Picture this: you’re deep under a truck, trying to knock out a stubborn roll pin from a suspension arm. Your cheap punch bends on the second hit. The pin is stuck. Your hand slips. You bleed.
Now picture the same job with the Gedore 99 12-3 drift punch octagonal 120x12x3 mm in your hand. One clean strike. The pin slides out like butter. No drama. No blood. Just a quiet nod of respect to German engineering.
That is exactly why the Gedore 99 12-3 drift punch octagonal 120x12x3 mm is still the number-one choice in professional workshops all over the world more than a century after Gedore started making tools.
The Gedore Story – From 1919 to Your Toolbox Today
Gedore began in 1919 in Remscheid, Germany – a small town that has been famous for tool-making since the Middle Ages. Three brothers (the Dowidat brothers) wanted to build tools that never let a worker down. They named the company GEbrüder DOwidat REmscheid – Gedore.
Fast-forward to 2025: Gedore is still family-owned, still makes almost everything in Germany, and still paints the striking ends of their punches that famous Gedore blue so you can spot a real one from across the workshop.
Full Technical Specifications – Nothing Hidden
| Specification | Exact Detail of the Gedore 99 12-3 |
| Official name | GEDORE 99 12-3 – Article number 8710950 |
| Total length | 120 mm (perfect “hand length” – long enough for control, short enough for tight spaces) |
| Shaft shape & size | Octagonal drift punch – 12 mm across flats (the eight sides stop rolling on the bench1) |
| Working tip diameter | 3 mm (exactly right for most roll pins, taper pins and small dowels) |
| Material | Chrome-molybdenum-vanadium air-hardening steel 45CrMoV7 |
| Hardness | Fully hardened and tempered the entire length (58–62 HRC) |
| Striking head | Extra inductively tempered – laughs at hammer blows |
| Tip finish | Finely polished and clear-varnished |
| Standard it meets | DIN 6458 drift punch – the official German quality mark |
| Weight | 90 grams (feels solid but not wrist-tiring) |
| Colour code | Blue striking head – the famous Gedore “blue line” |
Check the official data yourself:
→ Gedore official product page – 99 12-3
→ Conrad full specs and photos
→ TestEquipmentUSA detailed listing
Real-World Jobs Where the Gedore 99 12-3 Shines Every Day
This is not a “maybe” tool. These are the exact jobs pros grab the Gedore 99 12-3 for2:
- Automotive & truck repair
- Removing roll pins from brake callipers, clutch forks, gear linkages
- Driving out king pins on heavy trucks
- Aligning suspension arms before tightening bolts
- Industrial maintenance
- Taking apart gearboxes, pumps and hydraulic cylinders
- Removing keys from motor shafts
- Lining up flange bolt holes on pipelines
- Metal fabrication & structural steel
- Perfect bolt hole alignment punch when assembling beams, frames and scaffolds
- Driving taper pins in heavy machinery bases3
- Aviation & railway workshops
- Removing rivets and pins from landing-gear components
- Precision work where even a tiny scratch costs thousands
- Serious home machinists and restorers
- Classic car restoration (think Triumph, MG, old Land Rovers)
- Motorcycle fork and swing-arm rebuilds
Why the Octagonal Shape Is a Big Deal (Not Just Looks)
Round punches roll off the bench the second you put them down – super annoying.
The octagonal drift punch design means it stays where you put it.
The eight flat sides also give you something solid to grip with pliers or a wrench if you ever need to twist while you tap.
How to Use Your Gedore 99 12-3 Safely – Step-by-Step for Beginners
- Put on safety glasses (always – no exceptions).
- Choose a hammer that weighs 300–600 grams. Too light and you’ll tire yourself out; too heavy and you risk bending the pin.
- Support the workpiece on a heavy steel block or anvil. Never hold it in your hand.
- Rest the polished 3 mm tip exactly on the pin or hole edge.
- Hold the punch perfectly straight – the octagonal shaft helps you feel when it’s square.
