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[Leather Working] Saddle stitching awl (diamond shape blade)
Here are a couple of stitching awls I have made, build from scratch, blade and handle.
The two awls I have made are the two at the front, the one at the back is a vintage commercial one, for heavy duty leather work.
One of the handles is made of ash, and the other from ebony.
http://www.labellenote.fr/file/homem...sange_0006.jpg
Here is how the blades are made, starting from a hardened concrete nail :
First, roughing out with a high speed grinder (I frequently dip the blade in a jar of water before it looses its temper).
I grind four faces, in a kind of sword shape.
http://www.labellenote.fr/file/homem...sange_0001.jpg
I made a small batch blades of different width
http://www.labellenote.fr/file/homem...sange_0002.jpg
Then I switch to the wet slow speed grinder, and I refine the edges. The tip is quite flat and cutting, and the body has a diamond shape, more intended to expand the hole than to cut it.
http://www.labellenote.fr/file/homem...sange_0003.jpg
http://www.labellenote.fr/file/homem...sange_0004.jpg
And here is the mounted awl, in the ebony handle. The blade is carefully honed on a strop, it must cut leather like butter.
http://www.labellenote.fr/file/homem...sange_0005.jpg
And here is how it is used, with the stitching clamp I will show next time.
http://www.labellenote.fr/file/homem...sange_0007.jpg