stupid question for you -what is and who uses the AWL

[dingosrun]

hi guys
can you tell  me what you use the awl for and do you use it at all
as it seems popular with the multitools
saying of the day
its better to  sound like an idiot than to remove all doubt     
cheers

[Grant Lamontagne]

I use it for poking old people at the mall who insist on walking slowly and blocking other people from getting by.  I also like to use it on folks who park in handicapped spaces who aren't handicapped.

Legitimately though, I use it for all kinds of things, but probably the most common is drilling pilot holes for screws.  I have also used it as a punch for making holes in nylon to repair things like tarps or make holes in shoe leather that probably should have been replaced earlier.

Def

[CQC-7]

I use it for puncking new holes in my belt.

[znapschatz]

hi guys
can you tell  me what you use the awl for and do you use it at all
as it seems popular with the multitools
saying of the day
its better to  sound like an idiot than to remove all doubt     
cheers

How popular it is, I don't know.  When Leatherman dropped the PST awl from the PST II and did not include one on the Charge, there was little comment, and those few were evenly divided between those who found awls either useless or necessary. 

Personally, I am Awl Man  ;D, and use mine awl the time to start wood screws, bore holes in leather belts, sandal straps and the like, punch or score other materials,  scrape pipe and hose fittings, probe things I can't or don't want to touch with my fingers, and more that don't come to mind at the moment.  I consider it useful enough that a lack of one on a full size multi-tool is a deal breaker for me (although not for smaller ones like the Micra or Squirt). 

Once, and only because of a super deal on it, I set my misgivings aside for a Charge Ti.  I really liked the one handed opening, pocket clip carrry etc.  However, the very first time I strapped it on, within a half hour I needed an awl to route out a too small hole in a prressed wood panel.  My tool box was not far away, but carry a multi-tool anyway, except to avoid such trips?  Had I been out and away from my tools, I would have been even more annoyed.

In the end, I gave up on the Charge for a number of reason, but lack of an awl was among them.  I want it, AWL.

[665ae]

I use it for puncking new holes in my belt.

Haha... yeah, that's about all the use my awl gets too!  But now the question is... are you poking holes to make your belt bigger or smaller?   

[Raukodur]

For those who don't know, Bob (Jsews) made an awl bit that could slot into the bit driver of any of the LM tools which have the driver, he also made a chisel bit. This isnt important for the surge since it has an awl already, but for tools such as the charge and wave, it adds on two new functions for free.

Of course, its also irrelevant for tools lacking a bit driver.

[zackhugh]

I've used the awl surprisingly often over the years and it's nice to have it available.  The awl on the SAKs is excellent and the cutting edge works well for scraping (including inadvertenetly making a nice slit on my finger).

[NeitherExtreme]

To me, an awl isn't a necessity, but it can be useful. Obviously making holes is helpful sometimes. One that hasn't been mentioned yet is starting holes in drywall for your saw. It's also used as my general poking/prying/twisting/abusing tool if I have it.

[dingosrun]

thanks for the tips guys i will look at the awl in a different view now
cheers

[J-sews]

Take note of the used pocket knives you find at resale shops and garage sales. Many of them are missing the very tip of the knife blade. That's because someone used the tip to pry with or dig a hole in a piece of wood. Thin blade tips are not intended for that sort of task. An awl is.

[dingosrun]

found one more use for it poking thekids to clean their room lol

[Grant Lamontagne]

Boy am I glad my father never had a Leatherman when I lived at home!   ;D

Def

[Sparkey]

Three cheers for the awl...I bought a wenger SI mainly for the blade and flat screwdriver, but ended up using the awl as much as anything else...

[Grant Lamontagne]

The awl on ALOX model SAKs is about as useful as an awl gets.  I really like the shape of it over most of the other awls available.

Of course the awl found on the Surge is pretty nice too- nice and heavy, plus it locks, so if you find yourself needing to poke holes in heavy equipment, battleships or tanks, it's the way to go!

Def

[Sparkey]

but we all know what the best poking tool is....





 

[Anthony]

I've used the awl on my Power Lock to poke holes in cardboard to thread rope through to make handles, to start holes in wood, plastic, etc...poke holes in leather..

The awl on the alox saks is great to, but it doesn't lock so be careful!

[znapschatz]

but we all know what the best poking tool is....





 

Yes, but have you ever tied poking a hole in leather with it?  The results would probably be disappointing.

[665ae]

but we all know what the best poking tool is....
 

I have to disagree... I know what the best poking tool is, but I'm sure none of you would like to see a picture of it.  It's been used to poke just about everything living, dead, and inanimate... and I'm sure if you do an internet search you can find pictures of it doing all three

[MedusaOblongata]

I remember hearing a rumor that an awl was a tool that was designed for poking holes in leather. I do leatherwork and I often need a tool that actually pokes holes in leather, so I put my Supertool 200's awl on the Dremel and now it's a pointy spike, that pokes holes in leather (and just about everything else).

[Grant Lamontagne]

Welcome to the forum!

As I understand it, the awl is for poking holes in leather, but I have to wonder how much call there is for that nowadays?  Not that I am against the awl, but I have to wonder why it is so prolific if it's such a specialized tool?

Of course, it's handy for so many other things as has been pointed out so I guess we should keep it!

Def