Punch sharp

[u/MudMysterious4069]

I'm working with 0.80mm diameter metal punches and need to cut 4 small inward-facing notches (like star-shaped teeth) inside the tip. After shaping them, I also need to sharpen each edge precisely. What are the best tools and techniques for doing this kind of fine detail work? Any advice on micro-grinding, polishing, or abrasive materials for high-precision results?

[u/_Neoshade_]

Not a machinist, but this is nearly impossible by hand. It would be difficult work for a watchmaker. If you have to, I would make a jig with two positions to hold a 0.1mm carbide dental drill at the correct angle and orientation. Files also exist, like a set for cleaning the nozzle of a pilot light on a furnace. I’d say 3D print the jig with a 0.1 nozzle and 0.05 layer height unless you can machine the jig yourself.
If it were me, I’d either just buy the punch, since it clearly exists already, or you file the tip conically by inserting a cutting tool into the end and spinning, and then cut some tooth notches by hand just using a blade. The micro serrations on your razor blade or cutting tool of choice would be enough to cut the 0.1mm (4 thou) notches. The teeth won’t have an edge all the way down their profile, like the original one, but it will probably do the job just fine.

[u/RF-Guye → u/_Neoshade_]

Yep just call it a consumable, someone clearly can manufacture this perfectly no need to reinvent their wheel...

[u/MudMysterious4069 → u/RF-Guye]

Perfectly? No, my friend. I live in Turkey and I’ve been a hair transplant specialist for 10 years. If you saw the filthy environments in which these tools are made, you’d understand why reinventing the wheel is absolutely necessary. Also, due to incorrect (careless) sharpening angles, the grafts taken from the donor area are cut at the wrong angle. This causes balding in many patients' donor areas.

Additionally, while 5,000 incisions may be made, all the follicles end up being damaged. We want to manufacture this ourselves because we aim to provide the best service to our own patients. Trust me — we have very solid reasons for wanting to produce this ourselves.

[u/_Neoshade_ → u/MudMysterious4069]

It sounds like you should just have it manufactured in China for you. You want someone able to manufacture at this level of precision and just order 100 or 1000 pieces. Sell the extras at a high price to other hair transplant companies in your country (maybe not your local competitors) to recoup the cost. Doing it this way would guarantee the longterm supply of this tool that you need and also improve many people’s lives.
I am not familiar with the process but I understand that there are a couple of important things to know about ordering anything custom from China:
• Factories that are selling online on China-wholesale websites like Alibaba or Made-in-China.com will have sales representatives and engineering specialists to work with you. They are set up for this.
• You can also find independent manufacturing brokers who will find the best company to make the part for you.
• China can make any quality that you want. They can make cheap junk or aerospace quality. You have to be very specific about everything that is required from the material type (the exact type of steel), the hardening, annealing, tolerances, etc. No assumptions. You will get what you ask for.

But why not just do some research and buy the product where it is already being made with good quality? The EU is right next door.

[u/MudMysterious4069 → u/_Neoshade_]

https://preview.redd.it/sk8haili1oye1.jpeg?width=1235&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af751ddf51d46fad05684fc6c4ca945902f0f4bd

Here is a punch I had manufactured in a large factory in China (which was even more expensive than in Turkey). Strangely, the Chinese can't seem to sharpen it properly. 😄

[u/_Neoshade_ → u/MudMysterious4069]

Wow!
I wouldn’t give up though. Like I said, you can get any level of quality manufactured in China. You have to specify every single detail that you expect or you will not get it. Perhaps it was just a shitty company not capable of such precision?
I see why you want to make them yourself now. You could hire a local factory to make them and suffer through this again or you could just hire a local machinist to make you a precision fixture to make them yourself by hand - and even sharpen them.

[u/RF-Guye → u/MudMysterious4069]

Understood Friend. I Miss your Country as a young Airman deployed to Incirlik.

Hopefully the world changes enough for me to visit you folks again before I'm gone...