[OP]
Contributor
I am a fairly large man with huge hands. My glove size is XXL.
I needs some advice on a marking knife.
At Amazon I found the following marking wheel. Anyone have this marking wheel or an opinion? https://www.amazon.com/Marking-woodw...3015567&sr=8-3
I was given a Father's Day gift card at Amazon so I am hoping to buy there.
Thanks in advance for any opinions!
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Member
Can't comment on the marking gauge in question, but will give my 2 cents as I have two wheel marking gauges.
The first I bought was a similarly priced one in the link, a cheaply made version of a Titemark... I have flipped the cutter around on this, as it doesn't drop flush
the cutter retaining screw is a raised screw not countersunk like in your link.
The second one I've bought is the recent one by Veritas with offset body and micro adjustment.
I'm growing increasingly unfond of it, as the design is flawed with its single shaft locking screw, it keeps moving about
and don't even think about cutting a deep knife wall with multiple strokes.
I say go for it, you don't need the micro adjust on these, never found a valid use to use either "system" of floppy micro adjustment.
The Veritas slides more nicely, but you won't care about that when it moves.
I had another look again at my cheapie recently, and found that it works a lot nicer if you line up both locking screws and tighten it down centrally to the milled
slot in the bar.
A lot smoother than before, and it doesn't seem so bad now.
If you've not experienced one ever, and have a suitable work for it, then it will seem the best thing ever.
I think I would like to try one with markings on the bar, now I've tried two of them.
It seems like this tool has good features.
Tom
Moderator
I have several wheel marking gauges. I have Titemark copy, a Veritas micro adjustable, and a regular Veritas single adjust. I like the single adjust. The micro's are just too fidgety for me; I'm always turning them in the wrong direction, forgetting which wheel to turn, or moving the wrong side of the adjuster. I've also not been in a situation where that micro adjust is necessary or where the single adjust couldn't get close enough.
My favorite marking knife is the Narex thin edge double bevel marking knife. Just works for me. I don't think it's available any more on Amzn.
Contributor
That looks like another clone of the TiteMark gauge. I have a bunch of the TiteMarks that I use when teaching a dovetails class. I also have several of the clones because my students often can't afford the TiteMark and are looking for something a bit less expensive. I wanted to use the clones so I could make good recommendations. It also allows my students to see the difference between a clone and the TiteMark and then they can decide which one is best for them.
I also have a couple of the Lee Valley ones but they don't have as nice of an adjustment mechanism. Good quality but not good adjustment - takes two hands to adjust.
I like a micro-adjust wheel gauge. They all have some lash in the adjustment but the clones have more than the TiteMark. But all you have to do is take up the slack in the direction you want to move the wheel and then make your adjustment.
The second thing to look at is the wheel itself. The TiteMark has a good sharp hardened wheel. The Taylor Tools clone had a wheel that was not as nice but the TiteMark wheel is an exact replacement on the Taylor Tools clone.
Having markings on the shaft is useless. If you need to set the gauge to a certain size you'll use a rule. Most rules have engraved lines so you put the wheel in the line you want and adjust the gauge to that. Otherwise, you adjust to where you want it on the wood. So for a half-blind dovetail, I mark what I want to leave for the bottom of the socket and then adjust the gauge to reach that mark.
None of the above has given you any insight as to this specific gauge. I'm going to order one just so I can see how well it works. It may be one I can recommend to my students.
Mike
[Oh, for a marking knife, I like a violin knife that you can get from Southwest Strings. I mostly use a 12mm, which is about 1/2 inch. I also have some Japanese knives, single bevel, also about 12mm.]
Last edited by Mike Henderson; 06-24-2020 at 4:48 PM.
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
When you say your hands are huge, it brought back memories of my former co-worker Bill Brasky.Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald
When faced with the same problem, Brasky made himself a wheel marking gauge by grinding the teeth off a 10" saw blade, sharpening up the edge, and mounting it to a section of 3" diameter iron pipe with a stop collar.
Anyway as for me, having hands closer in size to Marco Rubio's than Brasky's, I am a satisfied owner of the Lee Valley marking wheel with micro adjust. I like that it has a nice large bearing surface. But I will admit that I have never used the Tite-Mark which seems to have a large following.
Edwin
Last edited by Edwin Santos; 06-24-2020 at 4:04 PM.
Contributor
I’m a big guy with huge hands (I’m 6’ 6”).
