At a recent trip to a car scrappers I found a wonderful source for hard rods for making punches. I was walking past a large old overhead cam engine with the cylinder head off, seeing the push rods poking out I instantly realised a new life for these hardened steel rods with a ready formed striking end. a little grinding, cutting and filing later I have some new punches

I also use valve stems. I cut the valve off and then grind the stem for various punches. I also use one for a bezel burnisher. Lots of great jeweler tools to be found in a junk yard.