Awls and such...

[Mike OMelia]

I want a nice simple awl with a rounded wooden handle. I go to Lowes thinking this is a no brainer. No such luck. So I search a few web sites. Does such a simple tool REALLY command a $20+ price? What is it with tool makers and sellers?

Mike:confused:

[Bob Vallaster]

Two alternatives:
1) ice pick
2) Phillips screw driver, size 0, dressed down on a belt sander.

BobV

[Ken Milhinch]

Mike,

$20 doesn't buy much these days, but Lee Valley have one for $14.50. Of course by the time you pay postage, it's probably more than $20.:o(http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32532&cat=1,42936,42951)

[Per Swenson]

Amazon .com

$3.44 (http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-69-122-16-Inch-Handle-Scratch/dp/B00002X2FX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1230901393&sr=1-1)

Google is your friend

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
HF has one for a buck - page 8 of their Dollar Days ad starting 1/7/09.
Heck, for that price you could get two and throw them both away.....


:D

kidding - sorta - I mean how hi-tech can a scratch awl be?

[Rob Grubbs]

Mike,

$20 doesn't buy much these days, but Lee Valley have one for $14.50. Of course by the time you pay postage, it's probably more than $20.:o(http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32532&cat=1,42936,42951)
Lee Valley has free shipping until 1-4-09!:D

[Ted Calver]

There were plans for some fantastic awls in ShopNotes Vol 17 Issue 99

[Dave Potter]

I picked up a General Tool Scratch Awl, with wooden handle and blade through handle at the True Value where I work for around $7. ...And that was before my employee discount. Of course, the wood was painted. We've also got a Stanley awl with a varnished handle for about $13. In addition, I've seen similar awls at Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply, and Harbor Freight for about the same price.

[Paul Demetropoulos]

I broke my awl and the next time I was in th HD I looked in the tool isle to replace it, nope. Then I stumbled on one, a Malco, that they sell with drywall stuff I think. It's a sharp little sucker but the handle is small. I went around it a few times with hockey tape to improve the grip. Was cheap too, 3 bucks maybe.

The small size does have the advantage of taking up less room in my pouch.

[Bill Houghton]

1) ice pick

Of course, this requires that you go to garage or rummage sales, but I find them so often I've stopped buying them...after buying, oh, 5 or 6. They're VERY sharp, and often almost unused.

[glenn bradley]

Lowes has the one by 'General'. All the 'General' products are pretty much on an end-cap somewhere in the tool area at my Lowes. I find a 1/32" nail set (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=44441-355-44441&lpage=none)to be more reliable. The cupped end doesn't try to follow the grain and wander off "the spot".

[Mike OMelia]

Thanks "all". ;)

I don't mind buying tools, but sometimes I get the impression that the only profitable folks in this business are the tool sellers and makers. Kind of like the gold rush days. I wanted to find at least 4 (for marking and holding drill locations). At $20, that kind of ticked me off. But the HF ones will do just fine. (just looked at the HF awl and for a $1.99, how can you go wrong?)

Sometimes I think the big tool sites (LV, HW, WC) begin to expect that our loyalty should be untested. There are a whole range of tools that are basically a commodity. And prices should reflect that. Chisels? Thats different. And so on.

Mike

[Mike OMelia]

I finally went to HF and picked up four awls for $4. And some clamps... and some bits.. and some :cool:

Well, you get the pic.

Mike

[Greg Just]

how about making your own with this kit from Rockler:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19568&filter=awl

Just a thought

[Doug Shepard]

Yeah I know it's more than $20 but I think this one merits a bit of premium
http://www.czeckedge.com/bc_awls.html
I got one in the fall with a marking knife but didn't get a project to put it to use on until recently. That puppy is sharp and the heavier shaft means you can lean on it a bit and get a nice deep hole without much effort. I might be re-evaluating whether I want to keep a couple of skinny shaft ones or selling.