Marking Gauge & Marking Knife

Since deciding to venture into woodworking, I decided that I want to make as many of my tools as I could, hoping to learn as I go. This is my second project since joining Lumberjocks. I’ve spent many years using power tools and doing general construction type carpentry, so I have some knowledge of the basic fundamentals, but still have so much to learn.

The marking gauge is made from a piece of recovered Oak that I have left over from my last project. I still haven’t decided on how to secure it yet, either a wedge like I’ve seen on Japanese style gauges or I’ll inlay a piece of brass in the top and use a knurled screw. Not sure how Oak will do with holding threads. I guess this still somewhat a work in progress, although it does function as it is. I may also change the cutting blade to a fit on the end. I am currently using an old Jigsaw blade, which I think need to be re-worked to a blunter angle.

The Marking Knife was made from an old chisel I found in one of my tool boxes. I was looking around for something to make a marking knife from when I ran cross an old chisel buried in the bottom of an old tool box still packed up from our big move two years ago. I was planning to make a wooden handle for it, but as I was grinding down on my bench grinder I decided to just leave the tang in tact and shape it up a bit. It’s a little short, but it will work just fine for now. The finish is still a bit flawed too, but I ran out of sandpaper before I could finish fully lapping it, so I just hit it with the Dremel and a little rouge and called it done.

-- Rob - Learning... one mistake at a time...