The Most Useless Tool On Your Knife? // The Truth 'Big Awl' Doesn't Want You To Know.
0:01 What Is An Awl?
0:43 The First Real Multitool Soldier 1890 Swiss Army Knife
1:40 History of the Swiss Army Soldier Knife 1890, 1961, 2008
3:02 Cowboy and Sailor Pocket Knives
3:43 How to Sew With a Pocket Knife Awl Victorinox, Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman, SOG
6:00 Why Sewing With Your Pocket Knife Awl Is Fairly Useless
8:12 How to Use Your Reamer/Awl for Bushcrafting
10:00 How to Start A Fire With Your Reamer/Awl
11:03 101 Uses For The Pocket Knife Awl And Should We Care?
Check out a little something we have been working on: fortwild.com/
This week we are talking all about the awl on your pocket knife/multi-tool and asking is it the most useless tool out there? In 1890 the Swiss Army ordered their first multi-tool and with it brought in the modern age of in pocket multi-tools. Not only did they define the pattern and ideas they also helped spark companies like Victorinox, Leatherman, SOG, Gerber and others. That first Soldier Knife had an awl on it designed to service the issued rifle of the time. For 71 years the Swiss pretty much left that first model exactly as it was made, then in 1961 it got a full makeover and fancy Alox scales. The awl remained for its original reasons and then in 2008 the 2008 Soldier Knife was issued with an awl as well. The only issue? There is no practical or tactical reason for it to be on the knife. It seems to be a very similar story looking through the lens of other occupations in the 20th Century like Cowboys, Sailors, even Astronauts.
Of course you can still sew with the awl but how many of us are really taking heavy leather and canvas gear through hiking? You can use the reamer edge to bushcraft and make fire but wouldn't those skills be better practiced and executed in an emergency with a fixed blade? Of course fun traditional uses for pocket knives are great ways to pass the time and fun skills to learn but if we look at the practical uses of the awl we come up pretty empty in the modern era. All of us have found inventive uses for the awl on our pocket knives and multitools but wouldn't it be cool to see the awl replaced with a more practical addition for our modern needs? Let me know what you use your awl for and what you think it could be replaced with down in the comments!
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Hello Zac. Thank you so much for mention me in this very interesting video! This was the best video about awl's i ever saw! Greetings from Switzerland Felix
Felix! It’s great to hear from you! Thank you so much for the kind words but I’d have to say that your awl videos are hands down the best. You sir are the master🙇♂️👊💪
Felix! Love your videos
Heh, heh, heh... My first thought when the KZhead gods dropped this vid in my suggestions was "I wonder how this will compare to Felix's stuff?" Then part way in Zac gives the shoutout. Too cool. Excellent vid, Zac! Now I'm subscribed to both of you guys. Keep up the great work, boys!
Felix, I like your videos. Thanks.
Felix has thought me the greatest use of the awl. Use it to make the rope tensioning system. It’s genious! I use the reamer the most to open the foil of wine bottles because I don’t want to blunt my knives by cutting against the glass.
I think a fundamental point being missed here is that a pocket knife is rarely the best tool for anything. It's the tool you have when you're away from your other tools. And in that world, a steel "pointed stick" gets lots of use.
Being able to connect any textile with cord and make holes sounds more useful in the wild than bottle opener or screw driver.
@@eestaashottentotti2242 to @fpassow1 's point the flat head is just a handy "flat metal stick," and the can opener is just a "metal hook" I think that's why these esoteric tools persevere. .
@@scottmexcal3445dont forget that a knife is a sharp metal stick and a saw and file a rough metal stick. everykind of weird metal stick is better than no metal stick
The wild... In a world so modern and connected... If you are in an emergency situation, your probably fine in whatever textile available to you while you wait on backup you dialed with your sat phone/ extra battery pack / GPS unit. Otherwise most packs should have dedicated, focused, tools to handle backpacking, hiking, camping, working. Having a screw driver or bottle opener is above and beyond, without question, a more useful tool. In 30 years of carrying a knife, I can remember countless times I've needed/wanted a screw driver, bottle opener, scissors, or knife (even when camping - thanks BIC). I've never been on a mountain going, "Fuck man, if only I could connect this textile and cord in a way that would save my life / make my life easier / or won't void the warranty repair on this $XXX(X) item..." lol.
You nailed it. It's a tough little pick, spike, scraper, it's a tiny knife with 10,000 uses, and that awl is part of its versatility. Most of the time it's not being used in the wilderness, it's being used at work, on the farm, in the garage. I can't think of anything that would fit in the foot print of the classic that would be more versatile than the awl. It's even kept a tough guy or two out of reach when gripped like a punch dagger. Maybe I'm just old, but the awl needs to stay.
My computer engineering friends say "if a function exists, someone is using it" and software devs actually have to be careful even *debugging* their systems, because odds are there are some users who've actually developed their whole work flows to depend on the particularities of a bug. So there's a strong argument in design for not getting rid of old features, even if you as the designer don't *see* a use for them; because many people may have found uses for them by now that they wouldn't want to lose
This is such good design philosophy! I’m going to have to look into it more. I know that I personally expect certain bugs and issues with different tools and processes so I base my work flow on them. Thanks for the great insight👊
Huh!
Yo that's smart
As an aspiring designer I will cherish this thought
Speaking as a software engineer, your friend isn't wrong, but any software engineer that develops a workflow based on a bug _and doesn't also develop an automatic failover if the bug gets fixed_ is an idiot who deserves to have their app break at 5am on Monday morning before a client demo. If that sounds harsh, it's because after 17 years as an engineer and 30 years writing code, I have realized the biggest problem with software is crappy programmers. My code always checks for the expected operating conditions _and foreseeable alternate operating conditions_ when running.
Fun fact: When I was in the military in Switzerland, everyone left the service knive pristine and had a second one for everyday use (I had a red Victorinox Spartan, no possibility to mix them up). If you had to show your knive during an inspecion, you could always present a perfectly clean knive. I started using the service knive only after I was discharged.
