Making a punch from a Micron pen

One of the many highlights of this year's BreyerWest was finally getting to meet Anna Helt in person. In addition to being the best mini scale tack maker in the hobby, Anna runs International Model Tack Month, which is happening right now. Today's post was written for that event and originally published on Anna's blog. I am delighted to share it here as well. Thank you, Anna. I am already looking forward to our next visit!

Making a Punch from a Micron Pen

by Anna Helt

Microns are archival quality ink pens that come in a variety of shapes and sizes from brush and chisel tips to the fine tips they’re most known for, which are available from 005 (0.20 mm) through 08 (0.5 mm). These pens make great punches because they’re easy to disassemble AND they have a one piece nib and collar (I don’t know the correct terminology here - if someone does fill me in!). Trying to make a punch from something that isn’t one piece will be an exercise in frustration when the nib slips back into the collar under pressure.

I posted a comparison between the holes made by a tiny drill bit, a Micron, and a Craftool #0000 punch recently and a lot of people had questions about how to make the Micron punch, so here we are!

But why not use a needle or awl? 

Because those don’t remove material, they just push it aside. Over time they will always close back up. A puncture is hard to find from the back of a strap and significant leather fatigue and stress can result from trying to jab the tongue through it. Holes are where it’s at for both function and form.

You’ll need a micron pen in your choice of size - I’m using an 005 (0.20 mm) here because it’s the most useful for me - and a file, pliers, and x-acto knife. I am using a flat needle file from my set but a nail file or Dremel with a sanding drum would work, too. Use caution with the Dremel; it’s easy to take too much off.

Push your xacto blade between the plastic and metal parts of the pen and apply gentle pressure away from the plastic body. It might take a minute but eventually…

…the metal nib will separate from the plastic body of the pen.

Grip the long end of the ink chamber and PULL!

It takes some pressure, but it will pop right out.

Reseat the nib…

…and push it home. Technically, this is useable as is, but for best results you’ll want to keep reading.

Grab your file and hold it against the nib at a slight angle. The goal is to taper the tip from the end towards the body; this retains as much structural integrity as possible. I move both the file (back and forth) and the pen (rolling between my fingers) as I file to maintain an even surface.

Here’s my final product. You can stop here, or if you prefer a little superfine sandpaper (find in the model car section) and a few swipes on a strop will really clean things up. That’s mostly cosmetic, though swiping on your strop occasionally may help keep it sharp.

Just look at how tiny this hole is! And would you believe it’s still too big for Stablemates scale strap goods? It does work well for halters and even some curio/Venti/Paddock Pals strap goods, though.

For best results and the longevity of your punch, back your leather with something that has some give but not too much. Chipboard (often used to support calendars, notepads, etc) makes a great backing. A self-healing cutting mat works, too, but the punch will leave a hole. I prefer the recyclable chipboard. To use your new punch, apply downward pressure until you feel the leather give and you’re through to the backing - you want to go all the way through the leather for the cleanest cut! Try to keep the punch upright; too much pressure from an angle can weaken the nib. This punch didn’t require anything more than downward pressure, but…

Sometimes you need a little more oomph. If simple pressure isn’t working, I use my left palm to provide the downward force and my right hand to twist the pen. This does the trick! Try your best to keep the pen perpendicular to the leather. You can also hold the pen and use a jewelers or craft hammer to tap the butt of the pen. I struggled to keep the pen upright and broke a few nibs this way, so it’s not my preference.

The results! There’s a line of tiny 0.20mm (ish) holes roughly center screen. To the right you can see a slot I’ve made by connecting two holes as well as a hole punched by a 08 (0.5mm) micron.

I hope this tutorial helped! I have a wide assortment of Micron punches now and they’re an important part of my tack making toolbox.