How to use a knife edge scriber

Shop for Engineer’s Scribers

Equipment needed:

Engineer’s rule

A rule is needed to measure out the position of the line you need to mark on the workpiece.

Engineer’s square or tri square

An engineer’s square or tri square may be needed if you want to mark a line that continues around the workpiece on more than one side.

Pencil

You may require a pencil to darken the scribed line you have made in the workpiece in order to make the line more clearly visible, particularly if not using marking ink.

The correct technique for using a knife edge scriber

Step 1 – Mark the end position

Using a rule or other measuring device, measure the end position of the line you wish to scribe onto your workpiece. Place a small mark there with your knife edge scriber.

Step 2 – Mark start position

Take your measuring device and measure the start position of the line you wish to scribe. Place a small mark there with your knife edge scriber but this time leave the scriber in place on the workpiece.

Step 3 – Position ruler

Take your rule or straight edge and place it up against the edge of the scriber you have in place on the workpiece, so that it joins the start and end position of the line you wish to scribe.

Placing the knife edge scriber at the start position of the line and then moving the straight edge up to it helps to minimise any inaccuracy.

Step 4 – Scribe line

Keeping the scriber knife up against the straightedge or ruler, draw the scriber along to mark the line.

You may have to repeat this a few times to make the line deeper and more visible.

Step 5 – Mark edge

If the line you want to scribe onto the workpiece travels around more than one side of the workpiece, then when you reach the end of the line at the edge of one side of your workpiece, rotate the blade of the scriber 90 degrees around the edge of the workpiece. This will then mark the start point of the line you need to scribe on the second face of the workpiece.

Step 6 – Make line more visible

If the line you have scribed is not very visible, running a pencil along it will mark either side of the scribe you have made. This makes it easy to see the line whilst keeping the more accurate groove that was made by the scriber.