Tandy Leather Grommet Setter w/Anvil #00 3/16" 8097-01

Worked Well. Did exactly what I needed. Probably not the best tool for doing a really large volume of grommets (as in thousands) - such as in a commercial manufacturing setting. But for most small-to-medium size projects I think it is an excellent value for the price I paid (under $8). Well made and should last a very very long time. I would guess it would take at least several thousand uses to wear it out. I used this to set a brass 00 (3/16") grommet  C.S. Osborne 25 Sets Brass Grommets & Plain Washers #G1-00 (3/16" Hole)  in a Tilley T3  Tilley Endurables T3 Traditional Canvas Hat,Olive,7.625  hat where a grommet had failed. The tool worked perfectly and the repair is indistinguishable from the original other than that the grommets themselves are only about 95% identical to the originals which were a different brand (I actually like the new grommets better - appear to be better quality than the originals) . An excellent repair by my standards.

The steel this tool is made out of is softer than the steel that stainless steel grommets are made out of. As a result, if you try to use this tool on SS grommets you will ruin the tip of the tool. I found this out the hard way. After peening one SS grommet the tip of the tool was heavily gouged, and the head needs to be smooth to properly peen grommets. Fortunately I was able to repair the tip with some careful file work and sanding.

I bought this to apply grommets to a corset I'm making. I made lacing strips today as practice, and it was really easy to use. It doesn't come with instructions, but the manufacturer has a YouTube channel with a helpful video. I did find that the surface you're working on does affect how quickly it works. Hammering with the anvil on granite (with a newspaper section in between) worked a lot more quickly than on a wooden surface. I was worried that it wouldn't do very well because it's so much less expensive than the setters I've seen on other websites, but it seems to be holding up well to the use it's getting. It was well worth the ~$10.

Comparatively precisely machined and durable. Haven't had any issues with destroyed grommets or overpunching the fabric, which I've seen in other, cheaper setters.

Work better than grommet pliers. Ooga.

Seems sturdy and will last a long timme.

Perfect setter for the occasional eyelit or grommet. Nice sturdy construction, and a fair price. Great for if you do an occasional project that needs grommets.

Do not use a regular hammer, as it will muck up the striking end. No complaints though, high quality, simple to use.