A bradawl is a woodworking hand tool with a small blade resembling that of a straight screwdriver, set into a wood or plastic handle. It is used to make a small starting indentation, or pilot mark, in wood or another material ahead of driving a nail or screw, easing the fastener in and helping keep it running true; the name groups it among awls generally, any small pointed hand tool used to pierce or mark a starting hole.
Facts
Open Questions
Introduced When (Circa)Not established by the sources consulted
The bradawl is documented in an early-20th-century encyclopedia entry as one of the awls, small pointed hand tools generally, but no source consulted fixes a first-use date for the tool itself. OriginThe bradawl's blade is set across the wood's own fibres and pressed to cut them, then twisted a quarter turn to displace the fibres into a hole rather than bore one outright, which helps keep the wood from splitting along the grain ahead of a nail or screw. 1 Connections
Used In
Bradawl is used in Woodworking.
Sources
1. Bradawl (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationPurpose section, full paragraphQuote, Purpose section, full paragraph
A bradawl is used to make indentations in wood or other materials in order to ease the insertion of a nail or screw. The blade is placed across the fibres of the wood, cutting them when pressure is applied. The bradawl is then twisted through 90 degrees which displaces the fibres creating a hole. This cutting action helps to prevent splitting of the wood along the grain.
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