Sweet New Awl

[BrownBear]

Guys who work with leather need awls. You start with one, but the collection grows as the years pass. You find a favorite, but you always have your eye open for another.

I have my own array, but Momma put another under the Christmas tree for me. It's only taken two projects for this little guy to become my all time favorite. Wow. They make another version with interchangeable tips, but with the fixed tip this one is really trim and a perfect fit for my hands.

I'll continue to use bigger awls for some projects, but especially for hand-held projects like bags and such that folks make here on the site, I can't imagine a better one.

One more plus and I'll shuddup. The thing has the best tip I've seen on a new awl. No shaping or sharpening required. Just a quick polish with rouge and it was sliding through leather like a hot knife through butter.

 

[pondoro]

How thick is it?

 

[BrownBear]

If you're asking about the blade, it's 1 1/8" long by less than 1/8" wide (maybe 3/32") by less than 1/16" thick. Don't have anything handy at the moment to measure that. Thin enough anyway, to really suit my needs. If you're familiar with Tandy's other small awl, the tip is much the same size as their small diamond version.

The handle is about the same overall size as their other small awl, but noticeably less bulky out toward the tip at 3 1/2" long, about 3/4" wide at the widest and around 5/8" across the two flat sides, 3/8" down at the thin end near the tip. I do a lot of 7 SPI and 8 SPI sewing with fairly thin 4-strand linen thread, and it's just dandy.

 

[LaBonte]

for the best "narrow/fine" awl blade get one of Bob Douglas's awls/blades from Sheridan Leather http://www.sheridanleather.com/Douglas_Tools_s/1632.htm not cheap but of you can't do "the other option" than IMO your best bet....

The other option is to get an Osborne blade (available from several sources) and grind and polish to the right size. I too use 4 cord linen at 8 SPI for most period projects but with thin awl blade and fine thread (real silk used for binding bamboo fly rods) I often sew at 12 SPI and the thin blade along with the proper size needle is the cat's meow...

Handles try the different styles along with your method of sewing and find what works best for YOU..........

 

[BrownBear]

That's a score LaBonte! Thanks. I have a project coming up that calls for 10 SPI, and the new one is definitely too wide for that. You just saved me a lot of filing and reshaping.

One question:

They report the blades are 2 1/2" long. That seems really long for such fine ones.

 

[Artificer]

Your new "Awl Time Favorite," eh? :grin: Sorry, just could not resist the poor pun. :redface:

Looks like a good one.

This thread got me to thinking about a couple of my awls and tools, but will post a different thread.

Gus