Marking Knives

Paul Timber-Route had a new job, so I gave him this to use for marking out, instead of the usual blunt pencil.

 

The knife is a Kiridashi Marking knife from Axminster. These are great marking knives, and quite cheap, but they're also very brittle and need to be carefully stored.

 

Construction is better than the photography! It's a traditional Japanese saya, made from two strips of wood. As the knife is sharpened on one side, the saya is also asymmetric, so as to put the cutting edge in the centre. Normally shira saya are made from a dry wood like Paulownia, so I used lime (linden, a close relative of basswood). For extra strength, the two halves are glued with rice paste, then bound with Kevlar thread and lacquered black. A handgrip is formed from a string whipping. The blade itself is retained by a pair of bamboo pegs (mekugi) through holes drilled in the blade and handle.

 

Another marking knife, this time in plain lacquered wood.

 

I make occasional batches for sale, of knives in this style.