A Few Marking Tools I turned this past weekend....

[redhawknc1]

The 2 marking knives and awl in the center are from a kit I purchased from Czeck Edge. I just turned the handles. Cocobolo and Honduran Rosewood. The 2 outside awls are wood scraps, 1/4" rod from the borg that I made. Obviously need to learn how to photograph properly. Look a lot better in your hand. And very useful!

 

[TracyP]

Pretty work. It amazes me some of the things our members do with a piece of wood scrap, and a lathe.

 

[DaveO]

I need to make me a marking knife. Do you have a link to your source, and what do you think of the blade quality???

Very nice looking work...sell any? might save me some time. :nah: I like the process too much..
Dave

 

[nelsone]

Here you go Dave. I think these are some pretty good quality tools. Can't remember the fellows name, but he posts on Woodnet. Everyone seems happy with his stuff.

Wayne, you did a great job on those! I love the awl in the middle. I need a narrow one!

oops...forgot the link

 

[DaveO]

Thanks Ed :icon_thum:icon_thum:icon_thum


Dave

 

[redhawknc1]

Yeah, I purchased a kit special that he offered on Woodnet. Very high quality steel. Marking knife steel is like a razors edge. Instructions and all, all you gotta provide is the handle and polish the brass ferrule supplied. You can turn a handle in just a few minutes and you are just limited to your imagination on the style and wood. I had that wood here but I'd like to try a few more exoctics. My homemade awls are just stock from the borg that I chucked up in the drill press and polished and then sharpened on my Worksharp. Use some 1/2 brass fitting from the plumbing section for the ferrules. Man those awls are sharp! Sure the steel rod isn't much special, but it polished up pretty. Went up to a 1000 grit in sanding with the drill press doing all the work. All of them were done in short order. Just a nice quick project. The cocobolo turns really nice and finishes beutiful with just a poly/oil stain/BLO/mineral spirits mix in a few light coats and plenty of dry time.

 

[Sawdud]

Beautiful tools Wayne. Love that Rosewood! Man, I need a lathe!

Chris

 

[Kalai]

Hi Wayne, great job, they all look very nice and high class, aloha.

Chris
Kalai

 

[RandyJ]

Nice looking marking tools, Wayne:icon_thum. Almost too nice to use!

 

[ScottM]

No better feeling then to make a useful tool for the shop. Very Nice.

 

[Mike Callihan]

Wayne

Beautiful job, they look like they would be a joy to own and use. A marking knife is an indispensable tool in my shop.

Just a quick suggestion for the marking knife. After turning the handle try putting flats on the handle parallel to the front and back faces of the blade. This does 2 things for you, first it helps orient the tool in your hand when you pick it up, secondly it can save you from having the knife making unexpected trips to the floor. Don't ask how I know. :gar-La;

Not trying to hijack your thread but here is a small (5") knife I made with the flats I described.

Again excellent job; Mike.

 

[Shayne]

Your tools look great! And thanks for the idea (and link) of creating my own marking knife. I will add this to my long list of projects :icon_thum

I do like the idea of flatting the handles for orientation. Maybe I'm just to new to turning my own tools, but how do you achieve this? Do you start with a rectangle and basically only turn the corners leavings the center flat? Or is there some other trick?

 

[Mike Callihan]

I do like the idea of flatting the handles for orientation. Maybe I'm just to new to turning my own tools, but how do you achieve this? Do you start with a rectangle and basically only turn the corners leavings the center flat? Or is there some other trick?

There is lots of ways to do it but I turned it round then used my disk sander to rough out the flats. I then refined them with a file and sand paper. For me the trick was making sure the blade was properly oriented when I mounted it.

Mike

 

[redhawknc1]

That is definately what I should have been done with mine. They roll around everywhere. I even saw that mentioned on another thread on Woodnet but forgot to do it.

 

[sapwood]

Great job, Wayne!
But they look unsafe, better ship them to me for disposal :wink_smil

Roger

 

[Kenith]

How thin is the blade on the marking knife?

Thanks,

Ken

 

[redhawknc1]

The kit I bought Czek Edge list the blade as.....
"The blades are O-1 tool steel. They are cut using state-of-the-art CNC machinery. Each blade is professionally heat treated in an aircraft certified facility to RC 59 - 60. They are then bead blasted, precision ground and satin polished. The sword point style is 1/8" thick, 1/2" wide by 2" long with a 65 degree included angle forming the point. The dual edge bevels are ground to 35 degrees on the top of the blade only. The back of the blade is flat permitting the point to register snugly against a straightedge from either the left or right side."
There are introducing a new blade that is thinner soon. Taking preorders now. Nice, quality stuff!