My marking knife is one made from an old steak knife. Here’s a Paul Sellers video that shows the technique https://youtu.be/l_vHb1gMwIE . It’s like a 15 minute project and costs nothing. It’s extremely comfortable in my hands and while I’ve played with other knives in stores none of them were remotely comfortable to me. I think they are just made for people with normal sized hands. Some people like single bevel knives, but honestly I’ve never had an accuracy problem with the double bevel blade.
I prefer a pin style marking guage, even though they are slightly less flexible than the wheel kind. I made two of the wooden one in the pic. Very easy projects that require little skill. I have the pin filed on two sides which makes it kind of halfway between a pin and a knife. It is very accurate, can cut a faint line or a deep and easy to see line, never ever messes up or loses a setting, tons of reference area on the fence, easy to hold. It’s just awesome.
The only wheel gauge I have is a mortise one from Veritas. It can function as a mortise gauge or a single gauge (or even two different single gauges) – I think it wasn’t much more expensive than their single gauge. I have a love-hate relationship with it. The fence is small which makes registration on boards a bit tricky especially if you are marking a decent distance. It tends to want to follow grain, which is a pain. If you mark in both directions, the wheel can come loose and you won’t notice until your line is totally screwed up (been bitten by that at least several times). It will not cut a deep line and marking with the grain the line can be incredibly difficult to see. Compared to my wooden one, it takes three times longer to mark a line and you have to be three times as careful doing it. On the plus side, it will cut a very very clean cross grain line (nice for dovetails), and it can get into tight spaces to get measurements off furniture pieces. But mostly it’s my third string gauge unless I’m doing a mortise in which case it’s my only mortise gauge. It’s also harder to hold than my wooden one, but I don’t know if this is a hand size thing or not.
tools.jpg
Member
I have used a wooden marking gauge for fifty years. I have never owned a wheel gauge, but I have used some wheel gauges.
The wheel marking gauge is held more with your fingers (two fingers and a thumb) and the traditional gauge with the whole hand. This makes the wooden gauge less tiring in a production situation. The difference between the two types is not large, but if you are one who is much more comfortable holding a shovel handle than a needle, you might want to consider the wooden gauge.
Contributor
Hi Ken, I own many marking gauges. Some wheeled some pin type. The one your looking at seems to be okay. Looks similar in function to the Titemark. Of the wheel type gauges I like the Veritas mortise gauge. My favorite type of marking gauges are cutting gauges. I do use wheel gauges for all kinds of gauging chores other than marking. Home made wooden cutting gauges are my most used. I’m not sure you were asking about knives too. My favorite to use is a mill knife with a straight blade reground to a single bevel. For big hands it would be great. I don’t have big hands but my thumbs don’t work well anymore. You can really grasp a mill knife and if needed you can make deep marks. The price looks good on the gauge your looking at too.
Contributor
Ken I cannot recommend your choice of wheel gauge as it is an unknown quantity - not just the construction, but especially the quality of the wheel and its availability when it needs replacement. I would recommend spending your money at Titemark or Veritas ...
The most basic Veritas (left) works very well. The Titemark (right) with micro adjust is considered the leader, and it is very good, but some find it a bit fiddly. The offset Veritas (centre) is my favourite as it has heft and wirks without any fuss (only the bronze version is now available).
There are other gauges to consider, but I am replying to wheel types here.
The knife I think you will like (I have large hands as well) is the Swann Morton at the top (in red) ..
It uses the same blades as the Stanley (centre). The blades last a long time, and I even sharpen then when they dull.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Member
I like the Murphy layout shop knife.
It has a large, flat blade fixed in a brass and hardwood "barrel" that fixes the blade in place with a simple set screw. Flat blade knives give my arthritis fits.
I can use a Murphy without trouble.
Flexcut KN13 Detail Knife has become a favorite in my shop due to the large handle.
Last edited by glenn bradley; 06-25-2020 at 1:49 PM.
Member
Ha, I just got that one yesterday using a fathers day gift card. After a little fiddling with it I figured out how to use it. Seems nice to me having never owned a wheel gauge. I think I'm going to like it. Seems smooth enough and the micro adjust works. Time will tell.
Contributor
One advantage of the micro adjuster on the Titemark® gauge is when setting it for hinge leaf thickness or depth.
Very useful for such work.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
Hey Ken - I had one similar to that and returned it - the adjuster kept moving and I couldn't secure it. Finally got the Veritas dual marking gauge, which I love. And I bought a 3/4" x 7" Hock marking knife, added cherry scales to it, and it fits my fairly large hands well.
Sorry - just realized Amazon doesn't sell the marking gauge, but I bought the Hock from Amazon.
Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.
Contributor
I ordered that one you referenced and should receive it tomorrow. I'll let you know what I think of it.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
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