Sharpening Awls

[JAM]

Does anyone have any tips or advice for sharpening an awl? Specifically a Douglas awl? They're wonderful when they're new, but they do get dull and I cannot get them sharp again!

[Tree Reaper]

I use a wheel and green compound to sharpen my awls and knives.

I started with a felt dremel wheel and compound and it worked so well I bought a large machine with 8 inch wheels.

[JAM]

That's exactly what I use - a hard-felt wheel with green compound on a 1700 rpm buffer - works great for everything but the Douglas awls, which are extremely slender and precise, and the wheel just seems to make things worse. There have got to be more techniques that I don't know about.

[Tree Reaper]

Did you try the white compound?

These work good also ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Gray-Rubber-Polishing-Point-Cylinder-Dremel-427-Rotary-Dental-Jewelry-240-grit-/320854472747?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab46ab82b

Edited May 10, 2013 by Tree Reaper

[JAM]

Yes, and the problem is I'm losing the edges. When everything gets dull on that tiny blade, I can't get a handle on sharpening the edges. They all get rounded over. How do people sharpen these particular awl blades? I can do the Tandy and Osborne blades just fine - they are wider and I can see the angles and edges - but the Douglas blades are so fine and the angles are different. A saddlemaker friend of mine breaks them all the time and so doesn't need to resharpen ;-) but I don't break mine and wondered if anyone else actually resharpens theirs and how they do it.

Thanks for the advice about the ebay "6 Gray Rubber Polishing Point Cylinder Dremel 427 Rotary Dental Jewelry 240 grit" - I can give something like that a try.

[CWR]

I have to sharpen mine from time to time. If its not to bad I put compound on a piece of thin card board and strop it on each of the four sides(just pulling it back and forth). They are thinner and are polished so well that you have to be extra careful. I do it as much by feel as by sight. Sometimes I have to use a piece of 1000 grit wet dry if it hits a cantle edge or tack etc. Then follow with the compound.

Hope this helps,

CW

[JAM]

Thanks, CW - I'll try that.

[tnawrot2]

That's exactly what I use - a hard-felt wheel with green compound on a 1700 rpm buffer - works great for everything but the Douglas awls, which are extremely slender and precise, and the wheel just seems to make things worse. There have got to be more techniques that I don't know about.

What make is your 1700 RPM bench buffer? I looked at mine and it is 3450 RPM.

[JAM]

My mistake - it's a 3450.

[penguineer]

Not sure what difference wth a Douglass specifically, but I just use a very fine stone to reset the edge every now and then and keep it sharp with a strop and polishing compound(actually optical polishing abrasive, but everyone uses what suits them) between times.......

Just strop each of the four sides and maybe once or twice across the top. Occasionally use a knife steel.....

FWIW - do people take the points off their awls to give a rounded "bayonet" tip? It means less of the awl has to go through the leather for the same size hole on the other side(less effort) and it doesn't go as deep into your finger (less blood when you make a whoopsie)

Cheers!