Has anybody bought a 1/2" Thompson bowl gouge recently?

Sam Fleisher · Nov 30, 2023

The other day I started using a bowl gouge recently purchased last month and noticed a bluish color on one side of the shank behind the flute. I had bought two and the other one isn't like this.

I was just wondering if Doug has changed his process? None of my other thompson tools have had this and I was just wondering if it's something I need to keep an eye on. Probably not but I was just curious.

I gave him a call but his voicemail was full.

First pic is the blue side, the other pic is the same gouge. Doesn't show up as good in the pic as in person.

Richard Coers · Nov 30, 2023

Why not call Doug? That'll eliminate a ton of guessing here.

Sam Fleisher · Nov 30, 2023

Richard Coers said:
Why not call Doug? That'll eliminate a ton of guessing here.

Third line of my post....

James Seyfried · Nov 30, 2023

I have a 5/8" one that I have had and been using for several years that has a spot that is missing the "bluing". I figured it was just cosmetic as it also gets removed sharping and honing the back side. I can't tell any difference using it compared to the several other Thompson gouges I have. But I know Doug stands behind all of his tools.

Sam Fleisher · Dec 1, 2023

James Seyfried said:
I have a 5/8" one that I have had and been using for several years that has a spot that is missing the "bluing". I figured it was just cosmetic as it also gets removed sharping and honing the back side. I can't tell any difference using it compared to the several other Thompson gouges I have. But I know Doug stands behind all of his tools.

This is an actual blue color not the normal gun metal bluing color. kind of a metallic chroma blue color I would describe it as.

Gerald Lawrence · Dec 1, 2023

I got a 1/2 spindle gouge last summer and it has discoloration on one side. I think it is the tempering process as I do not believe the entire length is tempered . Maybe @Bill Blasic will chime in for clarification. Even though Doug has retired I am pretty sure there is no change in the product warranty.

Sam Fleisher · Dec 1, 2023

Gerald Lawrence said:
I got a 1/2 spindle gouge last summer and it has discoloration on one side. I think it is the tempering process as I do not believe the entire length is tempered . Maybe @Bill Blasic will chime in for clarification. Even though Doug has retired I am pretty sure there is no change in the product warranty.

I don't think it's a warranty issue, I was just curious. My original 1/2 inch gouge was 3 years old approx , bought it with a 5/8's and they didn't have the blue tint. Picked up a new 5/8 a month or so ago and then the 2 new half's last month with the one half inch gouge being different I was just wondering if it was a tempering thing or something. Wouldn't want it snapping off. But if you had one discolored from last summer then it's probably just a process thing.

I would say whatever they do to them has a definitive line right where the flute stops. Just odd it's on one side and not the other.

Gerald Lawrence · Dec 1, 2023

I have read here that companies only treat the fluted areas of gouges but not sure that is the case in all companies.

Steve Nix · Dec 1, 2023

Could just be the coating,

James Seyfried · Dec 1, 2023

Sam Fleisher said:
This is an actual blue color not the normal gun metal bluing color. kind of a metallic chroma blue color I would describe it as.

I know it isn't actual gun metal bluing, that's why I put it in quotes. Maybe someone who actually knows the correct term will enlighten us.

Jeff Jackson · Dec 1, 2023

Gerald Lawrence said:
I have read here that companies only treat the fluted areas of gouges but not sure that is the case in all companies.

Not all of them. D-Way tools are hardened the entire length of the tool.

Ron Solfest · Dec 1, 2023

I messaged Doug Thompson and he said that was just an artifact of the heat treatment. The tools have to be stood straight up and that’s a contact mark from the fixture. He may elaborate further if he logs in here.

Doug Thompson · Dec 1, 2023

Sam Fleisher said:
The other day I started using a bowl gouge recently purchased last month and noticed a bluish color on one side of the shank behind the flute. I had bought two and the other one isn't like this.

I was just wondering if Doug has changed his process? None of my other thompson tools have had this and I was just wondering if it's something I need to keep an eye on. Probably not but I was just curious.

I gave him a call but his voicemail was full.

First pic is the blue side, the other pic is the same gouge. Doesn't show up as good in the pic as in person.

Sam, The coloration you see is from the heat treatment. When the steel is hardened it has to be stood straight up so they don’t bend at the high temperatures so they touch a fixture in two places along the steel. The hardening is done in a vacuum oven (no air) so when the steel is removed it’s a geogeous silver, blue and purple color. The tempering is done at atmosphere which will produce the dark gray color you see on the steel. Now to answer your question the difference in color is the fixture mark from the two processes nothing different except color.

Sam Fleisher · Dec 1, 2023

Doug Thompson said:
Sam, The coloration you see is from the heat treatment. When the steel is hardened it has to be stood straight up so they don’t bend at the high temperatures so they touch a fixture in two places along the steel. The hardening is done in a vacuum oven (no air) so when the steel is removed it’s a geogeous silver, blue and purple color. The tempering is done at atmosphere which will produce the dark gray color you see on the steel. Now to answer your question the difference in color is the fixture mark from the two processes nothing different except color.

Thanks for the response! I wasn't worried just curious.

Richard Coers · Dec 1, 2023

Sam Fleisher said:
Third line of my post....

Sorry, don't know why I missed that.

Dean Center · Dec 1, 2023

Hey, Doug, Happy Retirement and Thanks for all the great tools over the years.

Bill Blasic · Dec 2, 2023

Doug Thompson retired? I retired from selling tools in Doug's booth this past year but have not heard anything about Doug retiring.

Russ Braun · Dec 2, 2023

It’s nice to know that he’s lurking, lol!!

Neil S · Dec 6, 2023

Jeff Jackson said:
Not all of them. D-Way tools are hardened the entire length of the tool.

I have ground parabolic flutes into the tang end of both D-Way and Thompson BGs and both have performed as well as the original flute ends.

Has anybody bought a 1/2" Thompson bowl gouge recently?

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