Making a shoe awl: 10 manufacturing steps

Icer
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Icer October 6, 2018Specialization: master in the construction of plasterboard structures, finishing work and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

A shoe awl is made from a wooden file handle and a needle from an industrial sewing machine. With this awl you can sew leather and other durable materials. It is especially convenient to use for repairing shoes and bags, because the awl can be used in inconvenient places where it is impossible to sew a sewing line.

Step 1

As a basis for installing the needle, I used a small wooden handle, choosing the handle of a needle file for this purpose. Initially, after removing the file itself, a large round hole remained in it, which needed to be closed.

For these purposes, I used a furniture dowel, having previously drilled a hole for it using a drill of the required diameter.

What kind of awl is exchanged for soap - types of tools

An awl is one of those simplest tools, without which sometimes all the work goes to hell. For example, you needed to pierce a small hole in a leather jacket to carry a keychain, it doesn’t seem complicated. But there is no awl at hand, and then they begin tossing around in search of a gypsy needle or a sharp object that can make the right hole, picking with these inconvenient devices in the right place with subsequent wounds to the palms, scratched skin and ruined mood for the whole day.

The absence of an awl in the list of our household tools is explained by the less frequent need for it, although if it were available, you would probably find more than one point of use for it.

Plus, when such a need arises, you start to think - well, don’t run to the hardware store for some kind of awl. When you have to buy some kind of tool, then we’ll buy an awl... True, when it comes to visiting a hardware store, no one will remember about the awl until the moment when it is needed again. And the situation described above is repeated again. This cycle can be stopped in just half an hour by taking the time to create an awl . By the way, in this case you will be completely confident in the quality of the instrument! But first, let's figure out what can be meant by this word.

Step 4

I mark the center of the handle and drill a new hole slightly larger in diameter than the base of the sewing needle.

Note! Instead of securing the handle in a vise and holding the heavy drill suspended, I do the opposite. This makes it easier to drill a hole along the axis. Do not make the hole too deep; it is better when the needle rests on the bottom in the working position.

Buy or make it yourself

Hardware and construction supermarkets, online stores offer a fairly large selection of awls that can satisfy the needs of many craftsmen. This does not eliminate the need to make the tool yourself.

The most common situations when such a need arises are:

urgent need for a tool in the absence of the opportunity to buy or obtain it in any other way;
the need to have a tool of a special design, taking into account the specifics of its application;
the desire to have a tool “at your fingertips.”

Home craftsmen make two types of awls:

ordinary;
with replaceable nozzles.

Step 5

To install the locking screw that secures the needle in the handle:

I clamp the handle in a vice, additionally wrapping it with soft cloth for protection.
I drill a hole at the end of the handle straight through the copper ring.
I cut the thread with a tap.
I screw in the locking screw that secures the needle.

Manufacturing methods

The sewing technology itself is very simple, actually 2-3 points. However, depending on what tasks the tool is needed for, it may differ slightly. If you only need it to punch new holes in the belts, then you don’t even have to think too much about the handle.

It is quite possible to take a long steel rod, slightly bend or twist one part, and sharpen the other. If the tool is required for more serious work, you need to take care of a reliable handle.

It is also possible to manufacture the entire body in the handle. This is done so that you can change the awl itself, depending on the task. Very convenient and compact.

Step 6

To polish a copper ring, I clamp an electric drill with a felt wheel in a vice and apply a polishing compound to it. Then I sand, achieving the perfect shine.

Step-by-step instruction

If the preparatory work is carried out carefully and consistently, sewing shoes at home will not be inferior to professional ones. You can start sewing directly when you already have a completely cleaned, glued and marked pair of shoes on your hands. If any of the steps are missed, then you should go back and be sure to complete it, as the quality may suffer. When everything is ready, you can start stitching your shoes yourself. There are 3 basic methods that even a beginner can use:

The classic or easiest way to stitch shoes. Using a hook or awl, a hole is made in the sole and upper material. Then a thread is put on the hook, which is pulled out. A thread is inserted into the loop formed on the outside, which is pulled so that the knot is approximately in the middle. The actions are repeated until you return to the starting point.
The hidden method allows you to sew shoes as unnoticeably as possible (for example, when repairing felt boots). In this case, a shallow cut is made along the seam line on the rubber of the sole with a knife. It is in this cut, like in a trench, that the thread will be hidden. A hook or awl is used to make a hole in the cut line, then it is stuck inside, catches the thread, pulls it out and then the classic stitching technique is completely repeated. Professional shoemakers in 90% of cases use a hidden type of seam.
Hidden method without incision. It is believed that it is correct to stitch boots using this method. You need to take a thread with a knot tied at the end, use a hook or an awl to make a hole in the sole and upper material, then pull it completely out of the shoe. Then, close to the place where the thread exits, a puncture is made at an angle of 45 degrees. After this, another piece of thread is used, which, using a hook and loop, is pulled out a few centimeters through the same puncture. The first thread is tucked into the eyelet formed on the outside, which is pulled into the shoe in a loop. Then all steps are repeated. The result is an almost invisible seam without a cut.

Step 7

To make the thread feed channel, I drill a hole that starts in the center of the back of the awl and comes out the side.

Advice! Take the time to line it up exactly. Do not align the channel in one line with a screw at the other end.

Kinds

There are many varieties of this instrument. However, there is no scientific classification of it by species. The most common awls are:

pointed (more often called ordinary);
with a hook at the end;
having an ear.

It is the ordinary awl that is popular among home craftsmen; a tool with a hook is used by shoe repair shops, and a tool with an eye is used by leather clothing workshops.

Step 9

After sanding, I apply drying oil to a napkin and polish the awl handle.