Hahaha great comment
Hehe cunning. Yeah keep the shiny stuff for parade. But i see the german GAKs are mostly totally wrecked.. Many have the tips melted from electricity..
Brilliant! Good show, friend!
@@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367 Germany's army knife is used so often and in so bad shape that almost any soldier will refer to it as "BW-Stumpf" Its a joke on the naming convention of Bundeswehr Items. They are often described by their key characteristics. The key characteristic here is that the item in question is "Stumpf" or in english "dull"
@@semurobo true, but why are soany germany army knives melded by electricity on the blades, ive seen 1000snds like this! It. Looks as if they melted them on a car battery ushally On the tip
I'm a big fan of the Awl. I've repaired belts and sandals, drilled holes in drywall, scraped sticky stuff and leftover gasket off of things, opened up rubber hoses to fit larger fittings than they were meant for, and untied knots with the awl on various multitools I have used. I also use it as a package opener so I don't get tape residue all over my main blade or blunten it by going through tons of cardboard. I also made a penny stove out of a coke can, a coin, and some cotton balls to entertain my young cousins at a family gathering a few years ago, using the awl to drill the jets and the filler hole. I tried unsuccessfully and somewhat explosively to build a valveless pulse jet in a jam jar using an awl to drill the exhaust hole. It's one of my favourite tools on a multitool and I'm far more likely to carry a tool that has one than a tool that doesn't.
My také on the awl is: what would you do, if you needed to make a hole in anything and you didn't have the awl on you? The knife blade is too wide and it would make a slit, not a hole. You could also unnecessarily damage the blade. For how little space it takes up on the knife, I think it's useful enough.
can we talk about the parcel hook?
@@sweaver2112shut up, I love this thing, I would never buy one without it! 😂
@@sweaver2112 It can also be used to mount any standard t-shank saw/file and use the knife as a handle.
@@sweaver2112the parcel hook is absurd.. But in switzerland.. And japan its commonly used. Its to pick up bundles of paper you use for recycling, theae hare heavy bundkes 5-7kilos tied with string deposited at a recycling point.. .. It s uncomfortsble to carry them by the string but with a hook it works great
@@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367 You can use the bottle opener in the exact way though. Just flip it upside down. 😅
When my boys were younger, I gave them pocket knife lessons(always a good time). I used a basic SAK and went through all the tools. We even opened a can of chili with the can opener. When it came to the awl I showed them how to use it to start a hole so you could drive a screw easier. I also emphasize the fact that the tip of the awl was much stronger than the blade tip and started calling it the “tip saver”. Missed out on the sewing though.
Good dad👊. I taught my little one carving a bar of soap to teach knife safety.
The can opener is awesome.
100%. I might try to sew with it some day. But for me it's the almost-drill that I have in my pocket... especially since the SAK spear/pen points are not very pointy.
The Awl is honestly my most used tool on my Victorinox. As a pen maker, I use the reamer blade to remove CA glue from the insides of the pen tubes after gluing up my blanks. For me, it has been the only tool that can effectively accomplish this task and has proved to be an invaluable asset to my craft. Great video, and I really loved the presentation, but please don't replace the Awl. I don't know what I would ever do without it.
Same here. I use the awl a lot for making holes, occasional stitching, and all sorts of jobs that would blunt or damage the knife blade.
If you think the awl is worthless, I think you're worthless.
And what a lot of Americans don‘t have in mind is, most Europien are not allowed to carry a fixed/locking blade, so making a hole with a knife actually gets pretty dangerous.
I agree ..... I use the awl at least 5 or 6 times a year. It's very useful.
are you using the back tool awl oe the alox in line version awl for your tasks?
Im sure someone has mentioned it already but when using an awl like this you should angle the awl 45 degrees to the direction of travel. That makes the stitch more like / / / / / than - - - - -. If you think of it like a series of rips in a piece of paper then its intuitive to see the latter is like perforations and makes it easy to rip through. The angled holes adds a little strength to it.
I would rather have an awl/reamer than 17 different flat heads. The ability to relatively easily poke holes into things and to scrape is useful, imo the question is what is the smallest multitool where an awl still makes sense. Most plier-based multitools have enough space that you might just as well have an awl on them. For most three layer SAKs the awl is also the best use of that back tool slot. Where the utility of the awl gets properly put to the test is the Compact. Would I rather have an awl there instead of the parcel hook? Ideally I'd have the combo screwdriver tool from smaller SAKs over either option, but ignoring that, I suspect most people would have easier time finding a use for an awl than a parcel hook.
Honestly the only reason its even kind of toss up on the compact is for the file on the hook and even that kind of makes me still makes me think the awl is better since its not a great place ore size for the file
Completely agree! This is why I replaced my parcel hook with a Phillips screwdriver. The parcel hook is a lot more rare to find then the awl though. I too think it’s funny that so many multitools pack as many flat head screw drivers on as they can🤣. I can only use one at a time. Love the size consideration question.
If your doing more then a large one that can be a pry tool and work with almost any flat head and a super small one thats only really useful for super small Recessed screws your just to lazy to come up with better useful tools but still want to list like 26 tools so you seem better then another tool....
@@midwaymonster78 Yeah and remember it's just a nailfile, not an actual wood or metal file. Reamer (even without eye as many are too) trumps that any day of the week for utility. Hence I wouldn't get a Victorinox Cadet even though it's compact, I'd go with the Pioneer any day of the week which has a reamer instead of nailfile.
@@simonh6371 sportsman 1 over cadet every time its my 2nd fav 2 layer just a spartan with the nail file the 1 has the good file too that can do some very light work on metal unlike the 2 thats just a nailfile
FYI, the Marlin spike on a sailor's knife (I have one) may have been used for untieing knots, but its primary purpose was to separate plies of rope to more easily allow splicing like back-splices or eye-splicing or even linear splices to join two ropes together much like a fid. They can also be used with wire rope as well. As far as the reamer goes, my dad and uncle used the reamer to clean the bowl of their pipe before refillig. Cheers.
