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New Products » No-Sharpen Lathe Chisels
No-Sharpen Lathe Chisels
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Posted: February 17, 2010
When I'm teaching students to use a lathe, sharpening is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. Like any woodworking tool, a sharp chisel is much easier and safer to use than a dull one. You just can't expect good cut quality, or an enjoyable turning experience, from a dull chisel. Unfortunately, lots of turners struggle with sharpening.
The new lathe chisels from Easy Wood Tools take sharpening lathe chisels out of the turning picture. Instead of a high speed or tool steel tip, the Easy Wood Tools lathe chisels have a replaceable carbide tip. When it gets dull, simply reposition it to get a fresh edge on the tip. Once the entire cutting surface has been dulled, the tip gets replaced. Replacement tips cost from $14 to $18.
The Easy Wood Tools can be used for bowl or spindle work, and are available with both square and round cutting tips. I'll be 'test driving' these chisels soon, but I recently watched a group of brand new turners make pens using these chisels, and they worked great. No catches, great cuts, easy to use. You really can't ask for more from a lathe chisel. Prices range from $90 to $172, depending on the chisel.
Easy Wood Tools
(270) 903-4270
3 Comments
Posted February 21, 2010 // 7:17 PM Great article very useful
Posted February 22, 2010 // 6:58 PM I think I would rather use high speed steel. Why? Accept for a few special tools I can pick up entire sets of tools for about what one of you replaceable bits cost at garage sales. I have a set of 12 in my shop right now that cost $20 that $1.66 a piece. & I have a Wolverine jig & a few hones to keep them sharp. Maybe in a teaching situation it may b worth it.
Posted March 02, 2010 // 12:31 PM I've been turning for about a year -- mostly pens of which at least half are plastic or Corian. The primary complaint I have is the continuous need to sharpen my chisels, and no matter how many times I do it, they never seem as sharp as they could be. Plus, I never really know if they've been sharpened properly. I recently got a carbide-tipped chisel (round) and it is the best purchase of my life! Not having to think about whether my chisel needs to be sharpened while I'm turning is a huge relief and makes turning even more fun.