What Is The Awl Tool On A Leatherman For?

If you appreciate quality and all-around usability, you generally can't go wrong with the U.S.-made Leatherman multi-tools. Considering that Leatherman offers a variety of pocket tools in its catalog (there are approximately 25), chances are you'll find something that perfectly reflects your needs in the field or in the garage. However, a model may come with as many as 20 tools in a single package, so there's also a real possibility at least one of them won't make all that much sense to you. For instance, some Leathermans include a circle tool meant to serve as an anchor point for attaching carabiner clips, but its use isn't very clear to many. Same thing with the awl tool (one that looks like a tiny knife) found on Leatherman Surge or Leatherman Arc models. What is the awl on a Leatherman for?

It's not a secondary knife. Rather, an awl is a pointed tool for making or widening holes in harder materials. It can be super effective at puncturing leather, canvas, plastic, and even wood. As such, you can use the awl in your Leatherman multi-tool to make stitching holes or create attachment points for threads, and in woodworking, mark new drilling points. While you could theoretically do the same with a knife, awls are much better because they puncture holes of a more appropriate diameter. A knife, on the other hand, will likely damage the material or create a hole that's too large.

Just because a Leatherman awl has its intended use, it doesn't mean you can't repurpose it for something else. In one Reddit thread where a user was confused by the awl in their multi-tool, one of the commenters suggested it can also be used as a replacement for eating utensils in a pinch. It doesn't end there, as one Redditor shared they used an awl for deburring (removing sharp edges) and scraping.

Others found even more interesting uses. One commenter shared an anecdote about using an awl to fix a stuck sensor in a grease pump by hammering it into the sensor, then twisting it out like a screw. Multiple people also gravitate toward the awl for opening boxes and packages, adding that it helps avoid damaging their primary knife. Interestingly, one commenter found that the awl tool is effective for striking a ferro rod – a potentially life-saving piece of tech for camping and general bushcraft.

In another thread, a crafty user explained how this underrated tool can also untangle hard knots, along with a few other ideas. For instance, repositioning bolts in bolt rails and even stripping wires. Nonetheless, many others said it's one of the least-used tools in their utility knife, and they almost never reach for it when something needs fixing. It certainly explains why there's so much confusion surrounding awls in general.