When It’s Time to Upgrade Your Tools

There’s a hard truth every maker faces at some point — the tools you start with aren’t always the ones you’ll stick with. And that’s okay.

When I first got into hand-stitching leather, I was determined to stay on budget. I had already lucked out with my Aiskaer diamond chisels — cheap, effective, and still kicking years later. But when it came to round hole punches for stitching, I hit a wall. Over the years, I probably spent more money replacing broken punches than I would’ve spent just buying a good set in the first place.

At the time, I was using a single 1.5mm punch, hammering away — tens of thousands of holes one at a time. I went through brand after brand. They’d bend. They’d stick. They’d snap off inside the leather. I wasted time, I wasted material, and I wasted a whole lot of patience.

Eventually, I took the plunge and bought a set of Sinabroks round punches. The price tag? Around $300 for three tools. That felt insane. But the result? Game-changer. Clean holes. No jams. No post-punch rage. For once, I didn’t mind punching out 500 holes — and that’s saying something.

When Should You Upgrade a Tool?

Here’s my philosophy, and it applies across everything I do — from leatherwork to car repair:

1. How often do you use it? If it’s a once-in-a-blue-moon tool, grab the budget version. No shame. But if it’s in your hand every day, or part of your core workflow — it better work with you, not against you.

2. Have you already broken the cheap version? If your $10 tool keeps breaking, and you’re on your third one… you’ve already spent $30 on a frustrating experience. That’s your signal.

3. Is it dangerous if it fails? I don’t mess with safety. I won’t crawl under a car with bargain-bin jack stands. The same applies to knives, presses, or machines in the shop. Safety > savings.

How Do You Pick the Right Upgrade?

Research. Ask. Lurk. Repeat.

I spend time in forums, social media groups, YouTube channels — anywhere real craftspeople talk about what they use and why. Don’t just read 5-star reviews. Read the 1-stars. Reach out and ask if someone would buy that tool again. You’ll often hear, “Yeah, I use it… but I hate it.”

And look into the company. Good toolmakers stand by their gear. If it’s not working for you, most of them are happy to take it back or exchange it. They’d rather you love the tool than resent the buy.

Final Thought

You don’t need the best of everything right out the gate. But you do need to know where the investment will return the most value — in time, in sanity, and in the quality of your work. Tools are an extension of your craft. And when they work better, you do too.