Marking knives

[woodbloke]

Mr Grim wrote:

But that means they are inconvenient if used in the left hand - so should the bevel be both sides? Back to the Opinel then; which also is quicker and easier to sharpen with a steel compared to honing on a stone, is very cheap to buy and generally much more useful.

Careful examination of the original post will show that the knife made by my goodself can be used either left or right handed. For accurate work the flat side should always be perpendicular and be resting against the blade of the try square. Any marking knife with a double bevel, even when tilted against the square blade, will have an element of error, you'll never be quite sure that its snug and against the blade and truly square. It all depends, at the end of the jour, what you call accurate work.
As for the Grimknife, they do make great pocket knives for sure but are far too unweildy as you need to be able to grip the blade with fingers and thumb close to the point, not recommended. :shock: I use one of these as a pocket knife but wouldn't dream of using it in the workshop - Rob

 

[Anonymous]

The prob is that with a flat against the square edge you can't actually see that the cutting edge is up tight - unless you tilt it away slightly. No reason for this to incur error; quite the opposite in fact as you can see that the edge is in the right place and you have a bias in that direction.
Opinel the same - perfectly able to do accurate work, and to be held down tight by holding near the pointy end as you say. Not a prob in practice.
I wonder if the trad marking knife is not just that; a tradition, perhaps based on the need to have a knife kept in the workshop which would stay there as it would be no use anywhere else, and could easily be made from a scrap of steel and a bit of wood more cheaply than a pen knife.


cheers
Jacob

 

[woodbloke]

The point about a one sided bevel is that you don't need to see it. I'm obviously egg sucking here but to mark out a line put the point of the knife vertically into the timber at the exact position of the line, slide up the square so it touches the flat side, grip the square firmly and make cut keeping the flat side hard and vertical against the square. 'Nuff said... ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) - Rob

 

[Alf]

Cheers, Alf

Who finds the inclination of the point more an issue than the bevel, so wouldn't use either Rob's or Jacob's knife for marking. Cross-grained, ain't I?

 

[CHJ]

Cheers, Alf

Seeing as how you are in that sort of mood Alf have this on me:

Described as a Buxom Bavarian Beer by some. :lol: 8-[

Just off to the fridge ccasion5:

 

[Alf]

, Chas. But I've got to do some of this:

So daren't risk this:

:lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Fine knife lines enable one to achieve tight joints. If these are difficult to see against engrain, such as when marking dovetails, then rub in a little contrasting chalk.

I have made many dovetail knives. These all have narrow blades to fit inside a saw kerf.

She-oak and Jarrah...

and these ones I kept for my own use.

For general marking, the blades are thicker ...

I do enjoy using Japanese knives. These have stouter blades that are great for knifing deep lines (into which one can chisel a fence) for tenons, etc. Here is a selection of my Kiridashi Marking knives (plus one of my brad awls).

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[ByronBlack]

I have the following:

Which has a flat side and a bevel side. Same as Rob, I always mark the lines with the flat side against the rule/square so you don't need to look or see the contact, it can all be done by feel.

However, this particular knife isnt comfortable to use because of the angle and the long length of the cutting part - it feels awkward and can sometimes follow the grain. I think i'm going to attempt to make my own with a similar double bevel design as the OP

 

[woodbloke]

Derek - seen those before on the forum...very dainty. Might have a go myself at making a slimline D/T knife and turn a handle on the lathe, got a bit of gash ebony loafing around somewhere under the bench.

BB - have a go at making one, dead easy, but be sure to abrade and degrease the steel before glueing together - Rob

 

[ByronBlack]

How did you go about creating the point and shape of the blade, was it on a bench grinder, or did you cut it with hacksaw or similar?

 

[woodbloke]

BB - the shape can be done on a bench grinder but be very careful to keep quenching it as a planer blade is not HSS. If you can get hold of an old machine hacksaw blade (from a local engineering firm, for example) this is HSS and won't be affected by grinding temperatures

Behold the prototype of a Derek of Oz D/T marking knife, direct clone. Scrounged the ferrule (which is too big) of an old handle and the blade is a lump of HSS hacksaw, 0.5mm thick. The handle is in some teak I had under the bench, slightly different end treatment. Not quite as elegant as Derek's knives but not bad for a first effort. Need to make the blade and ferrule slimmer on the next one and use something a bit posher for the handle, this one's being given away at Yandle's - Rob

 

[ByronBlack]

Thanks for the shaping tip Rob - I think ill have a crack at this after SWMBO is satisfied with the greenhouse.

 

[Benchwayze]

A very nice marking knife Rob...
Satisfying to make, saves cash and it is 'yours'..



John

 

[pam niedermayer]

...

As for Jim, I loved the man; met him a lot and always found he had time for anyone who would seriously listen. He was also very scathing to those who tried to trip him up on ground where he was very familiar.
But, again. I do apologise Pam.

Thanks, John, apology accepted. I didn't see the Kingshott videos until shortly before he died; but after seeing them I wanted to meet him, apprentice to him, soak up all his knowledge, etc. When he died, I realized I should have crossed the sea posthaste; so I'm real jealous that you got to spend so much time with him.

 

[Paul.J]

This is a cheap and easy way to make a marking knife.
Just an old dinner knife cut and ground to suit,in my case flat on the left side.
I also always grind the bottom half of the blade off so as not to cut my fingers when holding the wood,or whatever,also do this when using old hacksaw blades.



Paul.J.

 

[Benchwayze]

Nice one Paul.
See... We make anything in Brum, do we not? Well except making merry in Bournville!

John

 

[Paul.J]

Benchwayze wrote
Well except making merry in Bournville!
You wouldn't be referring to the alcohol ban would you John.
Paul.J.

 

[Benchwayze]

You wouldn't be referring to the alcohol ban would you John.
Paul.J.

Well Paul, I don't think I would get drunk on chocolate!!! Liqueurs maybe, but Cadburys don't make those as far as I know. If they do, well what's that word beginning with 'H' and ending with 'Y'?

 

[woodbloke]

Having been to Yandles last weekend, I bought a few 12mm ferules from Ashley Isles and had a go at making a slightly chunkier knife using the last piece of original planer blade from the OP. Its a proper Derek of Oz style marking knife with a handle from an oddment of English Walnut (none of your colonial timbers here....sorry Derek :lol: ) Blade thickness is 1mm HSS steel, got to work out next how to mount it on the Tool Wall - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

Odd tool to sharpen the blade :? :lol: :lol: Very nice 8)

Cheers :wink:

Paul