Which Marking Knife to Buy?

[Izzy Charo]

I suspect this has been discussed before on the Forum... I would like a reasonably long flat blade, without a bevel so I don't have to buy both a right and left handed one. I know folks like to make their own, but I would appreciate advice on who sells a quality one that I could order and use right away...
Thanks!
Izzy

[David Bassett]

... who sells a quality one that I could order and use right away...

For the longest while the standard answer was get the Veritas Shop Striking Knife for $10 from LV (especially during a Free S/H event.) Unfortunately inflation means that doesn't work anymore. I still think it is the best option for anyone that needs to ask the question. Ultimately you'll have a preference and replace it, but a lot of work can be done before you get to that point. (Blue Spruce has one that is gorgeous and I've seen people rave about the traditional Japanese marking knives, all for large sums....)

[Mike Cutler]

Izzy

Dave Anderson, Moderator for the Neander' forum, at one time made some very elegant marking knives. I would PM him and ask if he is still making them. They were definitely something in a class by themselves.

[Jim Becker]

I have one from Lee Valley that I really like. Yes it has a bevel, but it has that bevel on both left and right so there's no need for two blades. And it's very sharp...kinda "knife" like...

[Dick Mahany]

I have one from Lee Valley that I really like. Yes it has a bevel, but it has that bevel on both left and right so there's no need for two blades. And it's very sharp...kinda "knife" like...

I also have the Lee Valley marking knife and it is 15+ years old. It is easy to use both right and left handed and is very comfortable to use. It is sharp, so I never misplace the blade guard

EDIT: The knife I am referring to is the Veritas striking knife sold by Lee Valley as they have a number of different knives.

[Derek Cohen]

I designed a line of marking knives for dovetails and detail work, and these are now made and sold by Chris Vesper ...



I have made kiridashi ...



The wide blade can be reversed and used either side. It is not necessary to have a V-blade. If you do want a really good one, Chris Vesper does this ...



Chris is a mate of mine, so I will obviously plug him. But his knives are very good.

However, for general use, the knife I use most is made by Stanley (#0-10-958), which has been made popular by Paul Sellers.



It is terrific.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[glenn bradley]

David's answer is spot on. Until you use one for awhile you do not know what is important to you. All knives will have a bevel of some sort. I agree that the inexpensive LV knife will get you going. For that matter, an X-acto with a No. 11 blade will get you going. Similar to Derek's Stanley, I use a Flexcutl "detail knife" for a lot of tasks even though is is dual beveled. I use a LV utilitas knife for other work.

[lowell holmes]

I use a Home Depot retractable knife.

[Van Huskey]

For that matter, an X-acto with a No. 11 blade will get you going.

Although I have a couple of much "nicer" marking/striking knives I tend to grab an X-acto 90% of the time. Several live around the shop not just at my handtool bench and get used for all manner of things.

[Jim Becker]

I also have the Lee Valley marking knife and it is 15+ years old. It is easy to use both right and left handed and is very comfortable to use. It is sharp, so I never misplace the blade guard

EDIT: The knife I am referring to is the Veritas striking knife sold by Lee Valley as they have a number of different knives.

Yep, that's the one I was referring to and mine is at least that old...but looks like new. It's a quality tool.

[Bill Carey]

I ahve a Hock 3/4" marking knife - unhanded. I like it a lot.
http://www.hocktools.com/products/knives.html

[Russell Sansom]

I work mostly by hand, so I get picky about knife edges. Cutting cross grain lines and marking out dovetails are such intimate operations, about half the time I'm not happy with "the" marking knife. It depends on the the wood and the demands of the lines. Deep? Thin? High quantity? Perfectly vertical on one side? Sometimes an Xacto #11 is just the ticket but sometimes I have to take the morning to sharpen up just the right point on just the right blade. Some of these are a bear to touch up or to reshape. For me the really short arrow head knives are in this class because they're hard to chuck up in a jig. Ditto the modern, hard to sharpen steels.

I would find it hard to get by with only one knife. You might consider building up a quiver of them. Start with a lower-priced high carbon knife that's fairly easy to retouch and work your way up to a second.

[Ted Phillips]

The Stanley that Derek mentioned is my go-to. Paul Sellers uses it and I've been relying on it for a couple of years now. You can sharpen the blade (which is hardened) but because they are so thin, you can also buy a box of 50 replacement blades for like $20. Always sharp and at my right hand at the bench...

[Izzy Charo]

Thanks to all...very helpful! I ordered the Stanley knife and will see how that works for me...Thanks again!