Yes, exactly. I have one. It is for opening the ends of a rope or line and working the splice. When airport security first kicked in, I was in uniform and had one of these marlinspike knives just as shown. The blade doesn't hold an edge worth a damn; soft steel, but easily sharpened. Anyway, I set off the metal detector, oh crap, the knife. The inspector apparently had never seen one of these. I said, "I'm a sailor and this is a sailor's tool." Oh, well okay then. That won't work NOW but it was kinda cute back in the day.
I use the awl for unclogging my weed pipes and putting holes in my belts ocassionally lol
@@thomasmaughan4798 Same: the inspector unfolded mine, and said "What is this FOR?" BTW, the various awls are almost the opposite of a marlinspike. The smooth sides of a marlinspike baby the rope as you're using it.
Marlin spike hitch is also super important
The corkscrew on a SAK is fantastic for untying troublesome knots. You can twist it down into the knot and really crank on it.
For back-country skiing, it's a pretty essential emergency tool. A catastrophic boot or binding failure can be ameliorated with a ski strap, zip ties, wire, and screws with an awl, screw driver, and pliers w/ wire cutter. I've added anti balling plates to the front of skins, pried bits of binding apart, and zip tied ski boots back together with an awl.
I think that although the awl's original uses aren't really practical in todays time, it's a welcomed tool on any multi tool because unlike a knife that cuts or a screwdriver that drives screws, since the awl doesn't have a singular purpose anymore, it is one of the most versatile tools on any multi tool
To add to your point i use the awl to scrape resin out of my bong bowl to make cleaning easier
I have worked is commercial kitchens for basically most of my life. The exquisite single edge grind on my Victorinox pioneer awl has proved invaluable for removing packing straps from boxes and cartons during the always hectic delivery times, allowing my knife blade to remain sharp for finer tasks. Love it!
Yeah would rather use the awl than the blade for breaking down boxes.
The awl is still VERY useful for the purposes of working on firearms in the field. It's a fantastic carbon scraper, great for pushing stubborn pins, and knocking down burrs on roughed up parts (M1/M14 opp rods come to mind). Generally anything that needs scraping that would easily dull your knife blade. I'm guessing the people saying the awl is useless have never really had to rely on their knife often.
Especially using your knife in a pinch. It could be such a great user!
I use my knife multiple times a day and have since I was a kid. The awl has never been the best tool for anything I have done. I took it off my old Leatherman and put my house key in its place.
@@dee5298 You've met the SAK, but have you met the SAK?
That is exactly what I use the awl for on the SIG 550 (current service rifle of the Swiss army)
It makes sense if a particular firearm has a purpose for that specific tool but wouldn't a small punch be more useful on more firearms? I can think of one way to design one into a multitool. If the tool was at least called something else it would make more sense to me. As an awl, it is always horrible. Redesigning it to more closely resemble a standard, medium or small, saddleworking awl would make it actually useful for sewing and possibly reaming. It would never do the job of one with a smaller needle and spool very well but it would be good for an emergency. As it stands, I would carve one from cedar heartwood or osage before sewing with any multitool awl I have ever seen and the process would still be quicker. Honey locust grows awls, they just need a hole for thread.
Keep the discussion alive on the awl 👍🏾 Sometimes in life we make a tool that transcends the progression of technology and the awl is one I would bet comes back around throughout our unwritten history 💯
Used it to see, drill and scrape stuff in field, the most underrated/misunderstood item on a pocket knife ! I'm still surprised the army variants don't have the threading eye !
This is actually one of the most used tools on my swiss knife. Being a "drill" wich is setup in a second it usually my top choice when making crude holes in soft plastic, wood and similar. In the field I would also use the saw a lot. The blades less, because they are generally too small.
Agree. The same on my Leatherman Surge - the most used tool.
Great tool for helping remove splinters, finish the job with the tweezers.
Exactly! 👍
Absolutely. I love my "drill"
It's one of the best tools! You can use it to untie tight knots too, just be careful and not with rope you're gonna CLIMB with. Most useless tool: saw or bottle opener
I think rather than stitching it's main purpose is just to have a sharp point. Like I personally use mine to dig out splinters or clean underneath my fingernails. It also works well for puncturing slightly tougher materials if you have to. One comment said if a function exists, someone is using it. I think this very well applies, especially when it's non-intrusive on most tools.
Ding ding ding!!!! We have a winner!!! 😂 I have no clue what "research" this guy did, but he didn't bother looking up what an awl is FOR. You're right- they're designed for making holes in leather or tough materials, extremely useful in a survival situation where you made need to modify your belt, boots or pack.
@@peterclarke7240 He talked about that for almost half the video. Low iq comment bud
@@jayandrusiak No, he talked about sewing with it, and that to do so you needed to use it to make holes. He misinterpreted the purpose of it to be primarily about sewing, not hole-punching.
Hey Zac! The content you provide has been on-target! I use an awl for my paracord crafts. Survival bracelets, knife lanyards, key lanyards, etc. Great stuff dude!
The awl/reamer is a "must have" IMO. Too many times I've needed to make a hole in some wood, or thread some 550 cord into canvas for a repair, and didn't want to risk damage to my knife blade (or risk slicing way too big of a hole with said knife) and the awl was the perfect tool for the job. It's also great at scraping where you don't want to dull your knife. I've used it as an impromptu pry bar (you guessed it...didn't want to break the knife blade). I work with a lot of heavy canvas items in the field and often have to make do with what's at hand without the option to go back or let it wait until the "proper" repair can be made.
In a survival situation, the ability to make a smaller sized hole in a stick is quite useful. That is used for making a toggle, and that is the foundation for a lot of various traps or quick releases. There's enough bushcrafting videos on those things, so it shouldn't need much further explanation.
Great video Zac! I always wondered what the awl was used for and you clarified that for me in great detail. Thank you. I've subscribed!
I don’t use the awl much now - but I used it a lot in the past for trimming my ingrown toe nail. Never have found another tool better suited for this task. Great video.
