Abstract: The disclosure concerns a stencil sensing inscription instrument. The instrument includes a writing arm having a writing implementation at one end and a tracing pin at the other end for insertion in a guide groove. A separate sensing arm is rotatable to a plurality of positions with respect to the writing arm and can be clamped in any of the positions. The sensing arm carries a sensing pin for sensing characters in a stencil. Between the sensing arm and the writing arm clamped connection, on the one hand, and the tracing pin on the other hand, a manual grip is defined. The sensing arm also carries a manual grip.