Center scribe-which one to buy ?

The best, most useful center scribe you can get, ...............ever......... is a height gauge. Use it with a surface plate and you'll have a tool that will come in handy for a lifetime. No bull................ fact ;)

Like the man said, "there's a proper tool for every job". In this case, a height gauge is that "proper tool" :thumbup:

You can find them for a reasonable cost at ENCO ..........http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRHM

Height Gauge - http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INLMKD&PMPXNO=952099&PMAKA=621-8412

Surface Plate - http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INLMKD&PMPXNO=947969&PMAKA=640-0100


:cool:
 
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David is absolutely correct... the height gauge w/ granite surface plate are the tools for the job. Grizzly sells a reasonably-priced height gauge and several granite plate options. The prices on their granite plates are good, but paying for shipping will feel like passing a kidney stone. :D

Erin
 
If there is a woodcrafter's store close you can get the granite surface plate there and skip the shipping.
Stan
 
SBuzek said:
If there is a woodcrafter's store close you can get the granite surface plate there and skip the shipping.
Stan
Click to expand...

Keep a watch on MSC and ENCO. They run a lot of free shipping sales. I got a height guage with carbide scribe and a 12" x 18" surface plate for less than
$100.00
 
SBuzek said:
If there is a woodcrafter's store close you can get the granite surface plate there and skip the shipping.
Stan
Click to expand...

I just got a surface plate from Woodcraft on sale for $19.00 ( 9 x 12 ) and shipping was only $7.00 .
 
jim moyer said:
I have used drill bits for a very long time.
Click to expand...

Jim makes a good point… while a height gauge is my go-to tool for scribing centerlines, there are several alternatives that will also work. Drill bits will work. Transfer punches can be used similarly... I feel that I get cleaner line with them than with drill bits.

I own THIS height gauge.

Erin
 
I have the same height guage as Erin, and it works really well. I bought a surface plate from Enco as well on a day they had free shipping :D. Both can be used for a number of tasks in knife making. I use each on every knife both for center scribing as well as for checking grinds, flatness, etc. Surface plates also come in handy for sanding flats to get then truly flat.

Don't let not having them hold you back, however. As Jim said, a drill bit works really well in a pinch. Just lay the blade flat on the table and lay the approriately sized drill bit next to it and run the bit tip down the edge of the steel. I also have the center scribe from Texas Knife Supplies (www.TexasKnife), and used it for a long time. It's kind of a pain to adjust correctly and the limited size of the flat on the scribe make accuracy a bit tougher. I'd just stick with the drill bits or height guage.

--nathan
 
A surface height gauge allows me to mark two "grind to" lines from the same side of the blade. After surface grinding, I mic the thickness, then lay the blank on the surface plate and tap it on the ends with my finger. I do this from both sides. If it isn't perfectly flat, it will rock from one of the sides. If there is any rock, I tape down the handle end with the point "sticking up" (this may only be a couple thousandths, but still enough to merit correcting.) I then calculate my center distance, and further calulate a "plus .010" and "minus .010" value, as I grind to 20thou before HT. I then mark my blade to the plus/minus lines by changing the guage, not flipping the blade over. This provides not only nice, parallel lines, but a blade centered with the handle.

If there is any warp, flipping the blade over will result in non-parallel lines,(and possibly non-centered lines), and your edge thickness will not be consistent when you grind to the lines. This overcomes that inaccuracy.
It also overcomes the inaccuracy of running a caliper down down either side of the knife. That will scribe parallel lines, but they may not necessarily be straight and will follow any curvature in the blank.
 
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silver_pilate said:
Surface plates also come in handy for sanding flats to get then truly flat.

--nathan
Click to expand...

I have two surface plates... the larger 18"x24" sits with my gauges and templates not far from my grinder, the smaller one is just a bit bigger than a sheet of sandpaper. Works great for finish sanding of flats.

Erin
 
fitzo said:
A surface height gauge allows me to mark two "grind to" lines from the same side of the blade. After surface grinding, I mic the thickness, then lay the blank on the surface plate and tap it on the ends with my finger. I do this from both sides. If it isn't perfectly flat, it will rock from one of the sides. If there is any rock, I tape down the handle end with the point "sticking up" (this may only be a couple thousandths, but still enough to merit correcting.) I then calculate my center distance, and further calulate a "plus .010" and "minus .010" value, as I grind to 20thou before HT. I then mark my blade to the plus/minus lines by changing the guage, not flipping the blade over. This provides not only nice, parallel lines, but a blade centered with the handle.

If there is any warp, flipping the blade over will result in non-parallel lines,(and possibly non-centered lines), and your edge thickness will not be consistent when you grind to the lines. This overcomes that inaccuracy.
It also overcomes the inaccuracy of running a caliper down down either side of the knife. That will scribe parallel lines, but they may not necessarily be straight and will follow any curvature in the blank.
Click to expand...
thats the easy part, Grinding up to the lines across the entire length of the knife is the hard part. Great advice Michael.
www.adammichaelknives.com
 
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