Homemade Awl

[glockanator]

I swear I read a thread on here where a couple of people bought parts off eBay and made there own handles. I cannot find the thread. Can anyone point me in the right direction. Thanks

[camano ridge]

Not sure if this is the one you are looking for http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=36992&hl=%2Bawl+%2Bhaft There is also another thread started by Rawcustom I think it was deciding to make my own awl.

[Sanch]

after reading your post I decided to give AWL making another try, my first few attempts (3years ago) were failures as stitching awls I tried to use a SS nail, and a motorcycle spoke. my tools were very simple a 4'' angle grinder and some jewelers files. since then I have been making KNIVES. so now I have more user friendly tools a 2"x72" grinder that I built with wheels that range from 1" to 8" I am currently grinding an awl blade out of a 6mm TAP (excess from work that have reached their tool life as taps) I have accomplished getting a good profile (diamond of course) as of now I have spent 2 hours on the grinder just on the size and profile. When a person complains about how expensive a good quality awl costs I would like to suggest making or attempting to make one cause until you can profile and heat treat and temper one properly bite yer tongue! LOL! any way the taps I have are of course HSS (high speed steel) and very hard hence the long time on the grinder also having to quench after every couple of passes does account for the time. as some may know and say the HSS is very hard/brittle this I believe I can fix with a couple of tempering cycles if not its part of a learning curve that I'm on! Next on the menu 5160 Spring steel as I know it and successfully can heat treat and temper it! any way good luck to you with your endeavor!

Edited August 28, 2014 by stealfdawg

[Turn n Burn]

A Pin vice might be what you are looking for to lock the blade into. Also Look around industrial supply shops for drill rod have one close that sells 3' for about that in $ its annealed so you can just work if with files. I keep all broken and dicarded bits too but for $3 its worth knowing what and how to heat treat what you put the time into. Just temper carefully they are vary brittle. lost mine found its way out of its sheath and through my bag or i would show a pic. Thats my 3 bucks;)

[Sanch]

The next time I fire my forge I plan on annealing the other taps I have I may even forge them down to a smaller square stock then stick them red hot in vermiculite to anneal overnight.

[Turn n Burn]

Well sounds like you know what you are doing Upcycling is always good too i cant bring myself to throw out such good steel either havnt looked into hss only used W1 and o1 so far

[Sanch]

So far the awl blade is coming along nicely it's a little on the wide side at 3.4mm but thickness at the diamond is spot on at 1.3mm for the haft I am using an antler shed and a copper ferrule it should be done today! I will post pix in a new thread sorry for jacking this one.

[rawcustom]

Was going to post a link to my thread where I made one, but it looks like it may have been removed. Not surprising since it drew in some trolling from a real winner. Old tool sniper used it to make his own beautiful awls that he posted here:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=57584#entry370131

Both designs used pin vises for the mandrel. I make my own blades from O1 drill rod, but I've also used osborne blades without any trouble. If the blade is diamond through the end you just line the edges of the diamond in the slots of the pin vise chuck and it's solid as can be.

[glockanator]

I bought a pin vise for 3 bucks off eBay. Got it the other day haven't had a chance to try it yet. Oldsniper thead was the one I was looking for. Thanks for all the help.