Old Shoe Maker Tools

[JRodz]

Hello all,

Please excuse my ignorance but I'd like some info on the awls in the attached pictures. They are not sharp, so I am assuming they are used for stitching (like a lacing fid) or for opening up holes versus punching holes. These are very old and I have done a search on the two brands and can't find any information on them. They are stamped with the name "King" and "Maeder" and might have come from Europe. There are also some older ones stamped "CFI" and " NEA & %%%." The gentleman that owned them was a shoe maker from Poland and the tools range from 20 years old to tools he brought with him when he emmigrated 60+ years ago.

I would also like to get a haft for them but the ends are much bigger than any I've seen. If any of you have any ideas on a haft, please share. Otherwise, I might have to fabricate one myself.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[dirtclod]

The curved one's are sewing awls. They probely need to be sharpened.

Edited June 20, 2012 by dirtclod

[Kevin]

The curved awls in shoemaking would be used to stitch the welt to the midsole (mainly). The others, I would say are pegging awls, some people like a round hole to drive a square peg into so it fits tighter. The pegging awls take a special haft, because you hit it with a hammer.

Kevin

[amuckart]

For hafts, get in touch with Dick Anderson at thornapple river boots and send him pictures of the awls you wants hafts for. He does the nicest shoemaking awl hafts in the business.

[gordond]

King = German made to ? 1950's?

NEA= New England Awl & Needle Company...NEA&NCO [Medway,MA,USA] 1871 to ? 1950's?[merged with USMC]

[link to long to post ; but search "united awls medway" ..photos of the factory and staff]