A hand punch, also referred to as a handheld hole punch, is a tool used for creating small holes in paper, cards, thin plastic or metal, or foam board, among others. It differs from the somewhat more common three-hole punch, which punches three holes at equal distance apart alongside a sheet of paper, for the purposes of filing it in a three-ring binder. Hand punches are most commonly used to punch holes in paper or other materials for craft purposes.
A hand punch is typically made of metal or plastic, and may either be squeezed together to press a hole in the paper, in a design similar to pliers, or pressed down on top of the paper like a stapler. Both designs are common, though the hand punches designed like staplers are often capable of making larger holes. A hand punch is fairly safe for anyone to use, including children, because it is designed to be difficult to accidentally cut a finger on the blade hidden inside.
There are many benefits to using a hand punch instead of creating holes with scissors. First, hand punches are able to create perfectly round circles of any size, such as to thread a string or piece of decorative yarn through, as in a craft project. They work well to create professional looking projects. In addition, some hand punches feature interchangeable blade sizes, meaning one could purchase one hole punch and use it to create different sized holes for different needs.
Hole punches for crafts often come in different shapes. For example, a hole punch might come in the shape of a flower, a snowflake, a heart, wedding bells for a wedding shower, a rattle for a baby shower, or a cupcake for a birthday party, just to name a few. These are often interchangeable as well, and many people have large collections for craft purposes. These hole punches can add a personal and professional touch to decor.
A decorative hand punch such as this can help make beautiful projects, such as scrapbooking, creating handmade invitations or thank you notes, or creating decorations for a special event. Decorative and crafting hand punches can be found at most craft stores or stationary stores. Hand punches to be used in a workshop, such as for cutting metal or plastic, may be found in most hardware or home improvement stores. Manual hand punches are typically fairly inexpensive, but some powered ones for use in home improvement are much more expensive.
