Wood scribe

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A wood scribe is a tool made of a square rod of wood, usually about 5/8" square by about 10" long with a small steel "point" driven into one face near the end and kept sharp with a file, with a larger block about an inch thick and 2" square (with a square hole through the middle) used as a stop, held in place at a desired dimension either by a wooden thumb screw to the 'beam', or a fine tapered wedge. A wooden scribe was used for scribing (scratching) a mark on wood parallel with an edge (or end) of a board or beam. These scribes, along with a try square were often used for laying out mortise and tenon joints.

It is possible that these types of scribes were used on metals or soft stone also, but the block and point would wear much faster than if used on wood.