Utility/craft blades for marking knives?

[lowell holmes]

Actually, you can rotate the handle of the utility knife until the side of the blade against the try square is vertical.

[James Pallas]

I’ve used xacto #24 blades for years. I grind the back to a single bevel. #11s are okay but a little light and sharp tipped will follow grain on occasion. I have other knives to use. These are no worry knives. If they get damaged you just toss them. I have one right and one left. I think I been using the same blades for at least 5 years, just give them a rub once in a while.
Jim

[Osvaldo Cristo]

This is probably a blatant newbie question, but what the heck

I've been gifted a couple marking knives over the last few years... one a Lee Valley double-bevel spear point knife, and the other a Narex. Neither seem particular sharp to begin with, and have been kind of a PITA to sharpen after the fact (what can I say, I suck at free-hand sharpening).

I've watched a few videos (Paul Sellars, Matt Estlea) and noted the knives they were using seemed to be relatively simple craft knives with disposable blades - awesome! Except those particular models are a bit harder to come by here stateside

Out of frustration the other day when I was practicing some cuts in the shop, I grabbed a folding utility knife that I'd picked up on a whim at the box store some time back. With a fresh blade, and being a little more skinny up front than most utility knives, it felt great and more importantly, for the first time I actually felt like I was really slicing a line across the fibers without having to bear down on the tool.

Which got me wondering... is there a reason *not* to use a utility or craft knife for marking lines? Something I'm missing here, besides being razor sharp all the time, easy to make sharp again (pitch the old blade and install a new one), and generally cheaper than anything short of a home-made marking knife?

I went to a kiridashi knife and I primary as a marking knife but as times goes by more and more it is also my utility knife at the shop. Super sharp and easy to re-sharp. I was really surprised as it is also ergonomic although its simple and direct design. I purchased mine from amazon (link).

[Matt Lau]

+1 on the kiridashi.
I got mine from Stan, and it's sublime.

Cheaper options can be bought from Iida tools on eBay, or the Murphy mill knife refill. Hock also makes a good one.

As for sharpening...try having a ceramic pocket stone on you. Makes quick work of an edge

[Monte Milanuk]

I got the Stanley 10-049 folding craft knife that Paul uses and have been very happy with it. The stanley replacement blades are very expensive. Paul pointed out that the knife also uses a standard disposable blade that is sold in bulk as surgeon's scalpel blades. A box of 50 replacement blades cost about $20. I'm set for a very long time.

I'd originally been looking to get the SM00 handle, and ordered a pack of the SM01 blades off Amazon... only to find that the SM00 handle is apparently only available in the USA from exactly *one* supplier, Chicago Surgical, which tacks on a ridiculous surcharge for orders going to 'residential' addresses. Nothing that I couldn't cough up if I had to, but it irks me on general principal.

I ended up ordering a 10-049, and it should be arriving Friday or thereabouts. If it does indeed take the same SM01 pattern blades that I have sitting on my bench, then I'm all set

[Jason Martin Winnipeg]

I don't know of any two woodworkers who use the same marking knife. It seems to be a personal preference unlike any other.

That said, this is the one I use:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...44&cat=1,42936