New TITANIUM awl review

[LeathercraftMasterclass]

Hey guys,

I did a video review of a new titanium (not the blade though!) saddlers awl from France. So I thought I would share with the community here.

What do you think? Revolutionary or a waste of money?

Click the image below to watch.

[bermudahwin]

I have just watched the video, and found it very enlightening, thank you. Your comments are pertinent and if I had never used an awl for stitching, which I always do for hand stitching, I may have been swayed.

However my awl is a £1 (probably £5 now) blade in a £2 (still available at 4 for £6) handle, that I have used and stropped for 30 years. Whilst I look at it and think I must fit a new blade, it still works well, and is still comfortable in my hand, and is still very sharp (see my thread on self-inflicted wounds).

I would find it nearly impossible to get used to a new handle (tried it, but did not like it), and the penny-pincher would never come to terms with £79 for an awl, but it sure looks neat and you use it well.

Best

H

[LeathercraftMasterclass]

2 hours ago, hwinbermuda said:

I have just watched the video, and found it very enlightening, thank you. Your comments are pertinent and if I had never used an awl for stitching, which I always do for hand stitching, I may have been swayed.

However my awl is a £1 (probably £5 now) blade in a £2 (still available at 4 for £6) handle, that I have used and stropped for 30 years. Whilst I look at it and think I must fit a new blade, it still works well, and is still comfortable in my hand, and is still very sharp (see my thread on self-inflicted wounds).

I would find it nearly impossible to get used to a new handle (tried it, but did not like it), and the penny-pincher would never come to terms with £79 for an awl, but it sure looks neat and you use it well.

Best

H

Thanks H,

Yeah I agree, price does not always relate to usefulness. You may have noticed a weekender bag behind me in the video, that was entirely stitched with a J Dixon awl that I got from Abbey England a few years back.

Blade and haft together cost about £3 I think and still around the same price!

 

Philip

[niakulah]

Great review Phil. I saw this on IG when they launched it in their shop. Couldn't see in their pics what they meant by a square awl, your video is much clearer.

 

By any chance have you seen or used the square awl from 6T?

 

[LeathercraftMasterclass]

On 14/12/2018 at 2:46 AM, niakulah said:

Great review Phil. I saw this on IG when they launched it in their shop. Couldn't see in their pics what they meant by a square awl, your video is much clearer.

 

By any chance have you seen or used the square awl from 6T?

 

I haven't used 6t's awls but I do hear good things. By the looks of some of his designs I think he produces awls that are for use against a cork board which seems popular in China/Japan.

 

Philip

Edited December 15, 2018 by LeathercraftMasterclass

[klstclair]

For comparison, the first file (IMG_0713) is a comparison between the Douglas awl and the RMLeatherworking Titanium Awl:

The second file (IMG__0717) shows a closeup of the tip:

The third file (IMG_0728) shows the spare blade:

Enjoy.

Kevin

[ScoobyNewbie]

Beautiful grain on the handles. 

So the blade isn’t titanium?

[JamesR]

Great video. I like the shape of the tip but I wonder if it would work as well (centering in the hole) if you used an overstitch wheel to mark the holes instead of a pricking iron?  Have you used it that way?

Thanks

Jim

[chrisash]

I am not impresses by looks but by fit for purpose, I cannot see this square tip being as low in initial resistance as as semi pointed version, and the more layers it goes through the more resistance which to me is opposite to what you need

Titanium has strength but no reason to use it in this usage so more a gimmick, and whilst i can understand people liking a nice looking item, that's just a matter of personal choice

I have seem many Shotguns with £2000 original gun and £4000 worth of stock and front end on them, and £6000 guns with quite plain wood, I know what I would buy and let my shooting make the statement

[klstclair]

The titanium is a design choice as is pointed out in the video. It does provide a balanced and lightweight feel that still has solidity to it. I look forward to trying it out to see if it offers less fatigue due to the lightness.

Part of the allure of leatherwork for me is the vast array of tools, leathers and techniques that are only limited by the imagination. There are some tools that fit better and just feel right... Some leathers would make great belts and terrible wallets... Would a different tool, leather or technique work better? I am sure enjoying the adventure of trying them. ;-)

Enjoy,

Kevin 

Edited December 27, 2018 by klstclair
Edited for typos and clarification.