I know this is old but everytime i have tried using my stiching awls the thread is always getting cut by the needles unless i prepunch the wholes so I decided that if i'm going to have to punch the dang holes anyway I am just going to handstich everything, I think it looks better anyway, and oh yeah they sell those wood clamps at almost every pawnshop for about ten bucks, thats where i got all mine anyway like I said INGENIOUS, I had ten of them sitting in my garage and never once thought to just put one in a vise, (slapping head while repairing sewing awl size holes in wall)