2 unknowns

[swervncarz]

Picked these 2 out of the same lot. They seem to be similar, I'm guessing that they are for the same thing. Can anyone tell me what they are called & used for?

[john k]

Punches for leather or belting, I believe.  Or just making leather discs, in the case of the larger one.   

[Nolatoolguy]

I think john is correct.

I would also go with leather working.

[international3414]

they call  the larger one a arch punch

[rusty]

The large one is unusually rugged for that pattern....

Almost, but not quite looks blacksmith made..

[Chillylulu]

Not just leather, but other materials also.  On full face flange gaskets you use one like those to cut the bolt holes.

I have a black rubber pad about 3/8" thick.  Put whatever material I want on top of the pad, then punch through it.  Cuts material like cloth, paper,  etc.

Chilly

[OilyRascal]

I'm not clear on the original intended use but as Chilly has stated, they were used for purposes other than leather.  It is this common place here for the oil well service folks to have a variety.  I've seen my grandfather, and father alike, use them for cutting gaskets.  But on the other hand, I have also seen them use a very small ball pein hammer alone to cut whatever gasket was needed.

[wvtools]

The larger one is often called an arch punch in the old catalogs.  As mentioned above, they were advertised as punches to cut leather, rubber, paper, and other materials.  Brands that I typically see include Osborne, Johnson, and Kraueter.  Several companies would make custom shape arch punches.


EDIT:  Sorry International3414, I did not see your post.

[Billman49]

Known in the UK as wad punches, originally made to cut wads used to seal the bore of muzzzle loading rifles etc - but later many more uses, e.g. cutting holes in sheet material such as leather or card... My friend uses them to cut pads used to seal the round holes in concertinas - what in other uses is the waste is the product he requires (much closer to the original use). He also uses those with other shaped holes, e.g. oval(ish) to produce small valves (seals used to cover the back of the reed hole)..

[BruceS]

I retired out of an Electric Power House and we used them for punching the bolt holes in gaskets.

[scottg]

Rubber works good as a backer, if you have scrap rubber.
  If not, just grab a handy block of scrap wood.
 Place the wood in your vise with the --end-- grain up.
  End grain rocks with arc punches! And you can always find or cut off a scrap.
 yours Scott

[BruceS]

Our shop actually had a 30" diameter log X 36" long standing on a butt end that was uses for use with those punches.