Unpopular opinion: That $60 Japanese hole punch was worth every penny
I was using a cheap office punch for my Coptic stitch projects and it was tearing the paper. I bit the bullet and got a 2mm Japanese screw punch from a local art store. It makes a clean, sharp hole through 10 sheets of book cloth and paper like it's nothing. Has anyone else found a specific tool that changed their game for the better?
Upgrading from a basic craft knife to a proper Japanese kiridashi was a similar game changer for me. The control and clean cuts are just on another level, it makes everything less frustrating. Good tools really do make the hobby more fun.
Yeah, that bit about good tools making it more fun is so true. My buddy was always fighting with his old hand drill for his leatherwork until he got a proper awl. He said it went from a chore to something he actually looked forward to. I guess the right tool just takes the fight out of the process.