Cutting Gauge Recommendation

[Steve1066]

You have to sharpen them and get used to using them. I realise that would put a lot of amateurs right off!
Shouldn't do though - this ain't rocket science it's very basic simple stuff.
These basic marking/cutting gauges are brilliant in use and exceptional value for money - think of the wood you could buy instead of LN flash tat!

Couldn't have said it better

 

[custard]

I do a lot of string inlay work, the thinnest I go to is about 0.8mm and most is around 1.0-1.5mm thick.

I prepare the inlay in several different ways depending what I'm making, but for most long grain inlay the basic method is to thickness a leaf of saw cut veneer so that it's a slightly too snug fit into the groove. Assuming the groove is say 1.0mm deep I'll then often use a cutter to trim off a 1.5-2.0mm wide strip (I then run a pencil along the top so I can orientate it, lay it on the bench and use a block plane to take a very fine shaving with the heel of the block plane riding on the bench on the "underneath" side of the inlay, this tapers the inlay slightly delivering a really good fit with no glue lines). For this purpose...but only for this purpose...I find the pin on the LN design is useful for bearing down on the veneer strip. However, you don't need to pay LN prices, you can easily sink a bit of brass dowel into a home made cutter, furthermore as Peter Sefton pointed out, you can then use a really nice piece of tool steel as a cutter.

 

[Peter Sefton]

There is a common problem with these cutting gauges, the blades wouldn't cut butter and they usually move within the wedge.

Cheers Peter

Hi Peter. Its good to hear from someone who understands his woodwork.

.....
Stewie;

You have to sharpen them and get used to using them. I realise that would put a lot of amateurs right off!
Shouldn't do though - this ain't rocket science it's very basic simple stuff.
These basic marking/cutting gauges are brilliant in use and exceptional value for money - think of the wood you could buy instead of LN flash tat!

Never used a LN flash tat one but I am sure they are very good but possibly a little OTT!

I have used plenty of cheap ones over the years and I have even sharpened a few! The steel used in the blades is cheap tat and won't generally take or hold an edge. We always used to throw the blades away and replace them with a hack or jig saw blade, much better steel.

I have been to Sheffield and talked about the quality of the steel used in cutting gauges and found the issue, samples of a replacement blade were sent to me and tested but we now get a blade made by a separate blade maker for our cutting gauges.

Cheers Peter

 

[G S Haydon]

For veneer work I simply can't comment having no experience. For establishing a baseline on dovetails and the like the simple cutting gauge type mentioned by Andy and Jacob work well. For working with the grain I really like the simple pin gauge, excellent value, work brilliantly and can be picked for very little new, secondhand or even home made.

 

[Peter Sefton]

There is a common problem with these cutting gauges, the blades wouldn't cut butter and they usually move within the wedge.

Cheers Peter

Hi Peter. Its good to hear from someone who understands his woodwork.

Have you read this dung; http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodw ... andplaning

Stewie;

Thanks Steve

I have just had a quick read, I tend to do the opposite prep timber over size, leave to settle and re plane flat after it has moved. But I wouldn't only plane one side and leave it as I agree this usually causes problems.

Cheers Peter

 

[David C]

Peter S,

Let me guess, Peter Marples was not interested in supplying quality Blades?

I say this because he had no interest in simple ideas for improving his marking gauges when I last spoke to him.

David Charlesworth

 

[Peter Sefton]

Peter S,

Let me guess, Peter Marples was not interested in supplying quality Blades?

I say this because he had no interest in simple ideas for improving his marking gauges when I last spoke to him.

David Charlesworth

Your on the right track David, and I know John lloyd has also spoken to them, I do understand and feel for Tony Marples their business has developed down a particular route, which relies on volume production although their workshop is small, about the same size as mine.

They make marking tools for most of the major dealers and their only concern is price, so every penny they can save is squeezed out it's a bit like the milk producing farmers. (A trap difficult to escape)

When I met Tony he said I was the only buyer he had met in years that was interested in seeing the workshops and not their to negotiate him down on price. This is because like you I am a passionate woodworker who has been on the bench. I was pleased to see the workshop were my 30 year gauges were produced which had been in my tool kit since a teenager. I was not their to drive them down even further. I pay him more than his list price and he reworks tools for me and we rework them again in our workshop.

LN and others have taken a different business model and this has served them and their customers very well, but not all makers or students can afford the top end kit.

Some of the very cheap kit can be ok but always needs reworking, you and others have done a lot to educate new makers how this can be done. We both know some customers can't or don't wan't to rework cheap tools so their is a market at all levels, tastes and budgets.

Cheers Peter

 

[David C]

Peter,

Thanks for that insightful post.

I do think it's a shame, many small operators hove shown that these days there is a market for quality.

best wishes,
David

 

[Jacob]

Peter S,

Let me guess, Peter Marples was not interested in supplying quality Blades?

I say this because he had no interest in simple ideas for improving his marking gauges when I last spoke to him.

