Gayl Beals
Member
- Messages
- 290
- Location
- Muskegon,Mi.
Scratch Awls
Awls
- Thread starter Gayl Beals
- Start date
- Messages
- 9,040
- Location
- Yorktown, Virginia
These appeal to my …basic instincts.
- Messages
- 8,680
- Location
- Williamette Valley, Oregon
Awl you need Awl you need...
Is Awls.
I like the one in the second picture, I think the ball end would be pretty comfortable for pushing. Although the first two in the first pic would also be on the short list pattern wise.
steve ramsey
Member
- Messages
- 552
- Location
- Lafayette, IN
Nice. I like the 1 on the left. What did you use for the awl.
Les Elm
Member
- Messages
- 1,499
- Location
- Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Nicely done. 
Gayl Beals
Member
- Messages
- 290
- Location
- Muskegon,Mi.
They have been in shop for many years,got them from a buddy.I don’t know what they are! The handle is Ash.
- Messages
- 8,680
- Location
- Williamette Valley, Oregon
I've used 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4 drill rod stock. Mostly 1/8 and 3/16. I don't usually taper them as nicely as the ones Gayl has but they still mostly work pretty well.
I have wanted to try to figure out a way to mass produce pokey tapered pins like that for (e.g. https://paradisefibers.com/products/paradise-fibers-double-row-wool-combs?variant=51388852422) which are STABBY sharp.. and require a lot of the pokey bits...but haven't come up with anything practical in a small/home shop yet.
Mike Stafford
Member
- Messages
- 3,259
- Location
- Coastal plain of North Carolina
I used to make a lot of awls and getting a consistent taper on the drill rod blades was difficult until I stumbled upon this method.
I had some used aluminum oxide grinding wheels that were smaller than I like; they were reduced through use from 8" down to about 6 1/2". I mounted them on my grinder and used a pointed diamond dresser to make a groove in the center of the stone. I could then mount my blade shaft in an electric drill and while the grinder was running I laid the blade in that groove while the drill was running. Then I just pulled it through the groove in the stone until I was satisfied. It was much easier and faster to get a consistent taper. I was able to make three grooves in each 1" wide stone.
It was a bit of a messy process and I had to wear a dust mask and face shield but it worked pretty well.
After grinding them I mounted the blade in a drill chuck that I had installed in the head stock of my lathe. I used strips of wet/dry silicon carbide paper to polish the blades by working through several grits.