Awl blades for hand stiching

[mrappe]

I have had an awl that I had bought from Tandy about 15 yrs ago it is a diamond shape and I was looking for another one at Tandy and it seems like all of the ones that they have now are different. Even though they are describe as being diamond awls they are rounded and flattened rather than a true diamond shape. I dont like them as well because of the type hole that they make. Where can I find a good quality diamond shaped awl ?

[will ghormley]

Hey Mrappe,

I buy what they have, then re-shape it to suit me.  They ain't ever sharp enough when they come from the store anyway.  File it down to the shape you want, stone it, polish it, and you've got yourself the perfect awl to suit you.  I like to then stick 'em in nice antler handles that fit my hand...but that's just the gravy on the potatoes. 

Will

[rickk]

http://www.csosborne.com/no54-59.htm   ,

which fits into this

http://www.csosborne.com/no143.htm


Zack White Leather carries them.

Rick

[DUKE DEADEYE NUKEM]

http://www.csosborne.com/no54-59.htm   ,

which fits into this

http://www.csosborne.com/no143.htm


Zack White Leather carries them.

Rick

[Cliff Fendley]

I use the CS Osborn ones but still do like Will said and rework them to suit me. I just regrind them like doing a miniature dagger and mirror polish. Makes a huge difference.

[will ghormley]

That's the way it is Cliff.  If you don't at least polish them, they are impossible to use, (without a great deal of frustration and potential danger from having to push too hard).

Will

[Long Juan]

Perhaps dumb question, but that's never stopped me before.  When you say polish, do you simply mean with polishing wheel and compound on grinder or dremel?  Anything special to watch for?  I guess same question re grinding?  What wheel or dremel attachment works best?  Does a dremel even work for what needs to be done, either grinding or polishing?  Thanks in advance. 

[Cliff Fendley]

I carefully use a full size buffer with buffing compound but you could use a dremel with the little felt wheels and some rouge to do the same thing.

[rickk]

I run all four sides across a fine stone every some often when there is obvious resistance to going thru what needs to be gone thru.

[will ghormley]

Hey Long Juan,

I first shape it with a file, then stone it, then polish it.  I use to polish it almost exclusively with a dremel tool, but now I have a small leather wheel for my sharpening wheel, (same as a grinding wheel but lower revolutions to reduce heat).  In both cases, I use rouge on the wheel.

Will

[JD Alan]

I'm commin a little late to the table on this thread, but here goes anyway!

Bob Douglas out of Sheridan makes a heck of an awl, both the blade and the handle. They aren't cheap but they are incredibly sharp. He doesn't have a website but he has a lot of used leather tools for sale; really helpful guy too.

It's a great option for those of who are "sharpening-ly challenged"

JD

[Long Juan]

Thanks awl!    The answers are pretty much what I expected, but always wonder if there is something different I should try or be doing.  Still using a utility knife with new blade often for cutting out patterns.  Struggle with that some and thinking about getting a round/head knife.  Have been watching/reading about proper sharpening technique.  Then this thread popped up and I remembered how difficult my last project was to sew.  Must confess I had not been sharpening my awl.  Suspect one of the reasons it was tough was not having the awl sharp enough.  Now I know better what to do.  Thanks

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Sharpening awls ....

I have been known to 'shapen' the point of my awl on a concrete sidewalk ... LOL ... it certainly took the burr off!

[DUKE DEADEYE NUKEM]

 

[Slowhand Bob]

Shux, not much to add but I like to hear me-own-self pontificate, so here goes.  Power in the hands of Slowhand Bob is an awfully destructive thing to see so I tried to keep the tiny awl blades limited to hand shaping and sharpening.  One of the nice three way stones will work fine for hand shaping and sharpening, while a flat
leather strop with emory will do for a few polish strokes and really reduce the chance of burning up your steel.  What tiny bit of hand sewing I still do has definitely been influenced by watching the Chuck Burrows video series.  Using his technique of a second flat top 'mallet' awl for very thick leather (main seams) is great, much better than my old way.  I figure that if someone were to give me a rail road box car and a Dremel tool for a short while, I could destroy the box car!

[Massive]

Of the Osborn awl. what would be a good starting point for the size of work we do?

[Skeeter Lewis]

FWIW I like a narrow blade.

[Massive]

Tandy has three sizes of diamond stitching awls in their loose selection.  They have these on sale until the 15th, I bought the selection of 3.  Definetly need a little work to make them deadly.