A leather awl opens stitch holes cleanly so a needle and thread can pass through. It is used alongside a pricking iron — the iron marks the position and spacing, the awl opens each hole fully just before stitching. A diamond awl blade is the standard choice for saddle stitching on vegetable-tanned leather. It must be kept sharp to part leather fibres cleanly rather than tearing them.
In hand leatherwork, the pricking iron marks the stitch spacing, the awl opens each hole to allow needle and thread to pass, and the stitching chisel cuts a clean slot rather than piercing. They work in sequence: mark spacing with the iron, open each hole with the awl just before stitching it, then saddle stitch through immediately. On thinner leather, the pricking iron often creates the full hole without needing an awl at all.
A pricking iron sets the stitch spacing and hole profile for all hand stitching. The two main styles are French (rounded hole, classic appearance) and diamond (angled slot, more pronounced stitch angle). Spacing — typically 3mm to 4mm for most hand leatherwork — should match the leather weight and thread size.