Had to choose between a Japanese screw punch and an awl for punching signatures on a 300-page cookbook project.

I was binding a family cookbook, about 300 pages on decent paper. My old awl was getting dull and making rough holes. A friend who does a lot of leatherwork swore by his Japanese screw punch for clean, consistent holes, but it's a pricier tool. I went with the screw punch, and honestly, the difference was huge. The holes were so clean and even, it made sewing way smoother. But now I'm curious, for those of you who do a lot of text blocks, what's your go-to punching method for bigger projects? Is the awl good enough if you keep it sharp, or is an upgrade worth it?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_simon20d ago

Honestly, it's just holes for thread. A sharp awl has worked for centuries and gets the job done fine. I'd save the money for more paper or a nice cover material instead.

morgan_ramirez20d ago

You know, I used to feel the exact same way about pricking irons. What changed your mind on them? I got a cheap set to try and realized how much faster it is when all the holes line up perfectly every time, plus the spacing is just cleaner. Still love my awl for some jobs, but for making a whole book those irons save me a ton of fussing around.

olivia_harris1919d ago

Yeah "it's worked for centuries" is the kind of thing people say about every new tool. I heard the same when I switched from a kitchen knife to a proper chef's knife.