Centre Punch

[Rkweld]

The fact that they mushroom is not a bad thing, it's that they do not get dressed and the deformed material removed thats bad.

If it's hard enough not to deform you risk it splintering and chipping and sometimes they come off like bullets.

If you are fitting a nice handle why not fit a nice soft cap to strike on top of too? That you can replace, a slug of copper or something?

 

[BarrieJ]

Car coil springs were always my 'go to', with the state of UK roads, every garage has a bin full. Occasionally see large enough bits literally at the roadside.
Having said that, daily access to a forge made that an achievable thing and not everybody has that.
Wouldn't fancy attempting to straighten one on the kitchen hob.
Not sure I'd trust a tap, too hard/brittle for a good smack, maybe OK to grind into a punch for panel pins?

 

[Hitch]

Broken punches from turret punch machines are the absolute best.