What is the primary use of a scratch awl?

The primary use of a scratch awl is to make a pilot hole. A scratch awl is a pointed tool that is specifically designed to create a small indentation or hole in a material, which helps guide other tools, like drills, when starting holes. This is especially useful in woodworking or metalworking, where precision is important to avoid damaging the material or misaligning subsequent drilling. By making a pilot hole with a scratch awl, you can ensure that screws or nails will be placed accurately and with less resistance, which can also help to prevent splitting of the material being worked with.

In contrast, while driving screws, measuring distances, and cutting materials are important tasks in installation work, they are handled by different tools specifically designed for those functions. Therefore, the role of a scratch awl in making pilot holes is what distinguishes it and underlies its significance in various installation tasks.