WWA Info Exchange

I told Chuck Knarr down in the "Daily UareL" that I had been thinking of making my own marking knife and thanked him for posting a few" how to's" on the project.
Well as with everything, I have my own ideas on how things should be done and what they should look like. I tried to be normal once, it was the longest 5 minutes of my life!
I wanted a heavy duty, stand up to everything kind of knife so, I began with some heavy duty materials......



See "Parts for Marking knife"

That is hard maple and a 3/4" paddle bit. No flexy, flip flop blade for me!

It took alot of work on both the drill bit and the wood. That is where I cut myself, carving the wood handle with a chisel. NO!!!, The inside of the handle so the blade would fit right!!



See "Knife in the works"

I split the handle, carved out an area for the flat part of the blade and then drilled the hole for the shank later.

Well, I gotterdone!!! It doesn't look too good but, it is stout and should work for a long time.

I used 45 degree bevel on the point of the blade and 45 degree bevel on the cutting edge of the blade. I want to make as wide a mark as I can with a knife just so I can see it! Its not hard to see cross grain but, marking with the grain is a bit tough and those thin bladed X-acto knives are even worse. Not to mention they wander all over and break too. Did you ever snap off an X-acto blade in a chunk of wood and then try to get it out?


See "Marking knife"

I would to love to see some of the knives you guys have made. This is just my first try and I really am open for more ideas.
There has to be a better way!!

Rog

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Dont badmouth no strangers, they just friends you aint met yet.

An ounce of responsibility is worth a pound of State and Federal laws.

I spent most of my money on woodworking
tools and beer, the rest I just wasted.

Made this one from plans Not exactly the same, but close. Easiest is to make the grip in 3 pieces, then glue together and, if you want, rivet the blade in place with a bit of 1/8" brass rod. Check your PM's.

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I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

Now THAT'S a marking knife! Dang, you could get both hands on that one. Hope the cut heals fast.

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Frank
WWACOAUX#1
"I love the smell of Sawdust in the morning, it smells like, victory."
WWA'ers I've met: Popeye, Ed Avery, Stephen Wolf, Rockfish, Rodedon

Nice marking knife.

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My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter!

That looks like it will work just fine-- any problems with the metal becoming too soft?

Lawrence

Rog nice looking marker, lots of jailed convicts are drooling over that fine shiv

Hey Rog, Nice Work. Always feels better to create what you need rather than just take what the industry pushes. That will last a lifetime and your great great grandkids will have an heirloom.
I had the same problem 'til last September. Phil Lowe gave a seminar to our WWguild and he had one I really liked but he said you had to have one for right and left .... not so. I bought his handle and then got the Hock blade. Made a scabbard for it and installed a rare earth magnet to keep it sheathed in my apron pocket. Best view is "sideshow" option.
http://picasaweb.google.com/PawPawDon62 ... 9255161138
BTW ... In the pics you will see some quilted maple I got for the piece I'm building for school. Milling caused horrendous tear out but.... the LN#62 and the #4 smoother tamed it beautifully.
good luck,
Don

Don,

If you have a single beveled marking knife Phil Lowe is absolutely correct. You will need both a left beveled and a right beveled knife. The reason? A marking knife should only be used with the flat side against the guide; the taper of the blade should be away from the guide.

If you have a double tapered knife, like you show in your photo, like the one Roger made, and the kind I prefer, then you only need one knife.

By the way, beautiful lumber you have in the photo!

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C J K
in beautiful -
Oxford GA, USA

Thanks, Chuck. That is what I meant "You don't need 2 if you have a blade with a taper on both sides and one flat reference side. Hock sells the perfect blade. The handles are too expensive to ignore the obvious. I love this little tool ... the heft is ideal ... it's easy to keep sharp ... the sheath 'jumps' on it if you get it close ... and, I think it looks good.
Just had to add the pics of the quilted maple. Everyone on this forum knows the joy of a sharp plane slicing through beautiful figure like this and leaving THE most beautiful surface. So ... I wanted to share it.
Don

Don -

Could you pick up the phone over in a new thread 'Working Figured Wood'? Got a question about some nice wood I'm trying to use.

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Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis