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Amazing skill, looks like they have made a few before. If I tried that with the angled cutting tool, it would bite the wood and somehow embed itself in my skull!!
 
Astonishing. And only two tools used. The question is, what were the tools? One looked like a large skew made out of a bolster chisel, and the other a sort of hooked but bladed hollowing tool. Anybody seen anything like these before?
 
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Astonishing. And only two tools used. The question is, what were the tools? One looked like a large skew made out of a bolster chisel, and the other a sort of hooked but bladed hollowing tool. Anybody seen anything like these before?

Youtube suggested me some videos of a guy forging and making his own tool similar to the hooked hollowing tool, out of a bearing casing, a korean guys channel by the looks of it.

see here

he doesnt seem to use it to such effect though...

ive yet to master the skew, but this makes me want to try
 
Hi,

Thanks for starting this interesting thread Adam; amazing skills shown. Heating tool steel to cherry red then quenching renders the steel incredibly hard but brittle; as an apprentice I was taught how to temper steel by watching the colour; both water and whale oil were used for quenching depending on the job in hand; brilliant job though and credit to all those shown in the videos. I've not seen a splayed skew before and it looks a fearsome weapon; I bet any novice trying to use such a skew for the first time would soon be wearing the workpiece me included.

https://www.machinery4wood.co.uk/To...RpEsfDl3DTvqefH0SMSqO2InT-w7Q_xBoCH58QAvD_BwE

I often smile when I see woodturners spending a fortune whilst trying to sharpen their turning tool tip to a razor edge; I wonder how many of the turners shown in the videos own a Tormek?

What a brilliant way to fit a lid to a turned box; I like turning finial lidded boxes so will try the method just for fun.

Kind regards, Colin.
 
Interesting discussion. Here’s another viewpoint on YouTube. I don’t know how to put YouTube videos on here, so you’ll have to look for it yourselves. It’s called ‘ A lathe knife is the most dangerous tool. Be careful !!!’
It’s been put up by a Russian woodturner who is concerned by the adoption of the lathe knife by Western woodturners and the possibility of serious injury to them through incorrect use. (He tells how he, himself, sliced off his little finger using the tool).
He speaks Russian throughout, but it is sub-titled in English.
If anyone can tell me how to put videos on here, I will be grateful.
D.
 
Interesting discussion. Here’s another viewpoint on YouTube. I don’t know how to put YouTube videos on here, so you’ll have to look for it yourselves. It’s called ‘ A lathe knife is the most dangerous tool. Be careful !!!’
It’s been put up by a Russian woodturner who is concerned by the adoption of the lathe knife by Western woodturners and the possibility of serious injury to them through incorrect use. (He tells how he, himself, sliced off his little finger using the tool).
He speaks Russian throughout, but it is sub-titled in English.
If anyone can tell me how to put videos on here, I will be grateful.
D.
Underneath the video hit the share button, then hit copy link ....when you're here paste it into the text box.....
 
Hi,

Thanks for starting this interesting thread Adam; amazing skills shown. Heating tool steel to cherry red then quenching renders the steel incredibly hard but brittle; as an apprentice I was taught how to temper steel by watching the colour; both water and whale oil were used for quenching depending on the job in hand; brilliant job though and credit to all those shown in the videos. I've not seen a splayed skew before and it looks a fearsome weapon; I bet any novice trying to use such a skew for the first time would soon be wearing the workpiece me included.

https://www.machinery4wood.co.uk/To...RpEsfDl3DTvqefH0SMSqO2InT-w7Q_xBoCH58QAvD_BwE

I often smile when I see woodturners spending a fortune whilst trying to sharpen their turning tool tip to a razor edge; I wonder how many of the turners shown in the videos own a Tormek?

What a brilliant way to fit a lid to a turned box; I like turning finial lidded boxes so will try the method just for fun.

Kind regards, Colin.
Hi Colin, it is fascinating indeed to see how others work... Glad you're enjoying the thread... 👍👍
 
Thanks, Adam. Much appreciated. I notice that you’ve put the video I cited onto this forum. It doesn’t play, saying that it has to be watched on YouTube.
Complicated or what ?
Best wishes
D.
 
