The Anarchist’s Gift Guide, Day 7

The last two items on my list are for woodworkers who have been very good this year. They are a bit more expensive than the other items on my list, but they are excellent tools.

Of those last two items, the first is the Saddle-Tail from Sterling Tool Works, a one-man toolmaking company in Maryland. The Saddle-Tail is a dovetail marker that, in my opinion, trumps the others I have used. It is a nice little tool that has a nice presence in the hand and does lots of things that other dovetail markers don’t do.

Full disclosure: The Saddle-Tail is based on a tool I have in my tool chest and is similar (in some ways) to markers made by many other markers on the market. I have no financial interest in the tool, the company. I don’t receive royalties. I even paid full retail for mine.

Some details of the Saddle-Tail that are very nice.

1. Durable materials. I have worn out markers made from aluminum or wood.
2. It offers a bold 1:4 dovetail slope. Most other markers have shallower slopes. I like the bold slope.
3. The brass arm of the Saddle-Tail is long enough to mark out tails when gang-cutting 3/4” carcases. Yup. It reaches across the 1-1/2” space.
4. You can mark in two dimensions at once. Mark the end grain and face grain without moving the marker. This reduces the chance for error.
5. The little recess on the brass part of the square – this help you pull the square tight against the work. It’s a nice detail.

If you don’t use dovetail markers, good for you. If you use a dovetail marker, this is the best one I’ve encountered yet. It is $75 plus shipping. More details at Sterling Tool Works.

— Christopher Schwarz

Read other days of my gift guide:
Day 1 is here. Rockler Mini Drill Bit Set
Day 2 is here. Brownell’s gunsmith drivers
Day 3 is here. Grip mini pry bar
Day 4 is here. Tiger Flakes
Day 5 is here. Grammercy Holdfasts
Day 6 is here. Draft-Matic pencils