6 Best Cabinet Scribes for 2021 (Our Reviews & Comparisons)

Any cabinet maker worth their salt will have a decent scribing tool in their toolkit. Cabinet scribes allow you to match up to even the most uneven surfaces with absolute precision.

Because cabinet scribes are a staple addition to any woodworker’s toolkit, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are a lot of choices on the market. On this page, we want to walk you through what we believe are six of the best cabinet scribes on the market. There is a little bit of something for everybody here. So, whether you are a new woodworker or one that needs to use a cabinet scribe daily, the perfect choice for you is here.

Best Cabinet Scribes Table

PRODUCT	FEATURES	LATEST PRICE
1. Veritas Log Scribe	Maximum 12″ capacity Double levels. One on the horizontal, one on the vertical. Rotatable level post The steel pin is both pointed and blunt curved. This means it can be used for different projects.	Check Price
2. Trend Easy Scribe	0.7mm Flat Lead Replaceable Lead Wide Guide Plate One-Handed Adjustment Articulated arm	Check Price
3. Profiler+The Ultimate Scribing Tool	Glass-reinforced nylon tip Compatible with most markers and pencil sizes Moveable pencil holder Smooth-rolling motion	Check Price
4. Simple Houseware Scribing Tool	7 Offsets Flat surface to make scribing accurate Pocket-Sized Designed for flat and slightly rounded surfaces.	Check Price
5. Fastcap Assuscribe Scribing Tool	5 3/4″ Long Constructed from Polymer Consistent, Smooth scribe Can accept most pencils Easy to set the offset	Check Price
6. Milescraft Scribetec	Built-in pencil sharpener Adjustable pencil/marker holder Articulating head Precision scribing point	Check Price

Our Best Cabinet Scribes Reviews and Comparisons

1. Veritas Log Scribe

Product Highlights

This Veritas Log Scribe is produced by the Canadian woodworking company, Veritas. Anybody with even the slightest experience in woodworking will likely have a couple of Veritas tools in their arsenal. The products are great, and their log scribe is no exception to that rule.

Constructed from zinc-aluminum alloy, coupled with brass fittings, the Veritas Log Scribe is solidly built. This is the type of tool that you can purchase assured that you will be using it for many, many years to come.

The rotatable level post will allow you to ensure that you get perfectly level no matter what angle you approach your work from.

Features

• Maximum 12″ capacity
• Double levels. One on the horizontal, one on the vertical.
• Rotatable level post
• The steel pin is both pointed and blunt curved. This means it can be used for different projects.

What We Like About Veritas Log Scribe

Veritas has poured a lot of effort into the design. We love the steel pin. It has both a pointed side and a curved, non-marking side. This means that it can be used for different projects. You really only need to have one scribe in your arsenal.

The double rotatable levels help you to get your scribed lined up absolutely perfectly. This will make it easier for you to get through your work. Once you are used to it, the speed at which you can use this thing demonstrates why so many professionals rely on Veritas tools.

To cap it all off, Veritas is known for being one of the best companies when it comes to customer support in the woodworking industry. While we doubt that you are ever going to get into trouble with the design of this product, we are confident that Veritas will be there to help you if you do.

What We Don’t Like About Veritas Log Scribe

In comparison to the various other log scribes on this list, the offering from Veritas is expensive. So, while it may be perfect for those that are planning to use a cabinet scribe day-in and day-out, it is probably not going to be the best choice for those that barely ever use a cabinet scribe.

It is somewhat on the heavy side too. The heaviness is a sign of quality. However, until somebody has a bit more experience using the Veritas Log Scribe, they are probably going to find it incredibly difficult to set them back level. It really isn’t something that you can just pull out and get cracking with right away.

2. Trend Easy Scribe

Product Highlights

Trend is another company that has become synonymous with quality woodworking products. While they do, mostly, focus on the whole router scene, they have several products that can be used elsewhere too.

This scribing tool has been designed to be simple to use. When you are ready, just slide it out of the housing, run it against the surface that you are marking out, and slide it away. There is absolutely no setting up. Nothing.

As with many of the products offered by Trend, it is easy to obtain spare parts for the Trend EasyScribe. In fact, you get a couple of spare parts included in the kit.

Features

• 0.7mm Flat Lead
• Replaceable Lead
• Wide Guide Plate
• One-Handed Adjustment
• Articulated arm

What We Like About Trend Easy Scribe

Trend has always made quality products, so we are confident that this bit of kit is going to last any owner a good few years. It really does help that you can easily get hold of spare parts for it too. We are sure that this is going to be a well-used piece of kit for any woodworker.

We also love the fact that it is dead simple to use. There is no setting-up. you just have to pull the tip out of the scribe, hold the back against a surface, and that is it. You are ready to roll. You probably won’t even have to read the instruction manual.

What We Don’t Like About Trend Easy Scribe

The only real issue is that putting too much pressure on the articulated arm can cause it to move out of place. This means that you may need to get used to that moving arm. It is an easy problem to avoid after a while.

3. Profiler+The Ultimate Scribing Tool

Product Highlights

The British-made Profiler+ has one of the smoothest rolling actions we have ever seen. This helps to create consistent lines, no matter what surface you are working with. You don’t even have to worry about causing any sort of damage to the surface. It is a very delicate piece of kit.

The included precision tip seems to work perfectly well with all sorts of surfaces. The precision tip is nice and thin. This will allow you to easily scribe the most complicated of surfaces.

