A scratch awl is a
woodworking
Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinet making (cabinetry and furniture), wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning.
History
Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first mate ...
layout and point-making tool. It is used to scribe a line to be followed by a
hand saw
In woodworking and carpentry, hand saws, also known as "panel saws", are used to cut pieces of wood into different shapes. This is usually done in order to join the pieces together and carve a wooden object. They usually operate by having a s ...
or
chisel
A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge (such that wood chisels have lent part of their name to a particular grind) of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal by hand, s ...
when making
woodworking joint
Joinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining pieces of wood, engineered lumber, or synthetic substitutes (such as laminate), to produce more complex items. Some woodworking joints employ mechanical fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, ...
s and other operations.
The scratch awl is basically a
steel spike with its tip sharpened to a fine point. The tip of the spike is drawn across the timber, leaving a shallow
groove
Groove or Grooves may refer to:
Music
* Groove (music)
* Groove (drumming)
* The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s
* The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station
* Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station
* ...
. It may also be used to mark a point by pressing the tip into the timber.
It is generally used when dimensioning and for laying out with the grain. It may also be used across the grain. However, a
marking knife is preferred for this operation.
Scratch awls are traditionally used in
leather crafting
Leather crafting or simply leathercraft is the practice of making leather into craft objects or works of art, using shaping techniques, coloring techniques or both.
Techniques
Dyeing
The application of pigments carried by solvents or water in ...
to trace patterns onto leather.
They are sometimes used in the automotive and
sheet metal
Sheet metal is metal formed into thin, flat pieces, usually by an industrial process. Sheet metal is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes.
Thicknesses can vary significantly; ex ...
trades to punch holes and scribe lines in sheet metal.
See also
*
Bradawl
A bradawl is a woodworking hand tool with a blade similar to that of a straight screwdriver and a handle's made from wood or plastic.
Purpose
A bradawl is used to make indentations in wood or other materials in order to ease the insertion of a ...
*
Stitching awl
A stitching awl is a tool with which holes can be punctured in a variety of materials, or existing holes can be enlarged. It is also used for sewing heavy materials, such as leather or canvas. It is a thin, tapered metal shaft, coming to a shar ...
References
{{Hand tools
Woodworking measuring instruments
Woodworking hand tools