CNP (Castle Nut Punch) is a dedicated castle nut staking punch, while it
can do double duty as a golf tee or Van Helsing's EDC, it was designed
for a singular purpose, that is to displace material from an AR15/M16
end plate into the castle nut's staking notches.
Machined
from D2 steel, heat treated and finished in black oxide, CNP has a
broad / flared top to provide a stable striking surface. It also has
widely spaced and aggressive serrations to ensure the user's hands,
gloved or ungloved, will not lose their grip.
CNP
was originally designed to have a rectangular tip, it was subsequently
abandoned, and we went to a round tip. A rectangular tip can be very
unforgiving of tip placement, and the sharp edge and corners of a
rectangular tip can be rapidly and more easily deformed and most
importantly, we don't see any advantage of a square stake over a round
stake a conventional punch produces. Given the host of problems a
rectangular tip has and what it brings to the table (nothing), it was an
easy decision to redesign CNP to have a round tip.
We
produced a handful of candidate tips with different sharpness and
angles, and decided on 52.5 degrees angle with a sharp tip. Each
prototype was tested for ease of use, and effectiveness of the angle and
sharpness. The design also changed from a rather long and larger
diameter body to one with a shorter length smaller diameter. With the
original design, we believed the larger contact area would obviate the
need for serrations. Since the redesign now has a smaller diameter,
serrations were added to provide positive grip on the CNP.
Progression
of the CNP. Left to right (left 5 samples): original design with
longer length and larger diameter, heat treated new design with shorter
length and small diameter (dark brown in color prior to coating), and
production candidate with shorter length, small diameter and serrations.
Proudly designed and made in the USA.
NOTE:
*
Know your end plates. We advise that you find out how your end plate
is treated. TDP spec end plate is made in 1018 or 1020 low carbon
steel, and for good reasons. Nitrided end plates are very difficult to
stake, we avoid nitrided end plates when possible, it's exceedingly and
unnecessarily hard, and may blunt the punch's tip prematurely.
*
If you're not familiar with staking castle nuts, please consult or
bring it to a qualified gunsmith. If you ugga dugga and wield the
mallet like Thor, you can risk punching through the end plate and
damaging your receiver extension. We are not responsible for the
consequences resulting from misusing and/or abusing of tools.
Below
is a picture of staked castle nut after 3 strokes with a mallet using
CNP. Also visible is a smaller dimple that was started but abandoned
because it's slightly off, the eventual staking punch blows were much
better placed. Stakings don't have to be pretty, they just have to
work.
[ITEMPRICE]