A birdcage awl is a tool with a thin shaft with a four sided tip. It was originally used for drilling small holes in thin strips of wood for threading wire to make a birdcage. I use one for marking centers for woodturning projects. A few twists of the handle sure beats pounding with a mallet! It is also a handy tool for marking or making starting holes for screws or nails. The sharp ends of a birdcage awl act like a reamer to cut away wood. This is a fast and fun project and makes a great gift for anyone with a toolbox!

Pick a shape you think would be comfortable in your hand. Make a straight handle for an ice pick variation.

• Dry hardwood blank: 1 1/2” to 2” square and 3 ½” to 5” long based on your design preference.
• K & S Precision Metals Music Wire, Spring Steel, 0.156 in. Dia, PK7, 5/32" x 36" (508) available from hobby shops, hardware stores, or from Amazon. This is a high carbon spring steel, very hard.
• Another shaft option is a 4mmx4mmx200mm HSS blank from Amazon (makes two shafts) or even use a 5/32” drill bit burying the flutes into the handle.
• Ferrule of copper pipe, or pipe coupler or brass plumbing fitting.
• Epoxy glue.

1. Round the handle blank between centers using a spindle roughing gouge or skew. Turn a tenon on one end to fit your scroll chuck.

2. Mount the blank in your chuck and use a parting tool to size the handle to length. Use a parting tool or skew with a planing cut to turn a small tenon on the end to fit the ferrule. Use the ferrule to mark the length of the tenon and add perhaps an extra 1/16” so the tenon will just sit proud of the ferrule even after any sanding.

1. Size the handle tenon to the ferrule. “Sneak up” on sizing the tenon so you will have a snug fit. After a good fit, use a little epoxy to secure the ferrule if necessary.
2. Shape the handle as you see fit with a spindle gouge. Carefully shape the handle to the edge of ferrule for a smooth transition. A bead here is an attractive feature.
3. Drill the hole for the steel shaft about 1” deep using a drill chuck in the tail stock with an appropriate size twist drill bit to match your shaft. A 5/23” drill bit gives me a snug fit for the 5/32” music wire shaft and I can avoid using glue. Or drill 1/64” larger than shaft size to allow room for epoxy.  
4. Sanding through the different grits up to 240 I find sufficient for a tool handle. Add any embellishments like a burned ring. Sand the ferrule to polish it up. Do not reuse the sandpaper on the handle as the black oxides from the metal can stain your wood!

Cut Music wire or 4mm square HSS blank about 4” long with a Dremel rotary tool with cut off wheel or a 4” angle grinder. A hacksaw will just skate off the music wire because of the hardness! Glue in the shaft with epoxy and let the glue dry before sharpening. Grind the point with a tapered, square pyramid shape from the point back about 3/4″. If the shaft is not HSS, keep quenching to avoid bluing and losing the temper. I like to use a belt sander, but the side of a CBN wheel is an option. Avoid grinding the taper to the final point but make a micro bevel point using a diamond hone to avoid bluing the steel. You can skip the bird cage awl grind if you are just making an ice pick!

Use your choice of finish. I typically use a couple of coats of Antique Oil or wipe on poly applying off the lathe. Another alternative traditional finish is boiled linseed oil and beeswax finish. Use a wine cork to protect the tip. Enjoy using your handcrafted awl!