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DIY Narrow Awl / Drill

Author: Badmin

I made a tiny three-sided awl out of a few dollars' worth of O1 tool steel, using a simple wood jig to grind three even facets before heat-treating and tempering the tip. The handle is scrap hickory with a copper pipe ferrule, and I deliberately tapered it slightly so pressing down and twisting between your hands works like a miniature hand drill. It's small, cheap, and genuinely useful for starting screw holes or marking a line without a separate marking tool.

Watch the full build on YouTube.