The device I received didn't work until I realized by reading other reviews that the leather "hole" must have gone from the punched hole into a hollow needle. I noticed that the needles are not hollow, but are filled with something from the factory. I took an awl and tapped out the pen, then tried again; it worked great. However, it takes a lot of effort to make a hole, and even then some twisting is required. Also, there were no instructions, so I had to figure everything out myself. I hope this review helps you all.