True story; I was out backpacking in the Texas wild lands and in the distance I see an RV, a fire and man sewing. As I get closer I see the guy and it’s none other than Matthew McConaughey! I’m like, WTF?, so I say “Hello there Mr McConaughey?”, and he retorts, “Well hello there stranger?” and I then say “What ya sewing Mr McConaughey?” and he gently puts down what turns out to be a piece of leather, waxed thread and a Victorinox tool with an awl …. and he says … “Well, if you’re gonna be out here in the wilderness and ya gotta sew some leather then you know everything’s gonna be awl-right, awl-right, awl-right” 😂
Instantly pinned!🤣🤣
This is amazing. I’m done. 😂
@@zacinthewild Thank you!
I personally find it really useful for untying knots and the “making holes in everything” function is really nice. Plus using it as a scraper instead of ruining your knife edge is pretty good. In fact, I’m actually gonna go out on a limb and say that it’s my second most used tool on my swiss army-style knives, and my third used tool on my leatherman-style tools. Even if it’s not being used for it’s intended purpose it is still an incredibly useful tool that shouldn’t be replaced
I’ve carried a Victorinox tinkerer or similar size/tool count pocket knife for close to 30yrs now, by far my most used knife/tool and I always carry at least two knives. The awl is most useful to me as an actual awl for adding extra holes to leather work belts when/if they stretch or someone’s waist gets smaller, I’ve used it several times for myself and others. I agree with the ultralight gear logic but when it comes to belts nothing beats a quality leather belt due to its versatility, maintainability, and heat/abrasion resistance…try to make that claim about any lightweight nylon belt. Good video, just don’t convince knife/tool makers to delete the awl! Lol
I use it for scoring accurate marks on wood or metal before sawing or using a twist-drill, and for undoing tight knots in para cord. The tip of the corkscrew is also good for the latter, and a bit safer if it slips.
The awl on Leatherman multitools is amazing for drilling through thin and soft materials like thicker plastic sheets or for deburring edges and holes. You can also use it in softer materials after drilling a hole with a drill to make a countersink and it does that a lot better than a blade because: a) it's angled better and b) it's more controllable because it's short. I honestly wouldn't buy a multitool or a SAK without it
Yes sir.
It's GARBAGE & a waste of space.
Long ago my army drill sergeant said that besides being real handy for a lot of things it’s also a great punching item when in a fist. Never forget that
Yes, that's why I keep the corkscrew.
This was the comment I was looking for. People definitely take notice if you give em a dig with the Swiss army knife reamer
The points are well delineated and I agree with you 100%. Thanks for bringing up the ideas
It’s great to hear all the love for the awl. I find it’s one of the most used tools on my SAK, great for removing mud wasp buildup inside the ground lug of outdoor extension cords ;) the list is endless.
I know it seems silly, but the adding of the slot in the awl to allow for sewing is an easy win. Just like putting the rulers on the side of folding pliers. It is a very small add in the manufacturing process that allows for adding another function. Just like the addition of the cap crimpers on some of the Gerber multipliers, not many use it, but people feel better that it is there. As to the "why carry a pocket knife when you can have pliers?" question: I carried both. My pliers where in a pouch on my vest. I also carried a Swiss Army knife on my belt which was tied to a belt loop with paracord. The pliers were great for most tasks, but if I needed to do fine cutting or prolonged cutting the SAK was just more comfortable. The ergonomics on a multiplier is horribly off-balance by it's design requirements. Pliers need two handles. Knives usually just have a singe axis which makes the blade easier to align and control.
I've found that the awl on a swiss army knife (i always take an Alox Farmer X or Huntsman camping with me) is good as a scraper if you don't wanna dull your main blade, i've collected scrapes of fat wood and pine tar while camping with an awl for natural fire starter! But anyway, great video Zac! I love your stuff!
“Tip saver” or “edge saver” is such a great use for the awl. Glad you dug the video👊
I've noticed a comment or two touting the awl as a fire steel scraper. I believe the BACK of the saw blade makes the best ferro rod scraper. This way the sharp edge of the awl isn't damaged by the high heat of the sparks.
@@blueeyeswhitedragon9839 I did notice in the testing for this video that the awl edge took some abuse from the ferro rad for sure!
The practical application of the awl, is as an emergency field drill. It's kind of a survival tool. How often you'd use it? That's a question, but I know I've definitely used mine to drill through something from time to time. Also it's worth noting that in the modern day, plenty of us just carry a Swiss Army Knife in our bag or purse as an everyday carry. I've used the awl on mine to drill through plastic lids for projects I was making, etc. It's a useful thing to have if you need to make a nice clean hole in something but don't want to bring out a drill, or don't have a drill handy.
Thanks a lot for your thoughtful video clip. I will say I am super happy that my pocket tool has a reamer/awl. Although I have only used it a few times over the years I was very glad it was there when I was in the back country (with no quick way back). Re-sewing has saved me when doing repairs on heavier material - you mentioned it not being required often with newer material but even with some lighter weight nylon there are places with multiple layers of seat belt webbing where it really helps. The reamer was used for making holes when patching canoes - sure something else could have been used but it sure made life faster/easier. I vote for keeping it on my knife even if it is no longer required for servicing a firearm.
My son worked on a walking stick and we drilled a lanyard hole with it. The fire starting trick is new to me, but I’m a big fan of Felix Immler. Thanks for mentioning him a second time. Hello Felix! If you have a multi tool it’s worth knowing the uses beyond the obvious. Awl of them.
“Awl of them” Knice!😎😁
Agreed, Felix Immler is a SAK genius!!
I have a Victorinox Pioneer that I got for Christmas in 1993, and I can't begin to tell you how many thousands of times I've used the awl on this knife. It's a surprisingly versatile and useful tool.
The alox soldier Victorinox is my go-to pocketknife. Apart from the standard blade, the awl is the most used tool on it. It will carve a surprisingly smooth hole in a piece of plastic, it is great for making a starter hole in a wall to start a screw and when whittling it is creating a hole in your work.
