Brand of Woodturning Tools?

[Craig Malmrose]

Hello:

I have a set of bowl gouges and scrapers, and the brand name is Robert Sorby. I know there are better tools out there, but I don't know what the brand names are. Could anyone recommend some very good quality woodturning tools? Thank you for your help!

Craig Malmrose
New Member of the AAW

 

[Brian Gustin]

Sorbys are excellent tools, they may not be the "cream of the crop" but they are far and away better than the typical Hurricane or Benjamin's Best (cheaper priced) tools. If you want better than that, you're probably looking at Thompson Tools, for one, Robust's line of tools, Glaser (if you can even find them any more) to name a few.. Sorby's are on a par with Crown, Sheffield, etc (In fact I believe the Sorby tools use Sheffield steel)

 

[Peter D'Attomo]

Sorby is a very good brand. No need to shop further. However, if you choose to sell them, this is the place

 

[Mike Johnson]

Sorby makes quality turning tools, any of the High-Speed Steel tools will hold an edge. a sharpening jig and quality grinding wheels will
help with putting a good edge on the tools. Sharpening the tools properly is another learned skill that new turners need to learn. Some
woods require a freshly sharpened and honed edge to cut with, most turners have the grinder within a few steps of the lathe so they
can sharpen the tools quickly when needed. There are videos that show the different methods of using a jig to sharpen the different
turning tools on a grinder.

 

[Bill Blasic]

Sorbt tools are OK but in my estimation the best turning steel tools are from Thompson Lathe Tools maker of turning tools using 10V steel. If you want to dabble with carbide look to Hunter Tool Systems, this is carbide that cuts not scrapes.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I second what @Bill Blasic said. Doug Thompson tools are my favorite, as well as Hunter Tools for carbide.

 

[Paul Grenier]

Thompson tools or Robust tools are the top of the line. D Way aren't bad either

 

[Doug Freeman]

That’s a loaded question. Depends on your definition of “quality” - might be a good thread starter.

3 things I evaluate with a tool is the steel type (ex: m2, m42, cpm-v10, other pm steels) for BG flute shape, for scrapers steel thickness.

I am not sure but I think all Sorby tools are m2 hss, and I suspect it is as good of m2 that is available. To step up you need a different steel. The benefit in a BG is how long it holds an edge. Same is true for scrapers, but I have only used m2 scrapers and cant evaluate the other steels and benefits.

Sorby BG’s have a parabolic flute (the best shape IMO) so there is no gain there.

If your current sharpening interval is ok with you, then you wont really benefit from better steel. If you rough out through bark, use wood with a lot of inclusions, etc, the better steel will be a benefit.

As others stated V10 is the best steel, unfortunately Thompson BG’s are V not parabolic. They do work well (have one) but there are some minor benefits to a parabolic flute with an Ellsworth type grind and a 40/40 grind.

I use Crown m42 and pm gouges as they have parabolic flutes.

To sum up the main benefit is different steel with a longer edge life. I see the benefit in my most used tools, 5/8” shaft BG, 1/2” & 3/8” SG. The other tools dont get enough use for it to pay off vs m2 steel. Try a better steel for your most used tool and see if it benefits your established turning methods.

 

[Bill Blasic]

It is no secret that I work in the Thompson Tools booth at the AAW Symposiums. I love talking with woodturners. One of my favorite questions is "are these gouges parabolic", the answer I give is "no". I then ask "what will the parabolic flute do that these gouges won't do?" I have never got an answer to that. I have used parabolic gouges and they don't cut any differently than any other gouges I have used, they cut wood. The only true difference in gouges is the steel they are made from. It is a fact that 10V steel (aka A11 steel) is the best as it stays sharper longer. There is no magic flute that will make you a better woodturner. How you approach the wood with the tools you use will make you a better woodturner. I can see how woodturners watching demos hear that this guys says this grind works best or this flute shape works best when in reality what works for them is 30 or 40 years of woodturning under their belt and they can show you. But what they are really showing you is how to approach the cut correctly with the angle of the cut, it makes a huge difference. I've seen a pro take fantastic cuts with a sharpened axe, its the angle of attack that gives you the best cut.

 

[Doug Freeman]

An old saying - “a true pool shark can beat anyone in the room with a broom stick”. The same is true with a woodturner - the true masters can work with about any tool. I aint one yet and may never be.

The minor benefit of a parabolic flute is the slight convex shape of the wings for a long wing grind - its easier to get just the right shape. That shape helps with slicing cuts and sheer scraping.

No argument the V10 steel holds an edge, though the value of that is dependent on the work. It really shines when roughing through bark and inclusions. For clean blanks, it does not, since I resharpen before finish cuts. M42 works just as well in such situations.

 

[Dean Center]

Moderators--maybe this topic should be moved to a discussion forum, rather than being here in the classified ads section.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Thread moved to Getting Started forum. The Marketplace forums are for buying and selling. They are not for Q&A threads or rag chewing. Please report misplaced topics so that they can be moved to one of the discussion forums.

