

    This is not a spring loaded center punch. No matter how i try to set the spring load the punch goes back to where it was. It will be a good hammer punch, but it is not an automatic punch. I could have used this a couple of days ago, had to use a nail and hammer to mark my spot. It’s cute little size makes it great to carry around in your pocket complete with pen ciip for the pocket.

11. Rated 5 out of 5

    Cleveland Kovacek (verified owner) – April 14, 2021

    Nice little gadget to have handy and it clips in your pocket so it will not get lost so easily. This is the first automatic center punch I have had in 40 years in tool making. I prefer to lightly tap a center punch and double check that it is exactly where I want it. You do have some control of how deep it punches by turning the knurled screw on the top of punch. I punched some 01 tool steel on 3 different settings. The lightest setting was with the spring at its fully extended position and it is still a little too deep for my first punch but if you do not need that kind of precision this baby is a perfect addition to your tool box. The package does not state what kind of tool steel the actual punch is made of but it held up well for me so far.

12. Rated 5 out of 5

    Wilson Skiles (verified owner) – April 6, 2021

    Who hasn’t wished they had one of these at one time or another? We put the drill exactly where we want it, start it up, and it starts walking around like it has a mind of its own. So I opened this up today and started punching little dimples in metal things around my back yard. Which I have an ample supply of being kind of a hoarder. When you hold it on a spot and push down it snaps and punches a tiny dimple in your work material.I found the adjustments by trial and error. I’d snap it a few times on a setting and then it would need slight readjustment. There’s an adjustment at the top and another where the pointy end holder attaches. I punched a bunch of dimples in a trailer axle and it seemed to work well. The sharp tip held up well after today’s centerpunching practice session. It has a well made strongly attached clip so you can carry it in your shirt pocket like a pen. A few months ago I put a metal roof on a garden shed. I wished I had it then. Drilled about 100 pilot holes for self tapping roofing screws. Without this that drill was walking all over all day. If you’re doing a similar project do yourself a favor and put one of these on your shopping list. Or do someone else a favor and make a gift of one of these. We all need one.

13. Rated 5 out of 5

    Leonie Hermiston (verified owner) – March 14, 2021

    Great quality center punch. Works well, the two best things about this one is that it is adjustable meaning I can use it on really hard metal such as Diamond Plate, Aluminum or plastic. The other feature of this center punch is that the tip is easily replaceable. So far I have used it on Dimond Plate, Plastic and Aluminum. Turning the top of it allows me to adjust how deep the punch point goes into target materials.Also, something like this is not a bad thing to keep in the car, with electric widows if I get trap the center punch works great to break the window out.

14. Rated 3 out of 5

    Yoshiko Weimann (verified owner) – December 9, 2020

    General Pocket Automatic Center Punch This is a simple to use automatic spring-loaded punch with a shirt clip. The punch can be used in the automatic mode by pushing the top of the punch down while the tip is against a hard surface and you will hear a click. Depending on the material you can push the punch down a few times to make sure there is a good marking or depressed area to drill or start a screw or nail. Several clicks work best for hard surfaces like steel while just one is needed for wood and softer materials. At Just under 5 3/4 inches long this will fit in your shirt pocket or protector just like another pen. The tip is hardened and sharp and can be used for scribing a surface mark or line. However, I do think the required force needed is too much compared to other spring loaded punches.One last IMPORTANT item this is a tool that should be kept in many cars now as a safety tool. Many of the car manufacturers have gone with laminated side windows especially in the front doors to prevent occupants be thrown out of the vehicle is in a severe accident. This however prevents inhibits the escape in case the vehicle goes in water. You will not be able to push out or kick out a laminated window and the only tool that works in this situation is a spring-loaded punch. If you know a first responder, make sure you ask them. A couple quick clicks or pushes to corners of a window and the glass will then be able to be pushed out. The emergency tool hammers do not work on a window when the car is submerged and especially when there is laminated glass.