Thanks! I do a little leather tooling, and I've always wondered how to put sewing holes in the stuff. Now I know!
Great video and comments. A Marlin spike is not just for untying knots. When you work with rope you need to create loops - look up splicing a loop. Very handy and stronger than any knot or bend.
Good video. I use the reamer as a DIY tool frequently to quickly poke or drill holes often, followed by the corkscrew to loosen knots
I've actually used the awl reamer a fair number of times on my leatherman. From punching holes in C4 for a blasting cap (I didn't get the EOD super tool 300 it was more expensive), to drilling new holes in a porta-john door that got ripped off its hinges so I could zip tie it on I've found it worth having on my multitool.
Ok, you need to go into more detail.
It's handy to carve or punch holes, but I never used it for sewing, until this video I always wondered about the function of that hole, thanks for letting us know!
not on a victorinox but on my leatherman surge i found out the awl doubles as a tool for scribing straight lines and even draw to an extent on metal, as a mechanical engineer this makes it invaluable to me if i don't have any scribe or tracing tool of that nature at hand when i need them
Where the awl is positioned, makes all the difference. For me, the awl at the very top of the tool works the best. You can apply pressure and have more clearance overall. The SAK Farmer is a perfect example of this And my absolute favorite sak. It rides with me everyday. That awl is the best scraper for a firesteel, an awesome reamer for various materials--my favorite tool on there, hands down.
Totally agree! Having the awl at the end of the other two tools in this video was way nicer then the in handle one on the Hiker.
Totally agree with you.
Agreed. Awl needs to be on end. Ream in the middle. "Leverage needed' defines position.
@@zacinthewild yep. In-line all. Not used as a t-handle.
I wrote the same thing in my own comment (after you) giving the example of why I'd rate a Pioneer over a Cadet, which has a nailfile instead of an awl on the main blade layer, no competition. As it happens I have the Farmer and Farmer X, the saw is amazing and hardly adds much extra thickness or weight to the knife; and I just like the fact that they are based on the actual Soldier knife issued to the Swiss Army (a conscript army/militia btw so every Swiss man above a certain age is familiar with them) for the best part of half a century. Gives it some pedigree and plus I like military kit, but this is old school looking rather than tacticool.
I used it to de-burr holes. Mainly when drilling in plastic. I knew it was for sewing, but had no idea how. Cool video, thanks.
Stumbled on your channel. Great stuff. Love your thoroughness.
I appreciate the history lesson! I knew that the screwdriver on the Scout Knife pattern was for rifle disassembly/reassembly, but I was always mystified why the awl was there! I received my first Scout Knife middle of last year as a generous gift from an old friend- it was the first knife he had as a kid back in the 50’s. It was also my foray into multi tools, because I was able to do a surprising number of tasks with just the screwdriver tip. The awl on that knife only came in handy once. I had a Mason jar full of experimental stock that was starting to go bad, and when I tried to pour out the contents I found that the vacuum seal had the lid of the jar glued down. I jammed the awl into the lid well enough to pry it off. After the Scout Knife, I received a Japanese-made camp knife made in the 60’s from my dad- his very first knife ever. (It’s the one time I’ve ever cried receiving a gift, because I knew how much it meant to him.) The knife has a fork, spook, saw, scissors, wine label cutter, can and bottle opener, cork screw, file, awl, and reamer. The awl and reamer are two separate tools on that model. I challenged myself to use every tool at least once before the end of my first day owning the thing, and the best I could think of for the awl was to punch open a Capri Sun packet with a hilarious amount of authority. I never found a use for the reamer. Since I love the camp/hobo knife too much to risk damaging with regular use, I got a Victorinox Fieldmaster. That model comes with scissors and a saw, plus a screwdriver instead of a corkscrew. I carry the Fieldmaster daily. The only practical use I’ve found for the awl in my daily life is as a staple remover. If Victorinox ever dared to come out with a fresh new design, I’d love an office oriented SAK with a staple remover and a letter opener on the first top layer instead of the bottle opener/can opener. And for the record, when I say “letter opener” I don’t just mean a knife blade that can be used to open letters. A real-deal letter opener is much easier to use than a knife that wants to cut through everything it touches. “The right tool for the right job,” as the saying goes. Also, massive shoutout to the SOG PowerPint! After EDCing my Fieldmaster since November of last year, I started feeling the need for pliers. I went with the PowerPint because it has the best plier head size to overall compactness ratio. I’ve never once found the awl on it useful. (But for that matter, I really can’t fathom why so many multi tools have can openers, either.) It is my sincerest wish that a whole bunch of PowerPint owners would make a coordinated cyber bullying attack on SOG to bring the manufacturing of the model to the US, because it’s a brilliant design that’s hindered by shoddy craftsmanship. The engineers who thought it up were passionate geniuses, and the people who actually manufacture it are malcontents wage monkeys. The other possible replacement that comes to mind for the awl would be a tiny drill head. If the thing is supposed to drill holes, why not just make it a specialized tool? Because out of all of the functions on all of my multi tools, the sewing eye is far and away the least useful to me.
Epic sized comment! Thank you so much for sharing some of your history. I love the idea of bulling SOG with the PowerPint. 👊
You know the old saying: Brevity is the soul of wit.
Love the awl. I'm always poking, jabbing or drilling something. I also use it as a center punch when I need to drill. It also cleans under the nails and assists with splinters. But I assume the awl is dependent what your lifestyle is.
I use the awl constantly for digging out slivers, thorns, and misc burrs. It works so well that even when I'm at home, with all kinds of implements within easy reach, I always grab my SAK Farmer first. The one on the Tinker etc works almost as well. The other thing I've used them for, more on the Farmer, is getting tree stand step hooks started. If you can dig even a little hole just to help the threads catch, it will save a fair bit of time.
