What Is an Awl? Uses, Types and Multi-Tools That Have One

On most pocket tools, the awl is the blade people can’t name: a stubby spike built for push-and-twist force that would snap a knife tip. Shopping? See which multi-tools and Swiss Army knives have a real awl, checked against the makers’ spec pages.

What is an awl used for?

An awl forces material apart instead of slicing through it, so the hole is less likely to tear. It also saves your knife: a knife’s tip is the weakest point of the blade and chips under the pressure an awl is built for.

• Belt and strap holes, the most common multi-tool job (steps below).
• Stitching leather, webbing and canvas, if the awl has a sewing eye or thread loop.
• Pilot holes that keep a screw straight and help stop thin wood from splitting.
• Scratching marks on wood, plastic or sheet metal that won’t rub off.
• Picking grit and corrosion out of screw threads, slots and (disconnected) electrical contacts.
• Cracking the skin of ice on a water pot without risking your knife, a regular job when camping in winter.

What are the different types of awl?

The tip tells you the job: a round point pushes fibers apart, a chisel tip cuts them, and an eye carries thread.

Awl vs bradawl: what’s the difference?

Every bradawl is an awl, but not every awl is a bradawl. Collins defines a bradawl as “an awl used to pierce wood, leather, or other materials for the insertion of brads, screws, etc.” Its tip is a small flat chisel edge, not a round point.

Set the edge across the grain, push, and twist back and forth. The edge cuts the fibers instead of wedging them apart, so the wood is less likely to split.

So, for the quiz question:

• Bradawl: sharpened chisel tip, made to puncture timber, leather and cork. Correct.
• Nail punch: blunt tip, struck with a hammer to sink nail heads. It doesn’t make holes.
• Calipers and dividers: measuring and marking tools. Dividers have sharp points, but they aren’t made to puncture.
• All of these answers are correct: no.

Which multi-tools and Swiss Army knives have a real awl?

Fewer than you’d think. Many newer designs swapped the awl for another driver, and only some add the sewing eye you need to stitch. We checked each maker’s US product page and listed only tools on sale.

Also on sale with an awl: the Leatherman Surge (thread loop) and Bond (plain); the Victorinox Fieldmaster, Climber, Camper, Hiker and Tinker (sewing awl); and the Gerber Armbar Drive (plain).

Does a Swiss Army knife have an awl?

Most do. The Victorinox 91 mm knives we checked (Spartan, Tinker, Hiker, Camper, Climber, Huntsman and Fieldmaster) all list a “reamer, punch and sewing awl”: one blade that pierces, widens holes and carries thread through a sewing eye.

The exceptions: some aluminum Alox models, such as the Pioneer X Alox, list only “reamer, punch”, with no eye, and the 58 mm Classic SD has no awl. Most Swiss Army reamers don’t lock open, so push straight along the blade. More in our best Swiss Army knife guide and Leatherman vs Victorinox.

How do you punch a new hole in a belt with an awl?

1. Take the belt off and lay it face up on a scrap of wood.
2. Mark the new hole on the center line, spaced like the existing holes.
3. Push the awl straight down through the mark, twisting back and forth.
4. Flip the belt and work the awl in from the back until the hole matches the others; deeper means bigger.
5. Trim loose fibers with your knife.

On a thick belt, open the hole in stages from both sides. If you do this often, a rotary leather punch is faster.

How do you sew with a multi-tool awl?

An awl with an eye sews a lockstitch, the same stitch a dedicated sewing awl makes: thread from the eye and a loose tail lock together inside each hole, so one broken stitch is less likely to unravel the seam. Use strong thread that fits the eye, such as waxed thread or dental floss.

1. Thread the eye and mark holes about 1/4 in (6 mm) apart along the seam.
2. Push through the first hole and pull a tail out the back as long as the seam plus about 3 in. Withdraw the awl; the thread stays in the eye.
3. Push through the next hole, then back out about 1/2 in so the thread forms a loop on the back.
4. Pass the tail through the loop, pull the awl out, and snug both threads.
5. Repeat to the end. At the last hole, pull 2 to 3 in of thread to the back, cut it, and tie the ends in a square knot.