- Hit the blue end firmly and squarely. Let the weight of the hammer do the work.
- Use short, controlled taps. Watch the pin move a tiny bit each time.
- When the pin is almost out, switch to a smaller punch or let it fall free – never hit so hard it flies across the shop.
Common Mistakes That Destroy Cheap Punches (and How Gedore Survives Them)
| Mistake | What Happens to Cheap Punches | What Happens to Gedore 99 12-3 |
| Hitting off-centre | Tip mushrooms on the first blow | Inductively tempered head stays perfect |
| Using a 2 kg sledge | Punch bends or snaps | Laughs and asks for more |
| Leaving it in the rain | Rusts overnight | High-alloy steel + varnish = almost no rust |
| Dropping on concrete 50 times | Tip chips and cracks | Still perfectly straight after years |
Who This Tool Is Perfect For (and Who Should Buy Something Cheaper)
Perfect for you if you are:
- A full-time mechanic or garage owner
- A machinist or toolmaker
- An industrial maintenance technician
- A structural steel erector
- A serious classic-car or motorcycle restorer
Probably overkill if you only:
- Hang pictures once a year
- Fix a bicycle twice a summer
- Do light household DIY
What Real Users Say in 2025
Mark, heavy-truck garage owner, UK
“I’ve got Gedore punches that are older than my apprentices. The 99 12-3 is the one I reach for 20 times a day.”
Sarah, aircraft maintenance engineer
“Airline rules say we must use DIN 6458 tools on certain jobs. Gedore is the only brand we trust.”
Tom, home machinist on YouTube
“Bought my first Gedore 99 12-3 in 2011. Still looks brand new. My £3 set from the discount store lasted three weeks.”
Frequently Asked Questions – Everything You Wanted to Ask
Is a drift punch the same as a pin punch?
Almost – a drift punch / drift pin is usually longer and stronger for driving pins all the way out. The Gedore 99 12-3 works perfectly as both.
Can I sharpen the tip if it ever gets dull?
Never needed. The hardened steel keeps its shape for decades. If you really must, use a fine diamond file very lightly.
Where is the safest place to buy a genuine Gedore 99 12-3?
Authorised dealers only:
→ Gedore official, Conrad, KC Tool, TestEquipmentUSA, and Amazon’s “sold by Gedore Official” listings.
Is there a plastic handle version?
No – Gedore believes a solid steel mechanical workshop punch tool transfers the blow better and lasts forever.
Does Gedore offer a lifetime warranty?
Yes. If it ever breaks through normal use, they replace it free – many mechanics have used this warranty after 20+ years.
Conclusion – One Small Tool, One Giant Difference
The Gedore 99 12-3 drift punch octagonal 120x12x3 mm is more than just a piece of steel. It is 100+ years of German perfection packed into a 120 mm octagonal drift punch that fits perfectly in your hand.
It turns frustrating, knuckle-busting jobs into quick, clean wins. It never mushrooms, never bends, never lets you down. One purchase today will still be in your toolbox (or your kids’ toolbox) in 2050.
If you work with metal, pins, rivets or bolt holes for a living – or even as a serious hobby – treat yourself to the GEDORE 99 12-3. You will wonder how you ever managed without it.
What job are you planning to tackle first with your new Gedore 99 12-3? Gearbox rebuild? Classic-car restoration? Structural steel project? Tell me in the comments – I love hearing real workshop stories!
References
- Test Equipment USA – Gedore 8710950 specifications testequipmentusa.com/gedore-8710950-drift-punch-octagonal-120x12x3-mm-99-12-3/ ↩︎
- Gedore Werkzeugfabrik – Official 99 12-3 page (2025) gedore.com/en-at/products/striking-pressing-lifting-fitting-tools/drift-punches—sets/drift-punches/99-drift-punch-octagonal/99-12-3—8710950 ↩︎
- Conrad Electronic – Detailed measurements & images conrad.com/en/p/gedore-99-12-3-gedore-drift-punch-octagonal-120x12x3-mm-8710950-1908965.html ↩︎