You pointed out how many uses people have been able to find with the awl. That in itself is the reason to keep it. The whole point to a swiss army knife is that it is a multi-tasking tool so that you can carry one tool instead of an entire tool kit. And the more versatile the tool, the better it helps in camping and survival. I've found the awl to help a lot with fixing things on the fly when holes needed to be punched or enlarged, and it is my favorite ferro rod striker (btw, there are much better ways to use it as a striker). And yes there are tools that do it better, but any full tool is better than the version in a multi-tool. The scissors spring breaks frequently, the 3 inch saw takes forever, and you get very little toque with the screwdriver. But in a pinch or a survival situation, it still does what you need without overloading yourself with extra gear
Back in the late 80's I joined the Boy Scouts for little while and my dad gave me a SAK that was similar to the Swiss Champ. Which I now own a current version of said knife. That being said, The awl is one of my favorite tools on the SAK is the awl. With it I can pick simple locks ( mostly paper towel dispensers, TP dispensers, office filing cabinets and fire proof safes boxes. )
60 years ago, I used to have a combo nail file that I used for picking TP locks, etc. Kept me from having to wait to beg TP from someone in next stall.
The only reason I went for a Victorinox Climber and not the Compact was the awl. For me it's a must. Do I use it daily? No. But enough to miss it. Just making a quick mark on wood on other material where to cut or drill when a carpenter pencil is to thick (or I'm to lazy to look for one 😉). For me, if there is one tool useless it's the parcel hook. But I bet there are a lot of people who wouldn't agree 😀
I would be surprised to find many parcel hook defenders😁. Using the awl as a scribe is genius👊
@@zacinthewild The parcel Hook is good... If you use Steel wire because it is a lot cheeper than Paracord And If you have a Tool Long enough you will find reasons to keep it;-)) Greatz from Germany and have a nice Day opo
As a leather craftsman and someone who used this tool multiple times during my army years; Still interesting to see it after so many years🙂
I used my awl yesterday to carve out the rough edges inside my bone (cow bone) guitar slide. Worked great!
Personally, the awl/reamer is extremely useful for me. I have a Pioneer X, which has it on one of the ends rather than at the back and it is an excellent tool to use when marking wood, which I do a lot when I'm doing work as a luthier, as pencils are not to be trusted. It is one of my most favourite tools, especially when positioned as it is on the Pioneer. That and I've also been losing weight, so the belt has had a few holes punched in with the awl.
Turns out I'm not the only one who used the awl for that💀
The difficulty with trying to replace the awl, at least in swiss army knives, is that it's a very low profile tool that can be put almost anywhere depending on the shape of the awl. One option could be to use the room for more substantial tweezers or a holder for a thin eyeglass screwdriver, but that's just what came to mind right away.
Great suggestions! With those knives specifically I can definitely see some design challenges.
This has always been one of my favorites, especially the ones with the really good edge on it
I think the awl is more often used to untie hard knots. Such as on tarps or tents, bundles, vehicle tie downs, or rigging.
Scraping without dulling a knife blade is a legit use. Victorinox could offer a custom shop and let us have choices for tools that would fit in each slot.
I honestly think that would be a game changer! Imagine all the cool specific variations that would pop up.
Thank you. And thank you for teaching me how to stitch.
You may not like the price but check out the newly released ASK mutlitool. Completely modular, premium materials. Been carrying one everyday for two months
For urban uses: make holes in the wood, even you can use it a hand drill in case you don't have a driller, the Victorinox is great for open boxes, also for making wholes on your leather belt. For outdoor uses also has many Felix Immler has a bunch of projects, includind wholes on the wood, scrape a ferrorod, making wholes in a can and as additional carving tool. The awl is another tool for every day carry
Great vid Zac. In my experience, I probably did a thousand holes in bamboo or other wood to be able to build whatever I needed when going out camping with the boy scouts here in mauritius.
Thank you, awl-knowing Zac. That was sinceriously vexed about what that thing on my Vic was for 25 years, let alone what it does.
I think multitools are about trying to cover as most bases you can in a small footprint. I prefer having a thicker more durable blade on a multitool, so an awl helps you make finer holes in a more controlled manner. I've used it a lot and i really like it.
Awesome and epic video as always thank you so much for making it ❤️👍
Well done video! The history is appreciated.
Hey Zac, I have a complet different perspective on the subject. First the awls on most multitools are to wide. But the victorinox one is just right. I do use the awl quiet often for punshing holes, predrilling holes for srews, making holes in wood and leather. I really find it quiet essential to a have on a pocketknife. It is on of the reason why I`m wearing a victorinox Trailmaster for every day carry. Man I love that tool. For sewing I find it is not so good, to wide. So please leave that awl on the sak.
Great video Zac and very well thought through - However I disagree!. For me the awl is one of my most used tools on my SAKs - and if I ever have a SAK EDC without one (Compact, Cadet, 58mm family etc), I always get caught out. Main use is for drilling holes - I do a lot of woodwork and DIY and it always drills my pilot holes. Also good scraper, or as a really tough 'blade' that you can't damage! And is also a better nail cleaner than the one on the metal file (and more common/accessible too of course)! I am also a big fan of the Wenger awl as sometimes you want an awl/pokey thing - that is not sharp!
Thanks for the quick sewing lesson. Super informitive.
I like using mine as a tape opener when I can to reserve my knife blade. I like that it's just a versatile shape that doesn't have a meaning. Ask any person what they use their awl for and you'll get very different answers... I hope it's never replaced because I think its main purpose is as an imagination sharpener.
My favourite SAK is the Huntsman. It is the whole package of utility that is important rather than how good each feature is. The "whole" is why it is worth carrying, and the rest is done using brain over brawn. If it was bigger or heavier then it wouldn't get carried all the time. Of course anyone that plans ahead might well take the tool box of the right tools for the job. The SAK Awl is one of the most useful tools on a SAK. Well, I use mine often enough, though not exactly what it was designed for. Life is just better when carrying a SAK.
yeah i changed from Huntsman to Ranger (a layer more for the metal saw) and sometimes i think "man, it is a bit to big for everydaycare... but i wont miss the metallsaw...
