Made at 173
A Legacy Project
Inspired by Paul Sellers, an old kitchen knife becomes one of the most useful layout tools in the workshop.
A few years ago I saw the great Paul Sellers make a layout knife from a paring knife. Up to that day, when transferring measurements to a board, I used just a pencil or sometimes my box cutter. But after watching Paul make a layout knife of his own... well...I realized how badly I needed one! Let's get into it...
Why Every Woodworker Needs a Layout Knife
A layout knife might not look like much, but in a woodshop, it’s worth its weight when you need dead-accurate lines—way better than a pencil. The blade’s nice and sharp, kind of like your grandpa’s wit, and it scores the wood clean so your saw or chisel has a perfect track to follow. That also helps keep those pesky wood fibers from misbehaving and tearing out.
I use the knife a number of ways, but the primary use is when I'm cross cutting with a hand saw.
The first few times I used it, I kept catching myself reaching for a pencil out of habit. Then one afternoon I scribed a line across a board, started the saw in that tiny groove, and watched it track exactly where I wanted it. It wasn't a dramatic revelation, just one of those quiet workshop moments when you realize a simple tool has permanently changed the way you work. Since then, the layout knife has become one of those little shop companions that's always within arm's reach.
Having that scribed line has made my cross cuts much more accurate... now if I'd just get better at measuring!
Buy One or Make One?
So here was my (very minor) dilemma...I can definitely afford the $8 to $10 that a Stanley knife would cost but, I rarely find the fun in buying something that I could very easily make iut of something just lying around. Here's the one I considered, mostly because Paul Sellers has used this model for years.
But after seeing Paul make one out of an old paring knife, I had to give it a try!
Converting a Paring Knife
It started with the paring knife a friend gave to me when I mentioned what my project was. Apparently his wife was going to put it in their upcoming rummage sale. The process started by putting the yip of the knife into the vise and snapping the end of to the length I wanted. Here's a little illustration that may help (amateur as it is!):
The black line is approximately where I snapped off the tip. Then, the red line shows how I put a kind of bull nose on the blade, and the blue does effete I til some time polishing the blade smoothly because that's where my finger will be gripping and pressing on. And I should say, I used my Chicago Electric angle grinder with a flap disc for shaping the blade.
And, coincidentally, the knife was a Chicago Cutlery walnut-handled model... until I was writing this, I hadn't noticed the Chicago connection, although I doubt either had actual connections to Chicago.
I digress... the first knife turned out nice, simple and clean, but very effective and I've used it quite often these past few years (I don't remember what year I did this first one). When I went to the workshop to take a picture, I noticed the wood handle was starting to look a little dry so I gave it a little Linseed oil treatment.
So here's how it looks today...
Oh... and if you want to see the Paul Sellers instructional video that inspired me... here it is!:
A Second Design
The story doesn't end there though. A couple years ago my kid sister was getting rid of a bunch of kitchen stuff. I saw some knives and thought of that first layout knife, and grabbed a few of her discards.
There are many tools that generally pass unnoticed along and around a woodworking workbench. Many get the merest nod, are seldom ever mentioned, and even though they may be picked up a dozen times in an hour or a day, somehow they seem less consequential than they actually are. I too gave many that passing interest even though I relied on them as much as the ‘doing‘ tools like planes and saws. - Paul Sellers, Observations Series
The one I used for the second knife isn't in that picture so I found one on the internet just to show you!
I used the same process to make this second knife. But as you can see I have it a totally different profile.
It's in a kind of bird's beak profile at the tip, and also removed some steel on the underside to give this knife, not only a different look, but a different feel and handling as well.
And this one hangs over the auxiliary workbench!
Hey, thanks for stopping by - see ya' next time!
I laughed when you said you could’ve just spent ten bucks on a marking knife but made one instead. That’s pretty much how a lot of us end up with our favorite shop tools.I also liked seeing the second version years later. That’s real woodworking, you make something, use it, and then eventually build another that fits you a bit better.Posts like this remind me that sometimes the best tool isn’t the one you buy... it’s the one you make yourself. - Tina F., Richland Center
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a woodworking layout knife?
A layout knife, often called a marking knife, scores precise layout lines in wood before cutting. Unlike pencil lines, knife lines guide saws and chisels while reducing tear-out and improving accuracy.
Why use a marking knife instead of a pencil?
Knife lines are much thinner than pencil marks and physically sever the wood fibers. This creates cleaner cuts, especially when working with hand tools such as chisels, backsaws, and hand planes.
Can you make a marking knife from an old kitchen knife?
Yes. Many woodworkers repurpose old paring knives because they already have hardened steel blades and comfortable handles. With some careful grinding and polishing, they make excellent shop-made layout knives.
What blade shape is best for a marking knife?
That depends on personal preference. Straight profiles are versatile for general layout work, while spear-point or bird's-beak profiles provide better visibility when working against a straightedge or square.
Who is Paul Sellers?
Paul Sellers is an internationally respected furniture maker and woodworking educator known for teaching traditional hand-tool woodworking techniques. Many modern woodworkers credit him with making hand-tool woodworking approachable.
Keywords
layout knife, marking knife, woodworking marking knife, homemade layout knife, paring knife conversion, Paul Sellers, shop-made woodworking tools, woodworking hand tools, Made at 173, legacy project