Razor-fine layout lines
Use "cutting-edge" technology for accuracy a pencil could never deliver.
Pages in this Story:
- • Buying a Marking Knife
- • Learn the basics first
- • Sizing up project parts
- • Marking dovetails
Buying a Marking Knife
Buying a Marking Knife
Does it make sense to measure to 1/64", and then mark a line with a pencil point that's twice that width? Even a fine mechanical pencil proves no match for the precision of a marking knife. Here's what you need to know before buying one.
- We show a dedicated marking knife in these photos, but you can, in most cases, get good results using a utility or craft knife. However, beware that those knives' thin blades might flex and stray from your intended layout.
- You can buy individual left- and right-handed knives, as shown top right, or a knife with a dual-bevel blade below right. All have a flat face on the blade opposite the bevel, letting you place it tightly against a straightedge or mating workpiece for a precise mark. The left- and right-handed knives tend to have larger handles, making them easier to grasp if you have large hands.
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I like to pickup old paring knives at garage sales then grind them to the profile I like for a marking gage. It's nice to have multiple marking knives for different situations.
4/11/2013 06:44:26 PM Report AbuseThe caption attached to the photo above doesn't mention anything about dovetailing. After reading the whole article, everything makes sense.
7/30/2012 04:09:11 AM Report AbuseI don't know that it is "who wrote this article" as much as it may be who picked the photos(?).
7/22/2010 10:24:17 AM Report AbuseI don't know who will be cutting your dovetail pins but if you use the marking method pictured above, then they'll have a hard time. It appears you are using the "pins first" method for transfer, however, you're using a TAIL board. Who wrote this article?
6/19/2010 05:15:48 PM Report Abuse