Hmm, maybe, in the pouch I was making the leather wasnt great quality but was probably around 75mm thick. Would you still use an awl for that? I would have been there all day, no matter how sharp it was and the drill only took me a minute. I would've thouht the only critisism would have been the holes would be ragged but I used a good sharp bit and I didnt notice any real dramas. I guess time will tell how it wears.