David Charlesworth

If you are interested in improving the marking gauge you should do it yourself. It's known as "DIY". They are ridiculously cheap to start with - if you don't like the blade you just swap it for a bit of steel from around the workshop.
We are supposed to be craftsmen not just "customers" queuing up for retail solutions.
I'm appalled at the idea that the preferred solution to a problem is so often something you can buy - preferably that you can use outa da box. if you use it at all (often not the case) then by the time you put it back in the box it will be less usable and probably need sharpening. Shock horror! How will they cope!

 

[David C]

Jacob.

Grandmother suck eggs.........

Of course I do.

David

 

[bugbear]

I have used plenty of cheap ones over the years and I have even sharpened a few! The steel used in the blades is cheap tat and won't generally take or hold an edge. We always used to throw the blades away and replace them with a hack or jig saw blade, much better steel.

Maybe I did better than I thought when I converted some marking gauges into cutting gauges.

I made the blades from old power hacksaw blades, which are "all hard", and made from extremely wear resistant tool steel.

post679278.html?hilit=%20cutting%20gauge#p679278

it may also be of relevance to the thread that I independently concluded that the blade (and particularly bevel) needed for cutting is different to that needed for marking.

BugBeart

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have used plenty of cheap ones over the years and I have even sharpened a few! The steel used in the blades is cheap tat and won't generally take or hold an edge. We always used to throw the blades away and replace them with a hack or jig saw blade, much better steel.

Maybe I did better than I thought when I converted some marking gauges into cutting gauges.

I made the blades from old power hacksaw blades, which are "all hard", and made from extremely wear resistant tool steel.

post679278.html?hilit=%20cutting%20gauge#p679278

it may also be of relevance to the thread that I independently concluded that the blade (and particularly bevel) needed for cutting is different to that needed for marking.

BugBeart

This is exactly what we are talking about BB, the steel in old mechanical hacksaws is great for all knives and woodworking cutting tools but they seem to be getting a little more rare now.

Cheers Peter

 

[JonnyW]

And this is the reason why I love this forum. Really interesting replies and discussion.

Thank you.

Jonny

 

[bugbear]

I have used plenty of cheap ones over the years and I have even sharpened a few! The steel used in the blades is cheap tat and won't generally take or hold an edge. We always used to throw the blades away and replace them with a hack or jig saw blade, much better steel.

Maybe I did better than I thought when I converted some marking gauges into cutting gauges.

I made the blades from old power hacksaw blades, which are "all hard", and made from extremely wear resistant tool steel.

post679278.html?hilit=%20cutting%20gauge#p679278

it may also be of relevance to the thread that I independently concluded that the blade (and particularly bevel) needed for cutting is different to that needed for marking.

BugBeart

This is exactly what we are talking about BB, the steel in old mechanical hacksaws is great for all knives and woodworking cutting tools but they seem to be getting a little more rare now.

Cheers Peter

I've got half a dozen broken ones in my "handy" box - a lifetime supply.

They're (very) cheap at car boots, although thinner on the ground than they used to be.

BugBear

 

[ED65]

I made the blades from old power hacksaw blades, which are "all hard", and made from extremely wear resistant tool steel.

I've been on the lookout for one of those since I read the recommendation of them in one of Wearing's books. Have you tried scribing and snapping to get a piece off the main length of the blade?

 

[AndyT]

I may have asked this before, but has anyone tried using Stanley knife blades as a source of decent steel for small cutters like this? I imagine a small cut-off wheel in a dremel-type tool would cut them up quite easily, and the steel will definitely take an edge. You could cut to include a hole or notch if you wanted to.

 

[ED65]

I may have asked this before, but has anyone tried using Stanley knife blades as a source of decent steel for small cutters like this?

Yes. And yes, a cutoff wheel will cut them reasonably easily without a major risk of ruining any temper.

You can also cut up putty knives, which are usually the same sort of basic carbon steel. Surprisingly even without further heat treating they'll hold a decent enough edge.

 

[bugbear]

I may have asked this before, but has anyone tried using Stanley knife blades as a source of decent steel for small cutters like this? I imagine a small cut-off wheel in a dremel-type tool would cut them up quite easily, and the steel will definitely take an edge. You could cut to include a hole or notch if you wanted to.

Too soft - to be safe, they have to be able to bend without snapping.

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

I made the blades from old power hacksaw blades, which are "all hard", and made from extremely wear resistant tool steel.

I've been on the lookout for one of those since I read the recommendation of them in one of Wearing's books. Have you tried scribing and snapping to get a piece off the main length of the blade?

Never dared!

BugBear

 

[Cheshirechappie]

A card scraper, especially one of the thicker ones, would yield quite a few cutting gauge cutters (and other things) quite cheaply. Can be cut and shaped with a hacksaw and files, holds a reasonable edge (not quite in the league of HSS), easily resharpened. Sawsteel would too, though backsaw steel is probably too thin, but you could make about a couple of milleniums worth of cutting gauge knives out of an old ripsaw!