What is a good Marking Knife?

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

So what is a "birdcage awl" ??

I could very well be wrong, but I think it is a square awl, so the holes are square, which you want for making birdcages out of strips of bamboo, as they split the pieces very thin, but they are square, thus square holes............someone will correct me if I'm wrong

[Dave Anderson NH]

Most bircage awls are made from square steel bar stock and have all four sides of the steel tapering down to a point. Sort of like an obelisk or pyramid type tip. Stu is right in that they were originally designed to cut or ream the hole for Victorian era birdcage bases and tops. Then either bamboo or dried rushes or rattan were inserted into the holes. The most common use today of a birdcage awl is to mark the location of holes for hinges and other screw mounted hardware. You stick the point into the wood and then turn the awl to cut the wood fibers. Some folks also will turn the handles after insertion into a piece of wood and use the awl as a reamer. Some birdcage awls will occasionally use round steel rod stock and then grind the tip to either a triangular or square shape.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi jeremy, I just checked my website and the link to the FAQ page seemed to work fine from my computer at my day job.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hi jeremy, I just checked my website and the link to the FAQ page seemed to work fine from my computer at my day job.

Worked fine for me over here in Japan as well!

Cheers!

[tod evans]

it`s workin` here in the sticks too......

[Tom Henry]

What about this one... its on sale

http://www.garrettwade.com/jump.jsp?...emType=PRODUCT

[Glenn Clabo]

Tom...Look at your sig line. Yes there is GarrettWade quality...and I am partial to Canadians...but I can say that our own Mr. Anderson's work is simply worth it's price. If for nothing else (and after using his tools it is not the ONLY reason) when you use it you have that hand made by someone I know feeling. Ya...it's just a mark on a piece of wood...but I think you know what I mean...think about your recent visit with Alan's school. Does mass production really make you feel the same?

p.s. Dave Anderson does not need my support...and might not even know who in the world I am. It's his tools that are the first ones that go into my apron when I enter my shop and have something to build that makes me say these things.

[Bruce Gray]

I used an Exacto knife until I bought a Crown tool marking knife. The steel in that knife has the hardness of warm butter ...impossible to get an edge on it. Needless to say, I went back to my exacto knife.

[Frank Fusco]

why does the handle have to be round tom?

Any excuse to use the lathe is a good reason.

[Tom Henry]

WOW!! That says a lot!!! I will be taking a hard look at those now! I do know that feeling. The feeling you get when you walk down into your shop just to look at your finished product one more time!

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hey Glenn, I do know who you are. The offer to drop by some time is still open and will remain so indefinately.