Awl as it is - from stationery to shoemaking!

Stationery hole punches, in a sense, can be called a form of evolution of the stationery awl, because once upon a time not a single paper production could do without it. It was the stationery awl that was the first to feel the effects of progress, giving way to a more advanced hole maker. An awl of this type is distinguished, first of all, by its rather “flimsy” design - a thin rod, a plastic handle. However, in order to pierce several sheets of paper you don’t need more.

A shoe awl, which is often used in shoe workshops, has a stronger rod that can pierce the leather and a reliable handle.
An awl-hook is also often called a shoe awl, but this is not true, since the previous option should be called the same. If you really want, then a shoe awl-hook. Its main difference from a regular awl is the tip of the tool in the form of a miniature harpoon.
An awl with an eye, also known as a sewing awl, differs in that at the end of the point there is an eye similar to a needle, of different sizes. In many ways, the tool is capable of performing the same functions as the version with a hook, but it is still inferior in strength, so this type is much more often used in tailoring to work with suede, fabrics or soft leather.
A triangular awl allows you to work with particularly hard materials, since the presence of three edges gives the rod a special strength. However, the holes are larger than when using a regular awl.
An awl knife is a special type of tool that has gained popularity among Pu-erh tea connoisseurs. The fact is that pu-erh comes in compressed bricks or tablets, which should be divided into layers before use, preferably without damaging the compressed leaves. It is for these purposes that an awl knife is used, which, unlike a conventional tool, has a flattened and sharpened tip, which is convenient for separating tea.

Stitching with a shoe awl. Principle

Good time, friends!

And now we will learn to sew. The principle is general, you can learn it once, and then apply it as your imagination dictates. For example, you can sew a cut awning on a truck, a tent, a belt, a patch for a cover for something, and so on. Specifically, we will need this skill to sew the sole to the top (or the top to the sole - whichever is more convenient). Shoemakers themselves call a shoe awl a “ hook”

". Do you know why? Because it's a hook. An awl is a tool for marking and piercing holes. Although it is logical that kakbe is sewn with an awl, but then the prick should be called something else. For example, a piercing tool. But this is for linguists, yeah. So:

With a wooden handle - my worker. Learn - and you will be able to make handles (not removable) from any piece of wood, carve bulges and convexities into your hand and generally stop paying attention to it. In the meantime, it’s better to buy a pen. At first the hooks will break. And this handle has a convenient clip. And in general it is pleasant to the touch because of this fine notch. Closer to us lies the working tool itself - a consumable, in fact. Consider:

From left to right: Ketaets, new shopkeeper, worker. We see that Ketaets is somewhat wider (thicker). How to learn - that's it. The worker was once a shop worker about the same size. It needs to be sharpened periodically - and it wears off. There will come a time when it wears off completely and breaks. Like everything in our mortal world, in fact. Let's make a new awl out of it.

Article on the topic: Where should clothes and shoes be dried in industrial premises?

We sew with threads. This is polyester, 1 mm, flat weave, impregnated. On the right is a fishing cord, this is how they sewed it before.

How to make a stitch? We pierce the materials to be sewn,

We make a loop of the inner thread with our fingers and throw it on the hook, catching it. You will need to learn how to do this by touch - the hook is not visible in the toe part.

The thread should catch all the way, completely. If we catch the edge, it will spread out when we pull it out. The wicker one can and will allow a few such liberties, but the twisted one will come with pesdets. Let's say it's in shoes. We find a hook and put it in a loop.

Pull it out and take the hook out of the loop.

And we insert the thread that comes from the outside into the loop. By hand, crochet, or something else - whatever is more convenient.

And we tighten it. We pull one thread with one hand, and the other with the other. We pull strongly, this determines how tightly we tighten the parts to be connected. At the same time, on thin materials the main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the material will be deformed. When you come across these, you will understand. The overlap of the threads (knot) must be located in the thickness of the material. Here is an under-drawn stitch shown. You need to tighten the inner thread more. And so, without haste (but also without hesitation), stitch by stitch we sew the place we need. When we finish, we make a double knot or a backward stitch, and cut the threads.

And get your act together! This requires a lot of stress!

Thank you! Hello Cats

! Texts without the word “dick”: https://zen.yandex.ru/shuzprosvet. Group for asking questions and learning about shoe and shoe related topics: https://t.me/shuzprosvet

Possible duplicates found

How long do duct-taped shoes last?

You need to know the master!

It's a pity, I thought nano-insulating tape was invented.

I remembered a story from my childhood:

Mom: son, don’t wear these [new, beautiful, leather, just bought] shoes for a walk, better put on your old sneakers

me: yes, everything will be fine with them, I’m careful!

after a 200-meter downhill on rocky scree, I was carrying in my hands an assembly kit: 2 soles + 2 blanks (now we know that the top is called a blank), people walking by wondered why I was walking barefoot, but I walked and thought that fucked up is inevitable

None of the people were at home, but there was a white nylon thread and an awl hook. the technology was unknown to me, so I came up with it on the fly, cut the thread longer so that it was enough for 2 passes and went to sew the sole to the workpiece. an hour later the first half-pair (fuck, I’m just throwing out terms!) was ready, after 40 minutes the second was ready, although there was still half an hour left before the mother arrived

but bad luck - someone screwed up the holes on the right shoe and they almost matched! There was no time to rip it apart and re-stitch it. the threads were quickly painted over with shoe polish, the boots were thoroughly cleaned, although the appearance of new ones was lost forever

I had to walk in a terribly uncomfortable right shoe for a couple of days, but then the operation was repeated more successfully, and the shoes served for another couple of years

Article on the topic: How to dry shoes while hiking

Necessary materials

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