Awls are handy tools, good for marking points and scribing lines. Great for layout and sometimes to start a screw.
I have made quite a few as they are simple enough and rewarding. They make a good gift to the right person.
A very useful tool that has been mostly forgotten and under used is the bird cage awl. Basically a pyramid shape with four sides. Better than a gimlet for starting a screw, and still good for marking and scribing. Once you have used one, you wont be without one. It drills really well and for drilling a small hole, nothing beats it.
These are a few awl and mini chisels bits that I put into handles to become tools. The two on the far left are bird cage awls.
Here is a bird cage awl variation that I invented as a quick and dirty tool when my expensive bought tool broke.
This crude screw starter is faster, more precise, less binding and way tougher than any of the purchased versions.
This is my latest bird cage awl. For more data on it you can visit my blog.
Bob
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