race knife

plural race knives

1. nauticalA kind of knife hooked at the point, used for marking outlines on metal, wood, etc.First known use mid 19th c.

   Trees intended for felling should be plainly and legibly numbered, in consecutive order, with white paint, the surface of the outer bark being smoothed with a race knife for this purpose.

   1859, John Blenkarn, “Timber-Felling”, in British Timber Trees, London: Routledge, Warne & Routledge, page 135

   1 more example

   And be it enacted, That every surveyor of lumber who shall be required to survey any timber or lumber, shall, at the time of making the survey, mark with a race knife or scoring iron, on each and every stick of ton timber by him surveyed, the number of cubic feet such stick shall contain[…]

   1849, “Cap. XIX. An Act to regulate the survey of timber and lumber”, in The Acts of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island, volume 1, Prince Edward Island: Royal Gazette Office, published 1862, section XX, page 625

   Synonyms: race-tool, race