- Joined
- Dec 13, 2005
- Messages
- 6,105
I don't really get as obsessive about my pocket knives as I do my fixed blades, but I am still quite picky about what goes in my pocket. After going through a many kinds of traditional slipjoints, some liner locks, and a couple of SAKs, I stumbled upon the Vic Farmer. So far it has proven to be what is, for me, the best all-around pocket knife I could hope for.
It's got a great selection of tools on it, but one that I end up using at least as much as the blade itself is the awl. I've had one on other blades, like the Camillus military slipjoint, and this one is another excellent performer. It seems odd that this tool is so seldom mentioned around here, given its utility for so many different tasks.
A primary use is obviously as a leather working tool, at which it certainly excels. Even with access to several tools, I often reach for my simple SAK awl to stitch a hole or pull a string through.
Firesteel scrapers? End the debate, the awl wins. It's got a sharp edge, perfect size scraping area, and a large built in handle. No more gnawing through the skin on my fingers when using a hacksaw piece, and no buggering up the spine of the main blade (rare, but hey...).
Woodwork? It's perfect for drilling small holes, which happen to be of perfect diameter to accept some 550 cord. Just this morning I drilled a piece of fatwood for attachment to a firesteel, and the hole looks better than if a powerdrill had done it. Obviously there are numerous bushcraft/woodworking uses for a good, simple hole.
How about pulling out small splinters and thorns? Or digging/probing in smaller depths of ground? Need to scrape the outer bark off a piece of wood into fuzzy, light-able portions? Too lazy to carve a quick skewer to pick up hot food with? Trying to undo that incredibly stubborn knot? Losing weight oddly rapidly on the trail and need to tighten up that belt?
Enter the awl, that most versatile and often underrated tool.
It's got a great selection of tools on it, but one that I end up using at least as much as the blade itself is the awl. I've had one on other blades, like the Camillus military slipjoint, and this one is another excellent performer. It seems odd that this tool is so seldom mentioned around here, given its utility for so many different tasks.
A primary use is obviously as a leather working tool, at which it certainly excels. Even with access to several tools, I often reach for my simple SAK awl to stitch a hole or pull a string through.
Firesteel scrapers? End the debate, the awl wins. It's got a sharp edge, perfect size scraping area, and a large built in handle. No more gnawing through the skin on my fingers when using a hacksaw piece, and no buggering up the spine of the main blade (rare, but hey...).
Woodwork? It's perfect for drilling small holes, which happen to be of perfect diameter to accept some 550 cord. Just this morning I drilled a piece of fatwood for attachment to a firesteel, and the hole looks better than if a powerdrill had done it. Obviously there are numerous bushcraft/woodworking uses for a good, simple hole.
How about pulling out small splinters and thorns? Or digging/probing in smaller depths of ground? Need to scrape the outer bark off a piece of wood into fuzzy, light-able portions? Too lazy to carve a quick skewer to pick up hot food with? Trying to undo that incredibly stubborn knot? Losing weight oddly rapidly on the trail and need to tighten up that belt?
Enter the awl, that most versatile and often underrated tool.