Safety for both jobs:

• Back the material with scrap wood, never your palm or thigh: an awl keeps going when it breaks through.
• Push away from your body, other hand out of the point’s path.
• Know whether yours locks. Leatherman says the Signal’s and Rebar’s tools lock; most Swiss Army reamers don’t.

Which multi-tool with an awl should you buy?

How we chose: Our writers have reviewed most of these over the years, and each has a full review here. For this October 2026 update (edited by Brian Hamilton), we re-checked every pick on the maker’s site, dropped the retired Leatherman Juice CS4, and added the Rebar and Spartan.

Price bands at the maker’s US list price, October 2026: $ under $50 · $$ $50 to $100 · $$$ over $100.

1. Leatherman Signal: Best for camping and survival

Leatherman built the Signal for the backcountry and gave it a proper awl with a thread loop. It punches right through leather and thin wood, and the thread hole pulls thread through cleanly, so a belt notch or backwoods tailoring is a quick job. A ferro rod, whistle, hammer and sharpener round it out.

Key specs: 4.5 in closed · 7.5 oz · 19 tools · awl w/ thread loop · $$$

Pros

• Thread-loop awl that locks open
• Ferro rod, whistle and sharpener built in
• Knife and saw open one-handed from outside

Cons

• Sharpener isn’t good enough for regular use
• Proprietary bit size
• Ferro rod wears out quickly

Skip it if: you only need an awl for the odd belt hole; the Spartan does that for far less. More in our Leatherman Signal review and best survival multi-tools.

Check price on Amazon

2. Leatherman Rebar: Best everyday plier tool

The simplest way to get Leatherman’s thread-loop awl on a full-size plier tool, and the awl is one of the things we love about it: the loop pulls cord back through whatever you’ve punctured. At 6.7 oz it’s lighter than the Signal, with two knives and a saw.

Key specs: 4 in closed · 6.7 oz · 17 tools · awl w/ thread loop · $$

Pros

• Thread-loop awl, and every tool locks
• Replaceable wire and hard-wire cutters
• Lightest Leatherman in our table

Cons

• No scissors
• Tools only reachable with the pliers open
• File clogs on soft materials

Skip it if: you want scissors; the Surge has the same awl plus scissors, at 12.5 oz. More in our Leatherman Rebar review.

Check price on Amazon

3. Victorinox Spartan: Best budget

The cheapest real awl from a major maker: a reamer with a sharpened edge for widening holes and a sewing eye for stitching, on a 2.1 oz knife. The Huntsman adds scissors and a saw with the same awl.

Key specs: 3.6 in closed · 2.1 oz · 12 functions · reamer, punch and sewing awl · $

Pros

• Lightest, cheapest sewing awl in our table
• Sewing eye for lockstitch repairs
• Reamer edge widens holes cleanly

Cons

• Reamer doesn’t lock open
• No pliers or scissors
• Has knife blades, so it can’t fly in carry-on

Skip it if: you need pliers; get the Rebar or Signal. More in our Victorinox Spartan review.

Check price on Amazon

4. Gerber Center-Drive: Best for building and trade work

Built for contractors, with a distinctly triangular awl. In our review it proved better for puncturing and scoring building materials than leather, though it still scribes and starts screws well. The main draw is the 3.2 in center-axis bit driver, which lines up like a real screwdriver.

Key specs: 4.7 in closed · 9.5 oz · awl (no eye) · made in USA · $$$

Pros

• Triangular awl suits wood and building materials
• Center-axis bit driver
• Nail puller lifted a standard nail in our test

Cons

• No sewing eye, and less suited to leather
• Heaviest pick at 9.5 oz
• Ruler too short to be useful

Skip it if: you want the awl for gear and leather repairs; pick the Signal or Rebar. More in our Gerber Center-Drive review.

Check price on Amazon

More options: our best Leatherman multi-tools and best camping multi-tool guides.

What else do people ask about awls?