What do you like in a marking knife

Re: What do you like in a marking knife

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI


>My Hock marking knife is about 3/4" wide and 6 or 7 inches long with a double bevel. It has great steel and is very sharp. How sharp is it? Well, I was running it along a straight edge once without being very careful and cut off the very tip of my finger and didn't feel a thing. It bled for a while before I was able to stop the bleeding. I like the knife, now I am just being more careful. Not having a double bevel on a knife is frustrating to me. Instead of just picking up the knife and using it, with one bevel I need a pair of knives and then I have to decide which one to use. It's not much, but it is just one of those little things. I like having the knife big enough that I can hold it. The times when I actually need a small knife to get into very small areas to mark are practically non-existent.

Re: What do you like in a marking knife

Jack Guzman from Maine


>I like a double bevel.(not as in a knife but both bevels on the same side)Another thing is narrowness.A marking knife has to be thick enough not to flex but narrow enough to fit in tight spots.I use a Chester tool works knife and find it ideal for most marking.I believe Dave Jeske makes one similar but I haven't actually handled one.Exacto knive are thin but flex too easily.I only use one when I have a real narrow spot that nothing else will fit into.A knife edge wanders too easily. ---Just my observations,I'm no expert.---Jack

Re: What do you like in a marking knife

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)


>Phil

There are many varieties of marking knives that may be used, each depending on the type of task involved. For example, heavy blades for scoring deep lines across the grain, fine and thin blades for marking inside dovetails, and awls for marking with the grain.

I prefer double bevel blades, but have both types. Some of my favourite knives are Japanese. At the same time I have made a good many marking knives, mostly for friends and some for myself.

Here are a few marking knives I made.

Awl and marking knife set, both made from a spade bit

These are for dovetails: top is Tasmanian Blackwood, lower is Jarrah, and at the bottom is Sheoah. The blades are made from jigsaw blades and the same thickness as a LN dovetail saw blade

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: What do you like in a marking knife

Tony - Memphis


>Well, I just got back from a class where I learned about a knife made by a company in MA called Murphy Knife I think. It (or something like it) is sold by other companies as well. It is brass with wooden sides and the blade is removeable. I reshaped it with a bevel on one side to try. I really like the size and weight of it (heavy). I can make really nice and deep lines. I made it very sharp. I was going to grind the double bevel and may yet, but so far the single is working well. I have a Lee Valley model too. I like it, but it is very light and small. Makes it harder to get a good line. Now, there is a very well known woodworker out there that uses an Exacto! Very subjective thing I guess. Try several and see what fits you.

Tony

SHARP

Dick Schafer