@@alfredocalzoni8161 I also own a Leatherman Charge TTi. It's too big and heavy for everyday and far too much to carry in a pocket; belt carry only. Great when you have planned and dressed for an adventure, but not so groovy for EDC. Often the two blade Excelsior is enough. Again, it is the Huntsman that does it for me; traditionally too as I am my son is fourth generation to carry one regularly. As my father said: "the corkscrew gets you into the best parties; they have the booze but not the bottle opener". It's so true. Nothing you can carry beats a full toolbox when there is real work to be done.
I also have EDC my Huntsman, literally every day since I got out of high school unless I'm behind security with metal detectors like a plane or courthouse. I got my first back in middle school, & it's the Boy Scout edition that has the BSA logo & a hook in place of the corkscrew. I'm not a wine person, never needed a corkscrew, but dammit if that hook hasn't saved my fingers, helped me grab a string, pulled a nut out of a crevice, or so many other 1-off things where I don't know how I'd have solved the problem without it. After many years, it did finally have an accident & broke; I bought another of the exact same model. Sewed my own Tandy Leather sheath for it, twice as well - eventually the belt loop tore on the first one. That's about 25 years with no regrets, only cut myself once! And yes, I'm an Eagle Scout.
I usey Awl for my work everyday. I'm thankful for it. Especially putting up P hooks at telephone poles or on the eve of a house. They start the hole so when I screw in the hook, it doesn't slip out. A knife could do it, but I'd just be ruining the tip. Also the Awl, while turning it and driving, gives a good circular start. I use it also for dry wall. I think it's a great tool for penetrating. Also, it has to be a locking Awl.. not a slip joint type Awl. 👍 Edit: I use a SOG Powerlock multi tool for my Ael needs.
Right on! It’s cool to see it in use in a trade on the daily🤘
Working in the trades, I've needed an awl about 5 or 6 times over the last 8 years and pretty randomly outside of work but it's worked great for what i needed it for
Dude I love the awl. Mostly used for putting speed holes in beer cans but have used it occasionally to punch holes in thick fabric for zip tie emergency sewing
Interesting vid! You know generally I hear of people complaining about the corkscrew on SAKs and other knives/tools being irrelevant, after that the old parcel/multi-purpose hook on the Victorinox 91mm SAKs (with scissor layers) comes in for a lot of flak. I rate the reamer and all my SAKs from 91mm upwards have them. Should point out that on larger SAKs - particularly the Soldier which is also the current German Army Knife (and was 4 years before the Swiss Army adopted it) - as well as my GAK, and of course my 93mm SAKs with that great inline awl - the awl is always without a hole. I'd say it makes sense on a knife with a woodsaw too, to enable you to drill the wood as well as saw it. I can't say I've used mine all that much but I've drilled clean holes in plastic (about 3mm thick) and wood (up to 2.5cm / 1 in thick) without any problems. Only a drill will do the job better. So yeah I think awls are pretty essential. They tend not to take up a lot of space either. Hence I wouldn't buy a Vic Cadet which has a nailfile on the main blade layer, the Pioneer/Farmer models have a sturdy and very capable inline awl in the same place, which can to some extent serve as a secondary blade too, as well as being great firesteel starters, much more utility than a nailfile imo.
Great SAK breakdown! If I had to choose between nail file and awl I would definitely choose awl!
The cadet is paper thin and weighs next to nothing and the new style nail file is nice. If I'm working outside I'll put the farmer on my belt but for going to town the cadet is nice. If only they would upgrade their steel a little.
@@davidjustice1848 Yep it's a great little SAK no doubt and with more utility than the Bantam alox
I build trails for a living and I use the awl on my Swiss Army knife pretty much every day… but only to clean off the zerks on my excavator before putting more grease in. Definitely not how it’s intended to be used but pretty handy overall
That is a rad use! What type of trails are you building?
Mountain bike… hiking… whatever the client wants! Love your content by the way man keep it up :-)
@@cowboydan9450 so cool! I’ve done a bit of BMX track building and mountains bike trail stuff. I’m sure nothing as rad as you but it’s fun work.
Zerk? You mean grease nipple right?
I broke my awl in the first few months of owning my leatherman free p4 because I’m a mechanic and I was using it as like a small pry bar and I didn’t know exactly how to use that specific tool and it worked great until it didn’t so thank you for that education on what the tool is used for
This is such a fun video! Great history and over view!!
To answer the question what tool should replace an awl, two questions have to be considered: 1. In which situation do in need which tool? 2. Is the replacement small enough to replace the tiny awl? As you already told in the video, the awl is sometimes useful at camping for drilling holes or making fire. So it is not the everyday usage. For that reason I think an awl can be still useful on a multitool you take with you for camping. On a folding knife that you carry with you everyday it could be replaced by something that can be useful in daily life. But the replacement has to be also quite tiny cause the awl does not take much space also. So scissors would be too big as a replacement for an awl. But people are often traveling in cars. So my idea is to replace the awl by a security tool for car accidents. This could be a security belt cutter or a glass breaker. These tools would not take more space than the awl and maybe they can be combined in one tool.
I'd guess that the most useless tool on a SAK is the corkscrew. How often are you going to come across a wild bottle of wine out in the wilderness and need something to open it with?
@@nowthatsjustducky a corkscrew can be also used as a marlin spike. Which is incredibly useful. Also it’s used for storage, you can put inside of it tinder, screwdrivers, bits, sawing needles, fire starter, magnets and whatnot. And you can also use it to connect your SAK to a branch of a tree and use the SAK as an improvised spear/long range saw/long range metal file and whatnot. The beauty of SAKs and why they will always outperform leathermans is in the users creativity. There are no useless tools, it all depends on your needs. However it’s really easy to find AT LEAST one use any person would appreciate them for. The storage thing should be enough for most people, IMO.
@@nowthatsjustducky My violin teacher used the corkscrew on his knife to fish dustbunnies out of violins. It's also good to get stuck stuff blocking holes out of holes. And to remember the direction of EM fields.
I think the most likely military use would be boot repairs in wartime conditions. Obviously you'd replace or properly repair damaged boots if that was an option but if you're behind enemy lines (or logistics have badly failed) and need to walk a long way over hard terrain then being able to stitch your damaged boot sole back on is going to be super useful.
