splinters Posted December 30, 2018 Report Posted December 30, 2018 Thinking seriously about getting a quality awl but wondering what length of blade you all use for general work, holsters, belts and then wallets? Quote
Members plinkercases Posted December 30, 2018 Members Report Posted December 30, 2018 For flat goods i can work with my shorter blades bit for formed goods where i want the stitch line close to formed part i use a longer blade do the haft doesn't mark the work. Hope that makes sense.... Quote "Oh my God....I beseech thee grant me the grace to remain in Thy Presence; and to this end do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections" Brother Lawrence c.1614-1691 plinkercases.ca
splinters Posted December 30, 2018 Report Posted December 30, 2018 Thanks plinkercases for the reply. An article I was reading last night suggested an awl blade length of 57mm (2 1/4”) could be used for most work. I follow the Al Stohlman method for hand sewing so would like to be in the ball park for my first blade length to try and then possible purchase of different lengths as my experience develops. Quote
Members plinkercases Posted December 30, 2018 Members Report Posted December 30, 2018 Awl blade size will also sometime limit the length as the thinner blades are not usually made a long for obvious reasons. 2.25 inches is "long" and likely a thicker blade for heavier thread and work. Best think is just get what you think you will be comfortable with and get stitching then experiment from there. Quote "Oh my God....I beseech thee grant me the grace to remain in Thy Presence; and to this end do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections" Brother Lawrence c.1614-1691 plinkercases.ca
splinters Posted December 30, 2018 Report Posted December 30, 2018 1 hour ago, plinkercases said: Awl blade size will also sometime limit the length as the thinner blades are not usually made a long for obvious reasons. 2.25 inches is "long" and likely a thicker blade for heavier thread and work. Best think is just get what you think you will be comfortable with and get stitching then experiment from there. Thanks for taking the time. Looking at the BK awl lengths that are available, they start at 1 1/2". So, I think I'll start with that blade and go from there. Quote
Members rockett88s Posted December 20, 2019 Members Report Posted December 20, 2019 Hey gang! I'm usually content to admire all your awesome work and soak in your experience. I'm working on doing it just like Stohlman Illustrates. Before I knew any better, I ordered a bunch of veg Tanned Horsehide and commenced producing buscadero style holsters so the Air Cav guys I was stationed with would look cool as heck while flying around Iraq.... I branched out into Askins style holsters. I made holsters that mostly fit Beretta's, but put out a few for the Contractor dudes' Glocks.... I didn't have much in the way of leather tools... so I would lay out the stitching lines, then run a groove with a tool from Tandy. I used a cheap pencil compass with a sheetrock screw duct taped where the pencil goes, the screw went in the previous hole punched and the point of the compass marked the location of the next hole. Once all the holes were marked, I drilled them with a Dremel tool in a drill press set up.... any time I was attaching two layers of leather, I used rubber cement and clamps to put the pieces together, then drilled through both layers... I used mostly 3/64ths and 1/16ths bits.... Then I found your website and started ordering tools and stuff by mail order from sponsors ads and a touch of google fu, to help my production... the stuff looked pretty good, and held up pretty well , too... no one ever brought one back for repairs... yet ( I always gave a life time warrantee!) Just thought I'd toss my method out there for grins , and maybe an out of the box solution.... LOL... And now back to our regularly scheduled thread.... Quote
Members ramrod Posted April 17, 2020 Members Report Posted April 17, 2020 resurrecting an oldie..... all great comments. in summary: i often do the same as immiketoo. prepunch the holes over a cutting board or similar and then stitch. not always. and. i have tried as the OP stated, to hold all of the tools in my hands as i fiddled with the stitching operation. no can do. i set down the needles. now, as regards awls, has anyone ever tried making their own? i have done it from old fashioned cut nails - or square nails as some might know them. they are very hard but grind down nicely to the desired shape. and they hold a nice point and stay sharp. just adding my 2 cents. Quote
Contributing Member fredk Posted April 17, 2020 Contributing Member Report Posted April 17, 2020 A difference in materials; here those square nails are soft iron. Look at it too hard and it'll fold up. Quote Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Members zuludog Posted April 18, 2020 Members Report Posted April 18, 2020 Since this Thread started I have bought an Osborne #42 awl blade & haft. It was quite easy & quick to sharpen the blade; less than an hour on a fine stone and a strop, and the result is very sharp But mounting the blade in a haft was fiddly and I couldn't get it to go in straight. I ended up drilling the haft and setting the blade in the haft with epoxy glue If I ever buy another awl it will be an Osborne #42 or #43 blade and one of their hafts with some sort of chuck or collet. Quote
Members Bert51 Posted April 18, 2020 Members Report Posted April 18, 2020 I have used old drill bit to make awls, a little bit of work, but they seem to hole there edge nicely. Even go deep into fingers without very much effort at all, more careful now. Bert. Quote
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