Are awls, gimlets and aprons unusual?

[Tom Walz]

I stop by Home Depot on the way home last night to pick up a few things I needed this morning to do some training. I wanted an awl, a regular short awl with a wooden bulb handle and not a longer scratch or marking awl. I also wanted a small gimlet and a couple shop aprons. They didn't have any of these.

So now I'm wondering just how unusual these requests are.

I know Home Depot isn’t the best place to find these things but it is on the way home and I needed them this morning.

Tom

[Greg Portland]

Gimlets and awls are not common items for the average HD customer. However, I am surprised that they didn't sell shop aprons (maybe with the nail pouches?).

You might check Ace Hardware if one is near you; I have found that they carry these kinds of items versus HD or Lowes. If that fails, Amazon carries gimlets and awls.

[Rod Sheridan]

Tom, you are looking for cabinet making tools at a big box store and you're surprised they don't carry them?:confused:

Aside from materials that I can't find at other places, I never shop at the big box stores.

Too little variety for me..............Regards, Rod.

[Tony Bilello]

.........I wanted an awl, a regular short awl with a wooden bulb handle .... I also wanted a small gimlet and a couple shop aprons........

....I'm wondering just how unusual these requests are.

.

Tom

They are pretty unusual these days. The typical carpenter stuff is plentyful, but woodworking tools in the traditional are becoming more and more rare.
Woodcraft has an awl. If you dont like it, do like I did - Buy a scratching awl, cut it short and re-point the tip on a grinder or sharpener. For my
other awl I turned the handle on a lathe, drilled a center hole and set and epoxied the pointed end of a stainless steel nail into the hole. Then I cut off the head and reshaped the end to a point. My third awl of sorts is actually a spring loaded punch. Works great for marking/setting my center point in end grain. The punch I had gotten from Harbor Freight.

Disclaimer: I am usually a "Harbor Freight Basher". Most of their stuff is pure crap. A few items though seem to be of a good value.


I don/t know where you would find gimlets, but my best guess would be an internet search.

Shop aprons are also hard to find. Again, they are made for carpenters and not woodworkers. I like the denim aprons from Harbor Freight. They are inexpensive and fairly rugged if you dont count the ties. I like the upper small pencil pocket. Sometimes they have a larger waste high pocket and I uasually cut those out. They seem to be perfectly designed to catch onto my vise handle and my table saw fence handle. The ties are short and wont reach all the way around the front. I usually just sew a longer tie on to it. I like to tie from the front because tieing in the rear is easy but always knots up when untieing.

[Van Huskey]

Yep, pretty unusual in today's world. Unless the average rough carpenter uses it chances are you won't find it at a BORG. I personally like the BORGs they have done a lot for me over the years but when I have my "furniture making hat" on there isn't much there for me.

[Jim Rimmer]

Before I try to find something at the BORG, I ask myself, "How many people would go in there looking for this?" If the answer isn't 1000s per yer, they are not going to have it.

[eric mah]

I've never seen gimlets at any retail store. I got my set years ago at Garrett Wade. My apron is from my high school woodworking class a real long time ago.

Eric

[Paul Saffold]

"Lee Valley" and "Tools For Working Wood" for gimlets, and just about anything "neander". Good quality and great customer service from both.

[Ryan Hellmer]

I don't think it's a good idea to carry a gimlet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimlet_(cocktail)) around in your shop apron, even if you are only using hand tools.

Ryan

[David Helm]

"Lee Valley" and "Tools For Working Wood" for gimlets, and just about anything "neander". Good quality and great customer service from both.

If you have a decent local hardware store you'll probably find what you need. My local store, Hardware Sales, carries all three items you're looking for. I always check there first.

[Tom Walz]

Thank you all,

I appreciate your time and trouble.


I stopped into Home Depot because it was on the way home and I needed the tools the first thing next morning. It would 10 not have been my first choice if I had had more time.

As always, I am astounded by the breadth and depth of knowledge and opinions here.

Thanks again,
Tom

[Steve Griffin]

What's a gimlet? Sounds like something which comes with a turkey which we always throw out....

As far as apron, I bet you could have scored an orange one in the employee lunchroom.....

I do have an awl. It's an old screw driver which I grinded to a point about 20 years ago. I can't remember why I thought I needed it, but I keep it handy just in case.

Just kidding ya. I often feel like an alien myself in walmart, when the 7 things I think are absolutely part of everyday life can't be found....

Good thing we have the internet. A guy can get anything at his doorstep without needing to find a parking place...

-Steve