Modern boots aren't designed to be stiched togeather like that though, it's all glue now.
@@TheAkashicTraveller If the sole detaches itself, it will be very hard to make it stick for long walks by gluing it back, unless you are able to do a proper shoemaker job on the field. I was able to repair my hiking boot in the mountain by making holes in the sole and threading a thin rope through them and then trough the laces. It survived around 10 km of mountainous, rocky terrain and then 5 more on streets until I got to a shop to buy a new one. And it was still holding perfectly fine when I threw away the boot !
@@nicolasdudermel1211 Stiched would make for a better repair sure but again modern boots aren't designed for that. Also the SAK awl is not a good choice for anything other than an emergency repair, it makes half centimeter long gouges for every stitch so expect to have to throw away whatever you repaired after you get back. There are shoe repair adhesives that you could use though it looks like the good ones have a long cure time so not great for a in the field repair. It's always best to check for damage and repair before leaving. The whole soles not going to fail unless it was already mostly gone anyway or just wasn't suitable for the use in the first place.
@@TheAkashicTraveller It wasn't a high quality boot and I had bought it 10 years before. The manager of a mountain lodge near where the shoe broke had glue and experience, he glued the shoe and we spent the night there. The next day, the repair only lasted for an hour before it unglued itself... I used a Victorinox SAK, and yes I agree that it would only be suitable for an emergency.
Great video keep them coming!
Used this to make some new belt holes in a few belts over a few years. Will be on holiday somewhere out at a cabin and it works
The awl is, as you demonstrated, quite versatile. You can use it as a general tool for many tasks that a knife blade is not good for or is dangerous to use. You can safely put a lot of pressure on the point or carve a tight inner curve. The most useless thing Victorinox puts in most knives is cork screw. I actually have a Vic that doesn't have a cork screw and does have pliers and scissors. And awl, of course. One very useful thing you could have instead of awl is the hook.
"The most useless thing Victorinox puts in most knives is cork screw"? So what do you use instead of a corkscrew? A sabre?
If I ever had to open a wine bottle in a place where the only available tool is a Victorinox, then it of course would be useful. Can't imagine that ever happening though.
I think the awl is great. I've been using it a lot lately for making holes in my leather belt, now that I have lost some weight. Sometimes I also use it for cleaning out small holes. The most useless tool on my knife used to be the corkscrew. But then I bought a mini screwdriver and replaced my old scales with plus scales. The plus scales have an additional slot for a ballpoint pen. So now the corkscrew holds my mini screwdriver and also I use the corkscrew as a pen extender. I open up the corkscrew, put the pen in the slot, bring the corkscrew back down and now the spring tension of the tool locks the pen in place , thus turning my knife into a pen handle so I can write more comfortably.
Agreed on the corkscrew as a great mini screwdriver holder🤘
The corkscrew is great for undoing stubborn knots as well
@@JohnB-dr8sk the knife is also excellent for that 😉
I have used the Awl to punch holes in a rubber matt for hanging over my tent, which had developed a leak. The matt did not include eyelets (being some scrap I found on the campsite in question) and the main blade didn't suit the job, the awl however worked perfectly.
I grew up in rural Siberia and a proper awl was one of the most essential tools, mainly for fixing footwear between seasons, e.g. adding felt for the winter. We used skinny hooked awls that sometimes bent. The one in the Victorinox is actually not ideal for that, you need something that makes a round hole - Wenger awls were better profile but didn't have the eye. If you're out in the wild and your shoe sole separates, you'll want to have something spiky that'll help stitch it.
The awl/reamer is the second most used tool on my victorinox. I’d be heartbroken if they were no longer included. And yes I’ve used the awl for many more functions than just sewing… I think you’ve missed a huge opportunity using the awl and understanding it’s other purposes…. It’s definitely a practical and functional tool
and yet you didn't list a single use
I've used my awl to sew the rubber sole back onto my work boots.. I use that same awl as a metal scribe and sheet metal punch.. works great 👍🏻
I use the awl a lot, whether for cleaning my nails, scraping something or using it to drill holes in wood to pilot a screw. The thing you should be wondering about is the can opener.
When camping I use the awl a lot, often use to make holes in sticks used for various things. Handy for cleaning small areas out, can repair some tears as well with it, although I also usually carry a sail cloth needle with me for that kind of stuff.
Good video. To strike a fero rod I use the back of my saw blade. The awl is nice to do holes, as you pointed out. It's very good for cutting the plastic on products in clamshell type packages, and it works well to cut the tape on cardboard boxes that deliveries come in. If I didn't have a saw blade to strike a fero rod on, I'd make sure the back of the screw driver-bottle opener had a 90 degree angle, that way I keep my awl nice and sharp.
Great video, nicely presented, thanks.
When I was in my teens, camping with scouts for a week, the sole of my shoe came off at the heel. My scout master pulled out the awl and heavy thread, and stitched the sole through the foot bed of the shoe. These are the type of needs that would end a trip until shoes could be found otherwise. Torn backpack straps, canteen carriers, and a number of other thick material at high stress attachment points apply as well.
Bit late to the video but I definitely have had a sewing awl save my camping trip. We had a zipper rip entirely out of a tent in a wind storm above treeline. Floss plus a Victorinox saved the day.
hey Guys, Your content attracts some really interesting and helpful comments. I suspect this is because of the audience this channel attracts, and the massive amount of research and care you put into scripting, production and editing.
It's my go to EDC tool for opening that retail clamshell/blister plastic packaging. I use it about 10 times a day (I work in a retail store, and am too lazy to get the shears every time I need to open the stuff)
Hi Zac, thx for the vid. Glad, your re back. As a Swiss Army knife lover you should check out Daily Custom Scales 😎.
this is really helpfull for us that ride motorcycles, soft luggage usualy is made from thick materials, this could be a really good field repair!
I LOVE the awls on my knives and they get used regularly! The soldirr knife is my fave.