There are a variety of tool solutions when you need to quickly measure an mark your ice for cutting. And once you start using one, you’ll likely wonder how you got along without it. The score stick, pictured at top, is a simple tool consisting of a long piece of wood (1”x2”x23”) that has holes drilled in it to mark inches and half inches (or cm). At the zero mark, there’s a screw that sticks out on the other side. An ice pick is used with the score stick to measure and mark lines and circles on the ice. The screw does the scoring, while the ice pick rides along the block edge or holds the circle centerpoint. It doesn’t take long to make this tool and the time save later on will be well worth it. At the bottom of the page, a video demonstrates how the score stick is used to mark and ice block for splitting.

    Alternatively, some carvers have sticks without the screw and they use two ice picks instead. This offers more flexibility, but might complicate things slightly.

    Below, a photo of a T-scribe is shown. The T-scribe is used with an ice pick as well, but the ice pick marks the lines instead of the screw. The T-scribe offers more accurate lines, as the guide does a better job of keeping the stick perpendicular to the edge, but it can’t be easily used to mark circles. On the date of this entry the T-scribe was priced at $40.

A T-scribe, for marking measured lines on your ice. (image courtesy of www.icecrafters.com)