That $12 awl from the hardware store is now my favorite tool

I used to think you needed a fancy bookbinding awl, spent $40 on one and it kept slipping. Last month I grabbed a cheap awl from the hardware aisle in Seattle for $12 just as a backup. The handle is actually grippier and the point is way sharper, my holes are cleaner now. Anyone else found a random tool that beats the specialty stuff they bought first?

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1 Comment

joseph_green1314h ago

And that's the thing, the specialty stuff often has a narrow design that only works one way. The cheap one is usually more forgiving, better balance or whatever. I had a similar thing with a small metal ruler. Paid like $3 for it at a thrift store, use it way more than my $30 one from the craft store. The cheap one has a clearer edge, doesn't slide around as much when I mark stuff.