The SAK 'awl'...

[TheViking]

Hi...

1. When I read discriptions on SAK's and stuff like that, everybody writes 'awl'. It's quiet right, but I use mine more as a drill or scraper than as the function 'awl'...?!
When I bought my Outrider and tried the awl on a piece of leather, I nearly cut my finger because it didn't have a lock on. So if I ever have to perforate a hole in leather again, i'll twist the swiss, just as when perforating a hole in a piece of wood. Twisting is the key.

2. Can anyone instruct me how to use the so called sewing hole which is also on the awl?? Hvae never used that hole to anything...!? :biggthump

 

[Adi007]

Yeah, take care with that sharpened awl ... it can close on you fast!

What you do with the sewing hole is use it to pull thread through holes you've made ... so, you stick the awl carefully though the material you are sewing, thread the thread through the hole, pull the awl out. Now, take the thread out and go though the material from the other side, thread the thread through the hole and repeat. Works but makes quite big holes.

 

[TheViking]

Thanks mate!

Yeah, i can figure that it makes quiet big holes. That's why I have put a 4 cm. needle in the room for the tweezers. It's easy to store a needle there and the tweezers fit in just as before... Now you have a new function...

 

[Douglas]

You can also use it like sewing machines work, but you need two threads for this. Pass the thread through the hole of the punch, then pass the punch through the material you want to sew and bring it back out, this forms a loop on the bottom side (you might need to hold the thread). Pass your other thread through this loop, then tighten (from the top side). Then just repeat on the other holes.

Well I think this is how sewing machines work :roll: Anyway, it's a way of doing it with the punch on the penknives...

Hope that was helpfull.

 

[Keith_Beef]

You can also use it like sewing machines work, but you need two threads for this. Pass the thread through the hole of the punch, then pass the punch through the material you want to sew and bring it back out, this forms a loop on the bottom side (you might need to hold the thread). Pass your other thread through this loop, then tighten (from the top side). Then just repeat on the other holes.

Well I think this is how sewing machines work :roll: Anyway, it's a way of doing it with the punch on the penknives...

Hope that was helpfull.

Yup, that's how my little "quick sewing" awl works. Called a "couvite", by the maker, this is like a small beechwod or boxwood handle with a hollow centre leading to a sort of chuck, which grips a sewing machine needle (the eye is near the point). Some models have a bobbin mounted on a little axle. Mine is a cheap beechwood version, with no bobbin holder.

Sewing done with this is easier, faster, but not so strong nor so pretty as proper "saddle stiching".

It's good for quick repairs to thick canvas and leather, though.


Keith.

 

[TheViking]

You can also use it like sewing machines work, but you need two threads for this. Pass the thread through the hole of the punch, then pass the punch through the material you want to sew and bring it back out, this forms a loop on the bottom side (you might need to hold the thread). Pass your other thread through this loop, then tighten (from the top side). Then just repeat on the other holes.

Well I think this is how sewing machines work :roll: Anyway, it's a way of doing it with the punch on the penknives...

Hope that was helpfull.

Thanks
I normally carry at least 2 sewing needles into the woods. Or perhaps 3, cause got one in the SAK too... :biggthump

 

[Keith_Beef]

Some models have a bobbin mounted on a little axle.

Just to make it a bit easier to understand, here's a picture of the model that Dennis H sells.

www.brisa.fi look in Leatherworking tools.