Stanley 77 Marking gage

[Nicholas Lingg]

I just got a Stanley 77 double pin marking gauge. I did a search and found some useful information but I'm still not sure on how to sharpen the double pins "conical" "chisel" or "flat on one side" what is your preference?

[Jim Koepke]

This is usually at the preference of the user.

On my single pin marking gauges one has a knife edge, very thin and good for slicing with or across the grain.

The other has a bevel facing the fence. This helps slightly to pull the fence to the edge.

With a mortise gauge like the #77 it might be better to have the bevel on the inside of the area being marked. This means the one closest to the fence would have an bevel facing away from the fence and the pin farthest from the fence would have a bevel facing the fence. This would produce a cleaner edge on the outside lines of the mortise layout.

Hopefully others will offer their ideas and methods.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

After the article in Pop Woodworking a few years back, I make my own mortise and cutting gages.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/articleindex/mystery_of_the_marking_gauge

They seem to grow like rabbits.