Scriber won't stay in combination square

The old ones had a rolled-up piece of brass shim stock in a drilled hole. If yours is like that, either pull out the brass piece and crimp it to grip better, or use an Xacto knife or prick punch to bend it a little to work better.

If it is all plastic, then I can't be much help.

Jon

Somebody jacked your Starrett scriber and swapped in a cheapo. This happened to me too and recently I had a dial caliper sent back to Starrett for reconditioning (thus was paying for shipping anyway) so I had them put in the right scriber. That part cost $1.97, now my little 6" Starrett combination square is complete again.

Grant

Simple. Place a ball (from a ball bearing) that's a little larger than the hole on top of the hole, then tap it with a small hammer.. That will swell the opening slightly, tightening the hole enough to provide the necessary friction to retain the scriber. Go slow, so you don't close it too far.

That's the same trick I've heard of for tightening a tapped hole when it accepts the no go. Not that I'd ever do it myself! :-)

Harold

With care you can pull the sleeve out with a tap and crimp the brass. After a while it will wear and need to be done again but it should last a few years. Charlie

Stuff some sticky clay in the hole. I keep some of that clay-like sticky weatherstripping stuff around. A roll lasts forever. Handy if you drop a tool in a tight space just put a wad of this stuff on a stick and fish away.

According to Dev Null :

Is it the original scriber -- or perhaps one of slightly smaller diameter?

Typically, they are held in by a pushed-in cylindrical spring with a finger from one side with presses on the side of the scriber. And there isn't much room for the spring finger to move, so smaller scribers -- or perhaps one which has been re-sharpened one time too many, so the full diameter section does not reach the finger -- will tend to be loose.

Measure the diameter of the hole at the surface of the casting. Then try pushing a drill bit dull end first into it to see if that grips nicely. If so -- it is time to get or make a new scriber of the right diameter.

Good Luck, DoN.