Axminster Rider Round Blade Awl with Hornbeam Handle

SKU: BRI-103873 | Square Blade Awl with Hornbeam Handle

Also referred to as a Birdcage awl, the business end of the blade tapers to a fine point with a square in cross-section. As the original name suggests, it was used in the making of wooden birdcages, employed to make small hole in thin sections without splitting the wood.

The Birdcage awl is perfect for making starter holes for screws or nails. The fine point makes accurate placement easy. The sharp edges of the square section sever the wood fibres rather than compressing them. Twisting the awl back and forth reams the hole deepening and enlarging it, until it is the required size.

The Axminster Rider square bladed awl has a handle made from dense European hornbeam, sanded smooth and given a light oil finish. The pear shaped handle sits comfortably in your palm; a small flat on the back prevents the awl from rolling off the bench. Each handle ends in a polished stainless steel ferrule. The blade is hardened and tempered chrome-manganese alloyed steel, and approximately 100mm long.

Key Features

• Quick and simple method pre-drilling starter holes for screws
• Fine point for accurate placement
• Square blade severs wood fibres, reaming and enlarging hole
• Smooth pear shaped hornbeam handle for control
• Chrome-manganese alloyed steel blade 100mm long