Marking Knife


Robhartley

Recommended Posts

==>was about to pull the trigger on a vesper until I saw the $30 shipping

That's why you get one of his layout packages... $30 shipping on a grand purchase doesn't seem so bad... :)

 

https://www.vespertools.com.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=12&Itemid=12

Edited by hhh
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

==>^^^

If you're a tails-first kind of guy, you need a really long thin blade marking knife to transfer the tails to the pins board... Necessity being the mother of invention, hence the transfer pattern knife... The BST knife pictured above is a short transfer pattern -- perfect for drawers. Dave also makes a longer version for case dovetailing... On the downside, the longer/thinner the blade, the more flex... So many use a transfer pattern knife for transfer applications and a short blade knife (see Vesper above) for general layout...

I've got both and they are equally good at their intended use...

Hope that helps...

Edited by hhh
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sometimes I'm a purist, but many times I just grab what I can quickly find: bog-standard utility knife for general marking and a scalpel (no. 11) for dovetailing... It's not so much a frame of mind as a reflection of the general state of my shop... :)

So you don't need a specialty knife... Always one more way to skin a dovetail... :)

 

But if you become enamored with English-pattern dovetails (those really thin-pin ones) and decide to adopt tails-first, then it's hard to avoid a specialty marking knife... I've seen some use utility knives for this, but the blade is so extended as to be flimsy...

BTW: Someday I'll go on a rant about thin-pin dovetails and leaving the baseline -- and those talking heads who promote such nonsense... But I'll leave that for another day... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

I have the Veritas that Shaney shows and the Veritas that Southwood shows; both have been good users.  Your satisfaction will vary with your use but, I tried the iGaging expecting them to be similar to the one Shaney shows. The blade steel on the ones I received was quite soft.  I had to sharpen them every few uses and they now occupy some space in a drawer somewhere. 

Xacto's work well for lighter work and the blades are cheap enough to toss when dull but, I move them to another handle and finish them off on rougher work.  Oddly enough, this is the one I reach for most often.  Maybe I was subliminally influenced by watching Michael Pekovich videos :huh:.  I would have said you were wrong if you had told me this would be my go-to marking knife.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/18/2015 at 7:25 AM, hhh said:

==>was about to pull the trigger on a vesper until I saw the $30 shipping

That's why you get one of his layout packages... $30 shipping on a grand purchase doesn't seem so bad... :)

 

https://www.vespertools.com.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=12&Itemid=12

I loved the Joinery Kit package -- until I ran a currency converter and nearly coughed up a lung. For US$530, I'd be afraid to use any of those tools. They should be in a display case, not thrashing about on a bench. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.