Years ago while looking at an old frames layout, I noticed deep over struck lines at motise sides and came to the conclusion that I was looking at the product of a steel pin mortise gauge. That started me down the path of incised layout and templating. What I noticed in myself as I was striking lines was more focus instead going through the process tick marks, pencil lines, checks and finally knifing. I would mark tapes with sharpies for a story pole. So to layout, I would clamp the tape to the timber and mark the location lengths by running the tape over the framing square, set square to mark, retract and lock tape and finally strike the line with an awl. Then strike the mortise sides with a double pin gauge. Swiping with a fixed gauge is very fast, involves no measuring, produces identical marks through the project for mortise and tenon.

For me, marking with awl and gauges, is crisp, quick and sure. The old saying "measure twice cut once" is replaced by verifying templates and transferring marks. Much faster.