Independent buying guides for leathercraft

Best Leather Hole Punches for Belts, Straps, and Hardware

Updated How we research

Our top pick

10 Sizes (0.5-5.0mm) Steel Leather Punch Tool Kit for DIY Belt & Repair, Heavy-Duty Hole Puncher Set

A steel punch tool kit with 10 Sizes (0.5-5.0mm), a heavy-duty hole puncher set for DIY belt and repair work.

Our score8.8/10

Best budget

Pro-Master Belt Hole Puncher for Leather - Heavy Duty Double Lever Action 2mm to 4.5mm Punching Kit

Pro-Master's heavy duty double lever belt hole puncher, 2mm to 4.5mm, giving extra leverage for tough leather.

Our score8.4/10

A leather hole punch is a hardened steel tube, driven with a mallet or squeezed by hand, that cuts clean round holes for buckles, rivets, snaps, and stitching hardware. Home leatherworkers use them constantly, because a crisp punched hole looks professional while a drilled or forced one tears fibers and grows over time. Drive punch sets covering roughly 1-6 mm handle most wallet and belt hardware, while larger single punches cover buckle tongues and conchos. When comparing punches, sharpness and steel hardness matter most, since soft tubes roll their edges after a few uses. Look for sets with clearly marked sizes, easy slug ejection, and enough length to grip comfortably over a punching board.

The short version

We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 7.2 to 8.8 out of 10.

Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score

  1. 1.10 Sizes (0.5-5.0mm) Steel Leather Punch Tool Kit for DIY Belt & Repair, Heavy-Duty Hole Puncher Set
    8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
  2. 2.Pro-Master Belt Hole Puncher for Leather - Heavy Duty Double Lever Action 2mm to 4.5mm Punching Kit
    8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
  3. 3.General Tools 72 Leather Hole Punch Tool - 6 Multi-Hole Sizes for Leather, Rubber & Plastic
    7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
  4. 4.Skilled Crafter Leather Hole Punch & Belt Hole Puncher with Bonus Ruler & Awl Tool
    7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
  5. 5.Diyife Professional Leather Hole Puncher Full Set Punch Tool Kit with Extra Punch Plates and Ruler
    7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
  6. 6.TICONN Leather Hole Punch Tool Set, Heavy Duty Multi-Size Hole Puncher for Belts, Watch Bands
    7.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
  7. 7.UNCO- Hollow Leather Hole Punch Set, 1mm-10mm, 10 pcs, Black, Carbon Steel Leather Hole Punch Tool
    7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
Tick up to 3 picks to compare them side by side.
10 Sizes (0.5-5.0mm) Steel Leather Punch Tool Kit for DIY Belt & Repair, Heavy-Duty Hole Puncher Set#1
See on Amazon

A steel punch tool kit with 10 Sizes (0.5-5.0mm), a heavy-duty hole puncher set for DIY belt and repair work.

Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10

  • + 10 Sizes from 0.5-5.0mm cover tiny stitch holes to belt holes
  • + Steel drive punches cut cleaner holes than plier punches
  • + Individual punches can be replaced if one gets damaged
  • - Needs a mallet and a poundo board or cutting surface
  • - Loose punches are easy to misplace without a case
Pro-Master Belt Hole Puncher for Leather - Heavy Duty Double Lever Action 2mm to 4.5mm Punching Kit#2
See on Amazon

Pro-Master's heavy duty double lever belt hole puncher, 2mm to 4.5mm, giving extra leverage for tough leather.

Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10

  • + Double lever action cuts effort on thick belts
  • + 2mm to 4.5mm range covers most belt and strap holes
  • + Heavy duty build is made for repeated punching
  • - Larger tool is bulkier to store than a basic plier punch
  • - Tops out at 4.5mm, so bigger eyelet holes need a drive punch
General Tools 72 Leather Hole Punch Tool - 6 Multi-Hole Sizes for Leather, Rubber & Plastic#3
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The General Tools 72 leather hole punch with 6 multi-hole sizes, a plier punch for leather, rubber and plastic.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10

  • + 6 hole sizes cover belts, straps and gasket material
  • + General Tools is a long-established hand tool brand
  • + Works on rubber and plastic as well as leather
  • - Hand-squeeze design tires the hand on thick belts
  • - Rotating head can loosen over heavy use and need tightening
Skilled Crafter Leather Hole Punch & Belt Hole Puncher with Bonus Ruler & Awl Tool#4
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Skilled Crafter's leather hole punch and belt hole puncher with a bonus ruler and awl, a plier punch for belts and straps.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10

  • + Bonus ruler helps space belt holes evenly
  • + Included awl marks hole spots before punching
  • + Plier punch is quick for adding holes to finished belts
  • - Hand pressure limits it on very thick belt leather
  • - Rotary head sizes are not detailed in the listing
Diyife Professional Leather Hole Puncher Full Set Punch Tool Kit with Extra Punch Plates and Ruler#5
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Diyife's professional leather hole puncher full set with extra punch plates and a ruler, a kit for belts and straps.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10

  • + Extra punch plates extend the life of the punch
  • + Full set with ruler helps measure and space holes
  • + Plier action is easy for belt resizing at home
  • - Plier punches can leave slightly rough holes on soft leather
  • - Check the included hole sizes match your belts and straps
TICONN Leather Hole Punch Tool Set, Heavy Duty Multi-Size Hole Puncher for Belts, Watch Bands#6
See on Amazon

TICONN's heavy duty multi-size hole punch set for belts and watch bands, a plier punch kit for home leather repair.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10

  • + Multi-size head handles belts and delicate watch bands
  • + Heavy duty body is sturdier than light fabric punches
  • + Set format adds useful extras for measuring and marking
  • - Check the hole sizes match belts and watch bands before buying
  • - Squeeze punches can distort thin straps if not supported
UNCO- Hollow Leather Hole Punch Set, 1mm-10mm, 10 pcs, Black, Carbon Steel Leather Hole Punch Tool#7
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UNCO hollow leather hole punch set with 10 carbon steel punches from 1 mm to 10 mm, a textured handle and a compact storage case. A low-cost way to cover many hole sizes.

Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10

  • + Ten sizes from 1 mm to 10 mm cover everything from stitching holes to larger holes for rivets, snaps and belts.
  • + Carbon steel punches with a black finish, which the listing says are designed to keep their sharpness through leather and thick materials.
  • + Comes organized in a compact storage case, and the same UNCO brand as the punch it replaces.
  • - These are hollow drive punches, so you need a mallet and a poundo board or punch pad; no mallet or pad is mentioned in the listing.
  • - The listing does not give a hardness rating or steel grade, so long-term edge life is not stated.

Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged

No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.

Frequently asked questions

›What is the best choice among leather hole punches for belts, straps, and hardware?

10 Sizes (0.5-5.0mm) Steel Leather Punch Tool Kit for DIY Belt & Repair, Heavy-Duty Hole Puncher Set is our top overall pick. A steel punch tool kit with 10 Sizes (0.5-5.0mm), a heavy-duty hole puncher set for DIY belt and repair work. It earns our score of 8.8/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.

›What is a good budget option?

Pro-Master Belt Hole Puncher for Leather - Heavy Duty Double Lever Action 2mm to 4.5mm Punching Kit is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Pro-Master's heavy duty double lever belt hole puncher, 2mm to 4.5mm, giving extra leverage for tough leather.

›How much should I expect to spend?

Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.

›How were these products chosen?

We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.

Leatherwork Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.

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