To answer the OP's question, Robert Sorby is one of the well-respected makers of high-quality turning tools. The often heard saying, "it's not the arrow it's the Indian" applies to woodturning tools. No tool is your ticket to greatness. An accomplished woodturner can turn with a sharpened piece of galvanized water pipe or even a tool from Harbor Freight.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I'm still puzzled as to how did I make a comment and not realized the thread was in the wrong forum. I believe the culprit is the What's new tab. On my last trip to Argentina, someone from the audience made a comment that I was a decent turner due to the Thompson gouge I was using. I told the guy, to go and get me one of the locally made gouges. It was dull after 10 seconds, but I showed them that is not the tool, it is the Gaucho that holds it. I agree, Sorby tools are excellent.

 

[Dan Kozar]

You don't say how old they are. If they are stamped HSS, they are excellent tools. When i started turning in the early 90's. Sorby sold both High speed steel (HSS) and carbon steel tools. Carbon steel tools are good tools, but you have to sharpen more frequently.

 

[hockenbery]

Could anyone recommend some very good quality woodturning tools?

There are lots of good tools on the market that do the job.

I like using wood handles. I turn many of my own.

If you use the Ellsworth grind - I like the Jamieson gouge made by thompson
The robust gouge is nice too.

Hollowing - I like the Trent bosch bars

End grain hollowing - I like the termite by ONEWAY
And the #4 Hunter

I have lots of HSS Henry taylor and crown tools and few Sorby.
They all do the job.

 

[robo hippy]

My arsenal is composed of the Thompson and D Way tools. I really can't tell any performance difference from them. There is a huge difference if you go from them to M2 high speed steel. Basically you can rough out a LOT longer with the V10 and the M42 than you can with standard M2. For scrapers, I use the Big Ugly tool. Not as sharp of an edge as the carbide tools, but excellent for heavy roughing.

robo hippy

 

[hughie]

If your starting out, buy low cost gouges/tools etc for two reasons. [1] your learning and they are cheap enough to stuff up or break/damage etc, [2] much better to learn how to sharpen on cheap steel .

 

[odie]

An old saying - “a true pool shark can beat anyone in the room with a broom stick”. The same is true with a woodturner - the true masters can work with about any tool.

^^^^^ This quote I've never heard before, but it struck me as particularly pertinent to the discussion.

Another old quote that rings the bell is: "It's not the arrow.....it's the Indian!"

-----odie-----

 

[robo hippy]

I just don't seem to be able to buy throw away tools. Maybe some thing about having to get my money's worth out of anything I buy, and I go for best value, not cheapest tool, or most expensive tool which may or may not be the best money value.

robo hippy

 

[Daniel Henry]

^^^^^ This quote I've never heard before, but it struck me as particularly pertinent to the discussion.

Another old quote that rings the bell is: "It's not the arrow.....it's the Indian!"

-----odie-----

Watch some of those Outdoor Sporting show where the sportsman is seek game with a bow and arrow; the bow certainly does not look anything like what was used in the 1700 or 1800 and modern arrows are sooooo synthetic, certainly no wooden shaft not flint arrow head.

 

[odie]

Watch some of those Outdoor Sporting show where the sportsman is seek game with a bow and arrow; the bow certainly does not look anything like what was used in the 1700 or 1800 and modern arrows are sooooo synthetic, certainly no wooden shaft not flint arrow head.

Uh-huh.........my guess is an experienced Indian who depends on his skills as a hunter, will be much more adroit in achieving his objectives, regardless of the equipment he uses, than someone who doesn't possess the same level of skill.

I believe that was the point.

-----odie-----

 

[Dean Center]

Watch some of those Outdoor Sporting show where the sportsman is seek game with a bow and arrow; the bow certainly does not look anything like what was used in the 1700 or 1800 and modern arrows are sooooo synthetic, certainly no wooden shaft not flint arrow head.

All true, but you still gotta get within 40 yards of a very suspicious bull elk to even have a chance, and somehow get off an accurate shot, and hit him just so. But you're right--it's even more miraculous what indigenous people did with old fashioned equipment on buffalo and mammoths.

 

[Timothy White]

IMNSHO the best tool you can buy is a good grinder CBN wheels and a Wolverine sharpening system With the Varigrind fixture. Learn to grind the Ellsworth grind and learn to use it Before moving to more exotic grinds. I prefer Doug Thompson V gouges. Sorby makes an excellent H2 gouge and it’s reasonably priced with an excellent handle included. Sorby Hamlet and other European tool makers use flute width as the gouge size. Ie. 1/2” Sorby = 5/8 Thompso.

 

[Michael Edelman]

If I had the money, I’d buy all Thompson tools. I don’t, so most of my tools are Hurricane. They make a good tool for the money, both in HSS and the more exotic steels. As Timothy wrote above, having a proper sharp edge is more important than whose tool you use.

 

[odie]

a proper sharp edge is more important than whose tool you use.

Quoted for truth...

-----odie-----