General Tools 3/8"-1/2" Grommet Kit - Rustproof Solid Brass Grommets for Tarp Repair, Reinforcing Canvases, and Fabric Rings

I see mixed reviews about this product but I think the main problem is that people don't use a big enough hammer. I used a 5lb mallet and it was about 3-5 whacks to cut through 4 layers of fabric, then 3 whacks to sear the grommet. My advice is to get rid of the wood that comes with the kit and use a piece of scrap 1x or bigger. Use the mallet and drive that cutter through the fabric and into the wood. For me this gave me a clean cut. Then I stick the grommet through from the bottom and set it on the seat from the kit, from there it was simple to get a tight well seated grommet.

I grabbed a piece of pine 2x4, instead of using the little piece of hardwood in the kit. Lesson learned ....you need hardwood. Punch just embeds into the softwood with the fabric. After my first goofy cut, I switched to hardwood, perfecto. Very pleased. Ordered a pack of additional 1/2 grommets from Amazon, now that I'm comfortable and confident with the kit.

While the product is working out great, the instructions were terrible. I had to look up how other similar products are used. So far they are holding up greatly. I would repurchase. Make sure you use the hammer and block on a solid surface like concrete.

Easy to use and easy to set up. Works great Used it for several projects.

Works weii

does not come with instructions

Made my own awning for my campervan. Wasn't hard to use. My material was harder to make the initial holes.

Many reviews have mention that the punches are not sharp, which is true but only because of the black coating on them. Take some sandpaper, remove the coating, and they work better than anything else I’ve tried. I was attempting to punch holes through seat belt webbing but the punches were barely making a dent/impression straight out of the box.- I then purchased a leather punch which worked great at first but it was made of much weaker steel that took not time to dull and roll the sharpened edges. It also had a black coating on it but the punch edge was sharpened to bare steel so I decided to remove the black coating on these punches.- The coating is surprisingly thick and durable but it can be removed by hand with sandpaper. Though to speed up the process of removing it I found a screw that fit tightly inside the 3/8th tapered punch, popped it into my drill, and sanded it off in no time. I also rolled up a piece of sandpaper to remove as much coating on the inside edge as well. I am happy to report the punches are made of a much higher quality hardened steel than what was used on the leather punch I purchased and destroyed in no time. I am not positive what kind of steel is used for the punches but it seems to be a high carbon, high chromium steel, somewhat comparable to D2 knife blades that hold nice edges and can be sharpened over and over again. It is annoying that I had to remove the black coating in order to sharpen it enough to punch holes so I cannot give it 5 Stars.