The Shenandoah Awl, from Shenandoah Toolworks, is a birdcage awl with a shaft hand-forged and twisted from 01 steel with a Rockwell hardness of 62. The tip is sharpened for use in starting and boring holes which the square shank then widens through repeated twisting. Each Shenadoah Awl handle is personally hand-turned from a solid block of figured hardwood. They are available in a variety of hardwood species, including padauk, tiger maple, bubinga and walnut, at a price of $54.99. The company will also take requests for specific hardwoods; price may vary depending on the availability and cost of materials