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The stem features both imperial and metric measurements, making it a passable alternative to a depth gauge. I wouldn’t completely trust the accuracy of these measurements, but it can do in a pinch. Measuring tool, 2 pcs: Prism guage accurately measures grass heights on greens. Separate tool to measure HOC on fairways, roughs or semi-roughs. The style of gauge which uses a knife instead of a pin is often described as a cutting gauge. This tool is sometimes used to slightly “mark” the wood before a cut to prevent tearout later when doing the main cut with for example a circular saw. What is the cutting gauge?
In the Western world, pins are the traditional choice and can be found on most antique marking gauges. They’re cheaper and easier to use than their knife-based peers, and can be sharpened with a standard file. The Mortice Gauge #2120 [above 3 photos] and below, seems to be the bog standard for Mortice gauges as it lasted for eons [ c.1861-c1965<]. It had everything……Rosewood; ‘Fancy’ Head; plated Head; Thumbscrew operation; and was a ‘Combination’ gauge. I have noted that the earlier ones had the ‘fancier’ brass inserts [more delicate with smaller screws… photo below here] Below are 3 examples of M2153 produced by RECORD/MARPLES showing a Brass plated Thumbturn screw, ‘Hardwood’ with brass slide and still in the original Plastic moulded boxes. The left one is the earlier because of the larger brass grip area on the sliding point arm. The one on the right is the latest, despite having again received a larger brass grip area. One of these first Gauges is shown below and I believe was personally made by William Marples Jnr. . It perfectly displays the first mark that we can associate with MARPLES…. W. MARPLES JUN and shows some wonderful irregularity in the handmade Brass escutcheon plate. Gauge #2091. This Rosewood Cutting gauge with Boxwood screw was only listed in 1909 and was closely related to Item# 2092 [below].Still, a wheel gauge is a great choice for those looking for a more modern take on marking gauges. What’s so special about Japanese marking gauges? Unlike the ordinary marking gauge whose steel scribing pin is designed to mark along the grain, the cutting gauge is equipped with a cutting spur, which when properly ground and honed, severs cross-grain fibers cleanly. Used across the grain, the marking gauge can tear the wood and produce a ragged line, but the cutting gauge incises a neat, clearly visible cut, just the right thing to accept the edge of a sharp chisel when paring away the last bit of end-grain tissue.
A cutting gauge is another name for a marking gauge with a knife instead of a pin. These offer cleaner cuts and virtually eliminate tearout, but are typically more expensive and slightly more difficult to use. Mortising cutting gauges are also available. What is a wheel marking gauge? Below are 2 ‘ Improved Mortice Gauges with Improved Stems‘ showing the Anchor Mark [ 1838-1859]. The stems are 6.3/8″ long and the gauges are identical except one is Ebony and the other is Boxwood. Note the Round escutcheon plate rather than the earlier ’round plate with ears’. If you have a sizeable collection of marking gauges and want to dedicate them to specific tasks, you should try sharpening them to be completely flat on one side. This way, one wall of your scribed lines will be perpendicular to the surface, producing even cleaner results that approach those of a cutting gauge. Like Japanese hand saws, these marking gauges are designed to cut on the pull stroke. In practical terms, this means that the knife is slightly tapered towards the user. The mark [ 3/4″ wide] on the Gauge is one I have never seen before, but since it states ‘ Hibernian‘ this must refer to the ‘ Hibernian‘ works, which the MARPLES factory was called up until 1859, when MARPLES moved to Westfield Terrace, and then the name was changed to ‘ Hibernia Works‘.Below is another #2120 showing Phillips head screws throughout and more curvature to the Top and Bottom edges than previously seen.. The #2117 gauge was a standard gauge between very early times and 1959<, but of course with various number changes [see chart]. A standard low cost gauge [because it was not thumbscrew operated]. Made however with Rosewood and with ‘fancy’ brass and ‘plated’ head. Of course, in these early times, Rosewood would have been readily available from South America. But the gauge offers much more than a good fit. The pin is always in the most visible position and the trailing of the pin when marking means that the gauge faces the very least resistance. Below are pictures of the short lived #2153T [ Thumbscrew Head securing bolt]. This was available c.1959-1965+.
Why? Because this way the pin will be shaped more like a cutting gauge, and produce cleaner layout lines for your joinery. Don’t sharpen them too much, though, or they won’t hold their edge for very long.
Japanese marking gauges, or keshiki, are slightly different than their western counterparts. The basic shape and outcome is the same, but there are a few key elements that make them unique. If you’re looking for more inspiration, I’ve linked a few of my favorite YouTube builds for marking gauges below. Sometime around the 1965 era a translucent milky white plastic thumbscrew is to be found. Probably it came after the clear Yellow thumbscrew:
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