Recently switched from pencil to marking knife for layout lines

Jake Carter · 2026-03-02T23:15:27.689553+00:00

I used to sketch cuts with a pencil, but the thick lines led to sloppy fits. Now I score them with a knife, and my joints are much tighter and cleaner. Do you find knives worth the effort for everyday cabinets, or is a pencil okay?

derek8687mo ago

My pencil's fine for 90% of my shop cuts.

8

mary_wells7mo ago

Read somewhere that a knife line is basically a tiny chisel start.

4

the_blair7mo ago

Totally get the pencil thing for rough cuts. But once I switched to a knife for joinery, no going back. Trying to line up a dovetail with a fat pencil line is a guess. That hairline score gives a perfect start for your chisel or saw. Yeah it's slower at first, but your pieces just fit.

3