# Marking Gauge Problem



## daveinjersey (Feb 27, 2013)

Trying to use my fancy English marking gauge, but just making an ugly torn-up line - not like in the pictures and videos.









What am I doing wrong?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Is that a point rather than a knife?

I think you need to angle the point back from the direction of travel. You should be scribbing a line which is not very deep.


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## daveinjersey (Feb 27, 2013)

It is a point, not a knife. You mean just grab my (new) point with a pair of pliers and bend it back? 

I can see where that could work, also where a blade might be better than a point (also where one of those little wheeled things might work well). This doesn't seem to work very well out of the box, though - at least on cross-grain marking.

Thanks


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

daveinjersey said:


> It is a point, not a knife. You mean just grab my (new) point with a pair of pliers and bend it back?
> 
> I can see where that could work, also where a blade might be better than a point (also where one of those little wheeled things might work well). This doesn't seem to work very well out of the box, though - at least on cross-grain marking.
> 
> Thanks



Nooooo, do not bend the point back. What I do is slightly cant the block so the point drags at a slight angle. All you need to do is scribe a light line...nothing more that a faint scratch.


















.


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## daveinjersey (Feb 27, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> Nooooo, do not bend the point back. What I do is slightly cant the block so the point drags at a slight angle. All you need to do is scribe a light line...nothing more that a faint scratch.


Thanks. Makes sense. I'll give it a try.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> Nooooo, do not bend the point back. What I do is slightly cant the block so the point drags at a slight angle. All you need to do is scribe a light line...nothing more that a faint scratch.


Exactly - and if you need it deeper make a few passes. The point should trails behind.

There is some tune-up than can be done on a marking gauge as well. The pin can be re-shaped to add a bit of camber on the inside face of the pin. This helps it cut cleaner and keep the pin from wandering towards the fence.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I sharpen my point in the shape of a knife. It's pointed and sharp but it's not like the point of a pen. It's flat on two sides.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*agreed*

The point should not be a point, rather a knife edge. There are 2 ways to sharpen it to a knife edge, remove all the material from only one side like the Japanese marking knives OR sharpen both side like a typical knife.










A "pointed" point will leave a ragged line unless the material is homogeneous, like plastic. If there is grain, like wood, it will tear. Here's a rather complete article on the use and sharpening of the gauge:
http://www.craftsmanspace.com/knowledge/marking-gauge.html


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

woodnthings said:


> *The point should not be a point, rather a knife edge.* There are 2 ways to sharpen it to a knife edge, remove all the material from only one side like the Japanese marking knives OR sharpen both side like a typical knife.


I don't agree with a blanket statement like that. Sounds like just a personal opinion, not fact. Whether a point or a knife edge, it's a choice. If that were true, it might have been stated that way in the link provided below, but it wasn't.



woodnthings said:


> A "pointed" point will leave a ragged line unless the material is homogeneous, like plastic. If there is grain, like wood, it will tear. Here's a rather complete article on the use and sharpening of the gauge:
> http://www.craftsmanspace.com/knowledge/marking-gauge.html


Stating that a point will leave a ragged edge may be from improper use. All that's necessary is a faint line.

From the posted link...

*The spur of a marking gauge may be sharpened to a conical point or to a knife edge.*







_The spur should be sharp to do good work. *If sharpening is necessary*, loosen the set screw, remove the spur, and file or grid. If sharpened to a knife edge, the edge of the spur should be set parallel with the head of the gauge. Tighten the setscrew to hold the adjusted pin securely._

The key words...*if necessary* means if the point is damaged by getting bent or peened. 


















.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Suggestion to the OP:
Take a sharp nail, hold it at an angle and drag it across the the grain of the wood. It will *tear* the fibers.
Take a sharp knife and drag it across the grain, it will *cut* the fibers. Which way would you sharpen the point for the *cleanest* mark?



The spur of a marking gauge *may* be sharpened to a conical point or to a knife edge.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

woodnthings said:


> Suggestion to the OP:
> Take a sharp nail, hold it at an angle and drag it across the the grain of the wood. It will *tear* the fibers.


If it tears the fibers, you're pressing too hard.


















.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

daveinjersey said:


> Trying to use my fancy English marking gauge, but just making an ugly torn-up line - not like in the pictures and videos.
> 
> View attachment 82621
> 
> ...



You're pressing too hard and keeping the pin too vertical. I use a cheap Harbor Freight marking gauge, and at first I thought it was the tool. After experimenting with it, I found that I was partly right (filing it down to more of an oval than a circle in cross section helped), but mostly what fixed the problem was learning to use the tool.

Very light strokes: try to dent the wood rather than cutting it. A very minimal mark can be enough to catch your pencil, and the addition of a pencil line will make a very minimal mark visible. 

As a side note, for going cross-grain, I prefer a cutting gauge: I have the Veritas wheel gauge, but I don't always use it. Just keep the pressure and angle of the pin low, and it will work fine. Woodnthings posted a good diagram to show the angle.


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