# Marking Knife/Gauge Use



## dhg (Mar 27, 2008)

I could have put this thread in another forum, but I thought while your drinking your morning coffee or after the shop lights have been turned off and your sitting there with an adult beverage, you could ponder this and help answer a question for me.

I've seen many plans to make your own knife or gauge and thought they look neat with the exotic woods and brass but when would I use one. I use a sharp pencil and occasionally will use a utility knife to score across grain when I know tear out will be a problem, but other than that it's just a pencil.

How often or when do you use marking knives or gauges or like me a utility knife?

Thanks for the imput

Rich


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## Julian (Sep 30, 2008)

I use my homemade marking knife quite often. It's invaluable when marking dovetails. It produces a much finer line than a pencil, so it is a bit easier to get exact cuts.

I made this one using a scrap of curly bubinga, and an old 1/2" spade bit.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

The marks made do not rub off. That can be both bad and good. As Julian pointed out, the knife is great for marking dovetails and the scored line can be made more visible by rubbing some chalk dust on the wood.

I use the marking gauge for re-sawing on the band saw. By scoring a line along the edge of the stock, it provides a visual reference for making the cut and the gauge is a lot quicker than a pencil and a combo square or other measuring device.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

the marking gauge works much better/easier/faster on the edge of boards (resawing/joinery marks), and the line a blade produces is much finer and easier to follow and see than a pencil line.

*Julian* - that's an awesome idea for making a knife…


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

I like to use my pocket knife…the kind that holds a utility knife blade. 
On not so fine work, I use the corner of a brick.


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## dhg (Mar 27, 2008)

Thanks Julian, I think I'll try the drill bit, I know I have a couple of old bits laying in the bottom of the drill box.


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## Ernest1 (Oct 26, 2007)

Gene, do you have to sharpen that brick very often?


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## chriswright (Nov 13, 2008)

I made a marking knife useing a piece of cherry and ground the blade from an old jointer knife. The HSS holds an edge great, just don't drop it if you have concreate floors, I had to re-grind the tip. Knives or an awl and a marking gauge are great for marking a nice sharp, clean line that won't rub off. The only problem I've run into with them, and I'm sure my fellow jocks can agree, is that if you're marking porous woods (i.e. oak), the point will have a tendency to stray and you have to go back and re-mark.

If you look at antique furniture, you can see where the builder used a marking knife or gauge to marke the dovetails and such, the scratches go the full height of the drawer side for example, if you want to build an antique replica, it adds that little extra touch, you can leave the scratchs as well as a kind of homage to the craftsman of old.


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## dhg (Mar 27, 2008)

Well after diligently using a utility knife as a marking knife for the last few months to try and answer my own question, I came to the conclusion that I wanted a real one so yesterday I made my own.

Taking Julians tip (thank you) about using a spade bit as the knife blank I came up with the knife thats below. it's about 6 1/2" long and used a 3/8" bit. I left the square on the end to avoid rolling off the bench.



Thank you all for your input.

Rich


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

That is a great answer to your own question!


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