Thank You Bob Smalser

[Jason Sanko]

Fellow Kitsap County resident I wanted to say thank you. I was doing some mortises through and through and was trying to figure a way to make the corners really crisp. Well today I read the hand cut dovetail thread after reading you mortising thread. I had never thought of a sharp utility knife for this purpose. Used it and it worked great.

Just wanted to say thanks.

[Mark Singer]

A utility knife is a real help in joinery...using a straight edge...cut on the line and then lay the chisel in the cut....it helps align and breaks the grain so there is no tear out...you can wrap some duct tape around the blade and use it without the handle...cheap and very efective

[Jerry Palmer]

Not to hijack this, but a thread on utility knife uses in joinery might be an interesting and educational one.

I use one to create a sort of odd "V" with one side straight into the workpiece, and the other slanting into that one to make a channel to start a handsaw for cutting dados and grooves.

[Bob Smalser]

Thanks...but I keep a utility knife handy constantly and keep a special handled composition stone hanging on a hook close by just for it. I take a couple swipes on the India stone every time I use it, and rarely change blades.

The hard steel is hard on the stones, but hollows don't matter much doing knife blades.

A wallpaper contractor showed me his magic with them back in 1973 or so, and one has been in my arsenal ever since.