Features

• Glass-reinforced nylon tip
• Compatible with most markers and pencil sizes
• Moveable pencil holder
• Smooth-rolling motion

What We Like About Profiler+The Ultimate Scribing Tool

We do love the fact that we aren’t forced into using a specific pencil or marker here. As we all know, woodworkers have their favorite writing implements, and sometimes we may need to switch things out to work with the surface properly. The Profiler+ allows.

We also love the fact that the rolling action is so incredibly smooth. It seems that no matter what surface you need to be gliding over with this bit of kit, it is going to get the job done. It is no wonder so many woodworkers swear by it.

What We Don’t Like About Profiler+The Ultimate Scribing Tool

Sadly, it is a rather cheap product. It is just a bit of plastic. If this was made out of metal, then we would see it as an absolute gift from God. However, the cheaper plastic construction means that it probably isn’t going to be beneficial for many beyond the hobbyist woodworker.

4. Simple Houseware Scribing Tool

Product Highlights

Professional woodworkers may want to look away now. The Simple Houseware scribing tool is not for you. This is a product that has been designed for those that may need to do a couple of jobs here and there.

This product has been designed for those who will only be dealing with straight or slightly rounded surfaces. It is dead-simple to use for that. Just pull it out of your pocket and you are ready to roll.

Features

• 7 Offsets
• Flat surface to make scribing accurate
• Pocket-Sized
• Designed for flat and slightly rounded surfaces.

What We Like About Simple Houseware Scribing Tool

Well, this is certainly going to be one of the simplest scribing tools that you will have ever used. All you need to do is slide the pencil in, find the offset you want, and it just works.

Sure, it is cheap. However, that is fine. There isn’t a whole lot going on with it. As we said before, this will likely be favored by hobbyist woodworkers who just need something simple in a pinch.

What We Don’t Like About Simple Houseware Scribing Tool

You aren’t going to be doing any intricate scribing with this tool. You need to be using it for flat and ever so slightly rounded surfaces. Beyond that, it is going to have very little use.

It is also not ideal to be used in tight spaces. It may be pocket-sized, but it does feel bulky.

5. Fastcap Assuscribe Scribing Tool

Product Highlights

In terms of comfort, we genuinely believe that the FastCap Accuscribe Scribing Tool is easily one of the most comfortable products on the market to hold. It just feels great in your hands, even when you are making small adjustments.

While it is probably not going to be able to cope with the most intricate of profiles, it is more than happy to deal with a small amount of detail. This means that it can be perfect for both hobbyists and woodworkers that aren’t necessarily going to be putting their cabinet scribe through its paces.

Features

• 5 3/4″ Long
• Constructed from Polymer
• Consistent, Smooth scribe
• Can accept most pencils
• Easy to set the offset

What We Like About Fastcap Assuscribe Scribing Tool

It is just comfortable to use. When you are scribing constantly, you will often become irritated with how hard some of the metal feels in your hand. It isn’t uncommon for you to start dealing with blisters after a solid day of scribing.

This isn’t so much of an issue with the Fastcap Accuscribe Scribing Tool. The polymer construction makes it comfortable to hold. While we can’t say that it isn’t going to cause discomfort after using it for hours and hours on end. We reckon that it is probably going to cause a lot less discomfort than competing kits.

What We Don’t Like About Fastcap Assuscribe Scribing Tool

It does feel a little bit too bulky for dealing with the more intricate scribing work. The pointed tip really does seem to move about a little bit too. While it hasn’t been a problem for us yet, we do think that the Accuscribe Scribing Tool is just one bash away from losing the tip.

6. Milescraft Scribetec

Product Highlights

This is another cabinet scribe that is fantastic at what it does. However, it is going to be geared more toward the lower end of the market. However, for the price that you are paying, the Milescraft ScribeTec gives a surprisingly accurate scribe.

The articulating pencil holder makes it simple to maintain the right offset for your scribing. It doesn’t even move about all that much, which is unexpected for a product at this price point.

Features

• Built-in pencil sharpener
• Adjustable pencil/marker holder
• Articulating head
• Precision scribing point

What We Like About Milescraft Scribetec

A lot of thought has gone into the design of this product. The articulating pencil holder functions well and it holds in place well. As we said, this is not something you would normally expect on a cheap product. The point is also retractable and highly responsive. This means that this product is capable of dealing with even the most intricate of scribing jobs.

What We Don’t Like About Milescraft Scribetec

This is really going to be clutching at straws. However, we aren’t a fan of the pencil sharpener. While we can see the idea behind the inclusion of one, it just doesn’t seem to be something that most people are going to be using. Most woodworkers will have a pencil sharpener kicking around in their toolkit anyway. The inclusion of one here is just adding unnecessary bulk to the product.

Final Verdict

So, what is the best cabinet scribe in 2021? Well, this is tough to answer. Every person will have different needs. While there is one overall winner on this list, we understand that the high price probably isn’t going to be for everybody. So, we have two picks pulled from this list.

When it comes to cabinet scribes, the Veritas Log Scribe is nigh on unbeatable. Anybody serious about woodworking will have this in their toolkit. It is precise. It is easy to use. It is a bit of kit that is going to last absolutely decades.

For those that are looking to the cheaper end of the market, then the FastCap Accuscribe is a safe bet. It doesn’t quite boast the accuracy of the Veritas Log Scribe, but it is much cheaper.

All six of the cabinet scribes on this list are tremendous pieces of kit. However, we see most people being happy with one of these two.

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