Sujikebiki

Blade of a sujikebiki. The marking is made with the part of the cutting edge protruding at the bottom.

A Sujikebiki ( Japanese 筋 毛 引 ) is a Japanese stroke measure , also called Suji-Keshiki .

The marking gauge is used in manual woodworking , e.g. carpentry , to mark ( scribble ) lines on wood that run as indentations at a certain distance parallel to the edge guide, when the set device is held (struck) on an edge and drawn along it . With Japanese markings, blades that are sharpened on one side are used, which also mark across the grain or on end grain without splitting.

Japanese marking gauge with two blades

Simple markings consist of a stop, which is used to guide the measure parallel along the edge, and a movable and lockable arm, occasionally provided with a distance scale, at the end of which the blade is attached. Sujikebiki can often be found in versions with two independently adjustable blades. There are also numerous other special forms (e.g. a kamakebiki for places that are difficult to access).

The Sujikebiki can also be used with a larger protrusion of the blade clamped in the adjustable arm for pre-cutting veneers, thin boards or strips, in order to then split or break them along the deeper cut line ( Warikebiki ).

Other Japanese scribing and marking tools

• Bunmawashi (marking circle )
• Shirabiki (scribing diameter )
• Sumisashi ( bamboo feather )
• Sumitsubo (ink chalk line )

further reading

• Toshio Odate: Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit, and Use ; Linden Publishing Co Inc., US; ISBN 0-941936-46-5