Marking Knife on a Lanyard

When in the shop and working, doing layouts and such, I often misplace my marking knife simply by laying it down and forgetting where I left it for the moment. After hunting for it again, I decided to make sure it was with me in the shop and at my fingertips as needed, when needed! I can draw it one-handed, and put it back with just one hand, and it now is available as I work, never falling off the table, or getting laid under some pile of parts again!

Marking Knife Woodworking Marking Knife Thin Blade Dual Double Bevel Striking Knife Hardened Mn-V Steel Heat Treated Striking Marking Knife (2 Pieces) $7 (amazon)

1" diameter hardwood dowel

Small neodyn Magnets (1/4 diameter)

Paracord or lanyard

Take the marking knife you want to use and measure from the tip of the knife to a point on the handle of the knife where you want the dowel to touch the knife handle. This is the depth you will drill into the dowel lengthwise. Cut dowel to a working length, (I used 4" as the length) Drill end hole to the depth you determined for your knife. Notice that the hole in NOT centered, this give me a thicker wall for mounting the magnets later. Make sure the hole is deep enough to give support to the knife handle when in the dowel so that motion or contact with you will NOT shake the knife out of the grip of the magnets.

Lay the knife on or along the dowel at the selected depth length and mark the location of the side hole for the small magnets. (I used a stack of three magnets) using wood glue, cement the stack of magnets into the side hole, (Making sure that the magnets do NOT obstruct the knife's passage into the full depth of the hole.

Now drill a small hole for the size lanyard you want to use, (I used paracord and a 1/4" hole) Your lanyard is now complete, finish as you like and enjoy having your marking knife where you can find it (at last!)