A couple of my tools

The first one is a Craftsman Scratch Awl I picked up at a garage sale for a couple of bucks, with the immediate intention of using for a marlinspike. It was the first victim of my fancywork in many a year, and I followed Vince Brennans'Over Two Covering for an Awl or Spike Shaft. I added the turks head around the handle to make it look pretty (and to practice tying one around something besides my fingers, and just the other day finished it all up with a shave, a haircut and two bits worth of superglue after I tied the other TH.

Superglue is a cotton lines best friend.

I found a set of sailmakers tools offered on The Ebay one time and lucky me, not only did I have the winning bid, but I had the money to pay for them, too. Maybe, just maybe, if I am feeling particularly generous sometime I will disclose my seller's name, because he has some dynamite stuff at firecracker prices!
Anyway, item number two this evening is a cute little "pricker" that I worked a covering on although I am yet to clap the end of the line onto it (i'll probably just seize it on like the awl above.

Cute, isn't it? It's marked Made in USA, but has no makers name on it. This tool undoubtedly spent years on a sailmakers's bench












Here is my Japanese Marlinspike bought from Brion Toss Yacht Riggers. The covering is kinda cheap so one of these days I'l redo it. The turks head is made from tarred marline.

Some guys say they wouldn't use a Japanese Marlinspike to clean their dogs teeth, but I like it.











And finally, this delightful summer evening here in Western Alaska, another pricker- this one a long 5 inches, from that set of sailmakers tools (I'll lay all of them out one day to show you).

This one is marked GILCHRIST

The covering came out good, I will finish it off with one or two turksheads and tie off one of the strands to the handle.

And here they are, all dressed up with no place to go...