On 25 Nov 2004 07:44:41 -0800, (Gary DeWitt) calmly
ranted:

I don't make dovetails, so this may be a dumb question, but in
perusing currently posted linked sites of recent work, I noticed in
looking at some really beautiful dovetail joints the still aparant
marking line along the bottom of the tails. I understand a scored line
is superior to a marked line where the tails are, to guide a chisel
accurately. But why not mark out the angled lines first, or score them
first, and then score only where you will be chiseling, so as to leave
no mark when done? Or mark all the lines first and then score only
where cuts will be? This has long been bugging me, since the first
time I saw the method laid out in pictures, anyone have an idea on
this?

That is a very good point, Gary.

I feel that score lines on dovetails, etc. are the sign of a person
who did not value their output enough to finish sanding/planing them
off, whether that person is from this or any other century.

Some idiot antique dealer got it into their head (and probably a
book somewhere) that ups the value of items so marked. I feel that
buyers deserve what they get if they listen to him or his followers.

I've watched master dovetailer, Frank Klausz, in action several
times. He ALWAYS uses a pencil and prefers IT saws.

I prefer pencil lines for marking, especially when I change my mind
about the overall size of an object midstream.

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