Willie,<br><br>I'll take your word for it about the beeswax! But I don't carry it with me and I don't think I've ever used it on thread that I can recall. FWIW, the time's I've had to use my awl in the boonies, it was for repairs to pack straps and the like. Nylon with nylon thead (parachute rigging repair thread from the rigger's shop; I only have a little bit, and don't ask <g>). My alternative repair thread is dacron (not dacron covered cotton) - both of which are fairly impervious to mild acids anyway. My next alternative is floss, which I think is linen (? someone help me out here - I don't carry the synthetic floss) and perhaps that would be a no-no - I don't really know. As most leather (certainly not all) is "acid tanned", I dunno what diff that might make over the long haul when repairing leather - not any kind of expert here. <shrug> the only beeswax I would have with me in the field would be whatever SnoSeal I might scrape up off my boot welt. Have not sewn with sinew, but it's one of those things I aim to try "just for the fun of it" sometime.<br><br>As for the awl itself - that does ot seem to be too far off on price - I think I saw them elsewhere a few days ago for around $12. Replacement needles seem to be awfully expensive everywhere I check, though, and I'm "in the market" for several of those.<br><br>As I mentioned, I have carried that awl for many years and have only needed to use it a few times - but boy, did I need it! (Or someone else in my party did). Pre-multi tools I used to carry, among onther things, a pair of needle nose pliers, and once I had to make a field repair using needles and thread, a thimble, and the pliers - I think I still have the scars from that one - broke a couple of needles, too. Dad's gear, we were 35 miles into trackless wilderness, and a week after we got back, an awl showed up in the mail from him - I've lugged it on every trip since then. Bulky little rascal, tho.<br><br>As for the rest of your questions, I'm an innocent bystander, honest! I'm barely competent enough to sew a button back on by hand or patch up some busted gear by hand. Back in the house, I can do workman-like stuff with a sewing machine, but it ain't pretty. When in doubt, run another line of stitches and back stitch everything... leans towards ugly but stout. That's all I know about the topic.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom<br><br>