Awl in the Family

santee · March 26, 2009, 07:35:56 AM

About every other project I break my Osborne fixed blade awl. I hit a tough area (even with beeswax on the blade) and SNAP!
Is there a better/stronger option than the Osborne? I mean, these things ain't cheap.

Marshal Will Wingam · March 26, 2009, 08:48:40 AM

Is it possible that your awl needs to be sharper? I keep mine so sharp it'll cut like a knife. The only other thing I can think of is that the tip isn't tapered to a point enough. My Vergez-Blanchard awl was almost blunt and needed to be completely shaped to work properly. Without the proper shape, it took serious force to get it to penetrate the leather when I first got it. Here's a picture of that awl after shaping. It's the one with "38mm" written on the handle. The tip is nicely diamond-shaped and the heel of it is still rounded like it was when I bought it. Once the tip has cut into the leather to most of the full size it will be, the rest of the blade doesn't seem to matter that much. The other awl is one I made from scratch using an Osborn replacement blade and a home-made handle. Notice that the taper is similar. The blade in this one is half again the size of the other one.

santee · March 26, 2009, 09:02:33 AM

Maybe I'm not sharpening it enough. I know how to polish them, but maybe my sharpening skills are low. However, just looking at your awl, it seems to be stronger in the shaft than the Osborne.

Marshal Will Wingam · March 26, 2009, 09:25:47 AM

I don't find awls work to my liking when I get them, even after stropping. The shape I like is a diamond cross-section that's about two-thirds as thick as it is wide. I use a sharpening stone to shape them and work the edge to be knife sharp at the tip (at least the first third or half). It takes a while working with the stone, but the end result is well worth it.

santee · March 26, 2009, 12:02:17 PM

I will try to hone my sharpening skills.

Marshal Will Wingam · March 26, 2009, 05:30:04 PM

Quote from: santee on March 26, 2009, 12:02:17 PM
I will try to hone my sharpening skills.

Antipaladin · March 26, 2009, 06:41:52 PM

Bob Douglass makes the sharpest awl blade on the planet...ready to go right out of the box.
He's out of Sheridan, WY

307-737-2222

santee · March 26, 2009, 06:53:04 PM

Thanks for all the info, fellas.

JD Alan · March 26, 2009, 10:20:27 PM

I bought a Bob Douglass awl blade, two actually, and a handle. I already had an Osborne awl, and we're talking light years different. My problem is it is so fine, I can't see it well enough to sharpen it. When it dulls, I will put the other blade on, and see if I could pay Bob to get ithe first one in shape again.

Antipaladin · March 27, 2009, 10:51:54 AM

JD, they really are light years apart. That BD blade slides through two layers of harness like butter. I'm glad I picked up the trick that Will Ghormley uses to back up the awl blade on the opposite side when hand sewing. I felt like a pin cushion trying to just use my hand.

JD Alan · March 27, 2009, 11:14:39 AM

I keep telling myself I need to make one of those. I sewed a tri leg stool seat recently, and punctured myself several times. I did hold a block of beeswax against the back, but I was very careful, trying not to stab myself. I dropped the Bob Dougless awl on my ankle, twice. The first time I was stabbed, the second time sliced. ouch! I should have been wearing boots, maybe chapes too.

Marshal Will Wingam · March 27, 2009, 02:22:45 PM

I've been using a wine cork for a backing. It's small and a good incentive to hold it in the right place.

I suppose I'll make a larger one soon.

santee · March 28, 2009, 06:48:10 AM

With that method, do you first make sure the tip of the awl is emerging where you want to before you put the cork/wood backing there?

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · March 28, 2009, 10:15:05 AM

I use a kids little rubber ball, it's a little smaller than a tennis ball, I cut about a 1/2" off it to have a flat surface, and it also helps to keep it from rolling away when I sit it down, when pushing my AWL through, I hold it to the side of where I want the AWL to come through, until I see it coming through where I want it , then I put it directly behind where the AWL will come out.
It seems to work well for me, and because the ball can be squeezed it is easy to hold on to.

tEN wOLVES

Marshal Will Wingam · March 28, 2009, 11:15:56 AM

Quote from: santee on March 28, 2009, 06:48:10 AMWith that method, do you first make sure the tip of the awl is emerging where you want to before you put the cork/wood backing there?

I just place it and go for it. It isn't hard to get it in the right spot. A couple misses and you learn fast.

JD Alan · March 28, 2009, 08:19:15 PM

10 Wolves, that ball with a little cut off is a great idea. Thanks!

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · March 28, 2009, 10:51:07 PM

JD, the ball works real well for me, I have a bum left hand and I'm left handed, so when sewing I still use my left hand , but I don't have the control that I use to, so when pushing the awl through my leather, it gives me a little security and keeps me from stabbing myself, which is what was happening before, after I get the years that Marshal Will has with sewing maybe by then I won't need anything, but for now it allows me to have a pain free day with my hands. but I guess even Will Ghormely has a problem with stabbing himself, that's why he uses his new piece of dowel wrapped in leather, I plan on making one of these too, but for now that little ball works great, and like I said if you cut off about a half inch, you don't have to worry about it rolling away on you.

tEN wOLVE

Marshal Will Wingam · March 28, 2009, 11:46:52 PM

I like Will's dowel idea, too. i just haven't gotten around to making one. For now, a wine cork will do.

santee · March 29, 2009, 08:40:01 AM

All of these are good ideas. One of the great things about this forum. Everyone uses their wits to come up with what works best for them, and freely shares those gems.
I never worked with my hands until I started doing leather stuff (computer geek). So all this info is wonderful. Hard to believe it's free!

JD Alan · March 29, 2009, 09:05:46 AM

Santee, I agree with you. I used to work on cars a lot when I was younger, but I've never done anything like this before, so learning from these guys is a real blessing

Marshall, I could probably use a wine cork, because I have been using a block of beeswax from Tandy, and it's not too much bigger that a wine cork. However, in the little time I've been sewing, I've stabbed myself too many times, so something a little bigger and easier to hold on to just might do the trick.

Thanks for all your help! JD