While the most common type of hole punch is a three hole or single hole punch designed for paper, another frequently used type of punch is a heavy duty single hole punch.   A one hole punch may be needed for punching multiple sheets of paper or cardstock, leather, or metal.

McGill 20 Sheet Heavy Duty One Hole Punch

One of the most versatile and all purpose hole punches is the heavy duty puncher by McGill.   This tool can punch up to 20 sheets of regular bond paper, but can also be used on leather, foil, cloth, plastic and leather.  It punches a ¼ inch hole and has a built-in receptacle to catch to punches.

One thing to remember is that while this unit “can” cut through paper and other materials, it is better not to use the same hole punch on paper if you are planning to use it with something else.  Just as with scissors (you should never use your fabric scissors on paper,) paper dulls the edge and it won’t punch a clean hole after awhile.

Neiko Hand Held Power Punch

If you are planning on doing a lot of metal working, it might be a wise idea to buy a heavy duty single hole metal punch to use exclusively.  One of the most popular models is the Neiko hand held power punch.   The punch will work on a wide range of materials from thin brass metal to 16 gauge steel.

The Neiko Power Punch is a versatile tool in that it comes with seven punch and die sets than can easily be swapped out and interchanged as needed.  The tool will punch in the following sizes:  3/32, 1/8, 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 1/4 and 9/32″.

This tool is a favorite with crafters as well as traditional metal workers, and while it is designed specifically for metal punching, some buyers have used it for other uses as well, such as leather and plastic.  Jewelry makers love it, both the ease of use and the effectiveness as well as the fact that it comes with multiple die sets, eliminating the need to buy multiple tools for each size of punch.

Hougen 75006 Ogura Punch-Pro Hole Puncher

If you need an industrial level heavy duty hole punch, consider the Hougen Hydraulic Hole Puncher.  This is the company’s top of the line model that will punch holes up to 15/16 inch round and through ½ inch thick material in under four seconds with 34.1 tons of pressure.

While competing punches of similar power have multiple components and require hydraulic hoses, making the entire unit difficult to use, the Hougen 75006 model has a single body chassis and is powered by a single 120 V cord making moving the unit much easier.

The unit is only 65 pounds and comes with a work stand, foot switch, two dies, a tool kit, and a 13/16-inch punch.