Decided/ing To Make My Own Awl

[rawcustom]

I'm not sure if it's necessary to temper such small items that aren't subjected to high breaking stresses. Sometimes I heat them in a toaster oven for a few hours, also in oil to stabilize and distribute the heat..

If you are getting a proper quench while heat treating, the blades will be too brittle to use without tempering. If you're blades are not brittle after the quench = failed quench. This could be from soaking temp, quench oil used, quench oil temp, quench technique, steel used and any combo of them.

[St8LineGunsmith]

I make my awl hafts out of old drum sticks(good hard hickory) and I once made a diamond blade out of a large sheet rock screw which penetrates leather better than any awl blade I had until I bought a John James blade which penetrates the leather as goodas the one I made.

if you are looking for a good comercial awl blade get one of the smaller John james blades they ate 100 times better than the tandy or osborne blades.

Edited June 30, 2014 by St8LineGunsmith

[wayner123]

I make my awl hafts out of old drum sticks(good hard hickory) and I once made a diamond blade out of a large sheet rock screw which penetrates leather better than any awl blade I had until I bought a John James blade which penetrates the leather as goodas the one I made.

if you are looking for a good comercial awl blade get one of the smaller John james blades they ate 100 times better than the tandy or osborne blades.

How are you attaching the John James blade to the haft?

[St8LineGunsmith]

drill a hole the depth needed then cement the blade in place with JB weld. after the JB weld cures the blade aint coming out.

[wayner123]

drill a hole the depth needed then cement the blade in place with JB weld. after the JB weld cures the blade aint coming out.

Thanks. Do you use a ferrule? And if so, what and how do you use?

[St8LineGunsmith]

no just the cement

[tat2]

Wow maxing work?

Thought I would post some pics if anyone is interested.

Finished product.

[St8LineGunsmith]

post em up

[oltoot]

Just realized that i have emailed rawcustom but have not posted so here goes. I ended up getting two. I have huge griz paws and the first was small so he made me another, larger one. I kept the small one for use with a smaller blade. The larger one is super. Everytime I pick it up I am aligned the same. I have seven awls on my bench instead of changing blades. If I had more money, I would replace the other five with the large size, too but as they are only picked up once in awhile and my two most oft used are now rawcustoms, I am content. Rawcustom was great to work with, even during the time that I would have been a total ?. The awaiting and enjoying the birth of a son.

Pleased to meet you, Raw

[rawcustom]

Thanks for the compliment Chuck, and I'm glad that awl is finding some service in your leatherworking. And it's a good thing I cleared the board before my boy arrived, since there has been a drastic, but enjoyable decline in my available time. I'll try to return the favor by pushing all of my cowboy cousins in your direction next time they're looking at saddles and tack. I say try, because you never know where a cowboy will end up spending his money...