pritchel

A pritchel is a small handheld punching tool used in metalworking, and to a lesser extent in related crafts, to create or enlarge holes. It typically consists of a slender steel rod with a handle on one end and a punch on the other, the tip being pointed or slightly tapered. The size of a pritchel can vary, with common diameters ranging from a few millimeters upward, depending on the intended hole.

In blacksmithing and metal fabrication, the pritchel is used to pierce holes in hot metal or thick stock. It is often driven with a hammer and works in concert with the anvil’s specialized features. Many anvils include a pritchel hole, a small round or square bore that guides and supports the punch as it is struck, helping to produce clean, centered holes without wandering. A corresponding pritchel punch is used to form the hole and may be paired with other punches or tools for rivets, pins, or bolts.

The term may also appear in historical or workshop contexts to describe a similar punching tool used for leather or fabric, though such usage is less common today. In modern metalworking, the pritchel is one of several punches used for precise hole-making, alongside hollow punches and solid punches, and is valued for its simplicity and effectiveness in guiding through small-diameter holes.

The word’s exact origins are not firmly established, but it appears in English in the early modern period and is related to other piercing tools used by metalworkers. See also: anvil, pritchel hole, punch, hardy hole.