The Ill-named Knife

It’s a dinner party, and someone asks me what my new book is about.

“It’s book of projects that are ornamented with a race knife,” I say.

Silence. Raised eyebrows.

“Race? Knife?”

I explain that the “race” part of the knife has nothing to do with human races. The knife cuts a groove that looks like the race that feeds a mill and…. Sigh.

“It’s also called a drag knife,” I say, immediately realizing how dumb that term might sound. “Because you drag it. Across the work. It’s not like a drag show. It’s… I'll eat my soup now.”

For anyone who has wondered what a “race knife” really is, here is the definition from R.A. Salaman’s “Dictionary of Woodworking Tools.” Get the book. Every woodworking home should have a copy.

Timber Scribe (Scriber; Race Knife; Scorer; Scrieve or Scrive Hook; Scriving Knife; Skiven Iron; Raze Knife)

The simplest type consists of a steel blade with the end bent round to form a sharp gouge-like cutter; this excavates a groove (or ‘race’) when pulled toward the user. Others in…