For those who wish to hazard their health with lathe knives, they are for sale on Etsy. Hand forged in Hungary. £85. Inc. postage. They don’t look too complicated (at least to me) so I dare say Colin, or anyone else with metal working skills and equipment could make one.
Col Laughton had a couple of videos on YouTube about 12 months ago, demonstrating the use of one he had made, and, subsequently, a prototype he had designed and made which had a replaceable carbide steel lathe knife tip. Looked the business, but I can’t find what happened to the idea.
The other guy making hollowing tools out of bearings, looked to making something similar to the unlamented Sorby ring hollowing tool.
D
 
Hi,

Interesting replies. Yes Democritus anyone with metal working skills should be able to make any hand tools to a high standard. For those unfamiliar with metalwork it's an whole new huge world to explore; I've been metalworking for over 50 years and still know very little. My first introduction to forming metal was at the forge in the pit where I was taught blacksmithing; I used to enjoy being at the forge whilst it snowed outside. I was introduced to blacksmithing at the age of 15 watching and being a nuisance to the blacksmith so I was occasionally dunked head first up to my shoulders in the 45 gallon water barrel at the forge side this always had scum floating around; at least I wasn't dunked into the barrel of whale oil; at the age of 16 I attended a 6 month training course covering hand tools; lathes; shapers; arc & gas welding; my project was to make a big tap wrench; it needed to be big because of the big Whitworth taps; I was taught how to case harden the tap wrench jaws by adding Kasenit powder; this on BMS (bright mild steel).



Tool steel is readily available as is Silver steel; these steels can be worked to shape then heated to cherry red and quenched to make them glass hard but in such condition they are brittle and chip easily so once hardened they need letting down called tempering;

Silver Steel Bar - West Yorkshire Steel - Fully ISO 9001 Approved

I have some gauge plate in the workshop that can be used for tooling purposes; the tap wrench I worked so hard to make went into an NCB exhibition and I never saw it again.

TC tooling isn't hard to make with a bit of skill; I recently made three woodturning tools very easily saving a fortune over retail bought tools and enjoyed the pleasure of making them all three only costing about £20;

Tool handles_0006.JPG


Tool handles with short lengths of mild steel pipe for ferrules; offcuts I had kicking around.

Woodturning tipped tools (2).JPG


Two handles attached the third still to attach; the two tools to the right have been drilled and tapped to secure the TC tips but the tool on the left has its TC tip brazed; I just like pottering around in the workshop; where could I buy three brand new tipped turning tools for £20; as I say with a bit of skill these aren't difficult to make and can be made to any length.

What I often see when guys are making tools on YouTube by heating they try to carry on forming by hammering when the steel is too cold; it needs to be cherry red so they should reheat it; hammering cold steel will work harden it.

I've a habit of hijacking threads because of my enthusiasm and wanting to encourage others to leave their comfort zone to try something new; at 73 I've learnt TIG welding and metal spinning now I'm having a go at pyrography being a total novice but this afternoon I've scorched a bit of plywood just to get the feel of the pyrography pen;

Pyrography_0001.JPG


A very poor printout of a cat for my first attempt at pyrography so I can only get better? I did this working on the kitchen work surface standing bent over with weight on my elbows which soon hurt but at least I'd started a new hobby.

Pyrography_0003.JPG


Wanting to learn pyrography but with the workshop out of bounds due to our dire cold climate I bought a picnic table through eBay which arrived a few days ago; here it's set up in my office; my office is actually our hallway; please note the radiator and also the computer desk I made years ago; it's tight but now I can practice pyrography in comfort.

Pyrography_0008.JPG


What I've done this afternoon; not pretty but an improvement and I'm gaining pen control; more practice needed and lots of it but I'm determined to learn pyrography.

Pyrography_0009.JPG


Two years ago I bought the pyrography kit and at the time my wife quickly liked it; here's one of her early plywood test pieces; I've been bogged down with heavy work but now I'm on top and can spend time pottering around. Life is so full of interesting things to play with whilst costing little monetary wise.

I've rambled on enough but there's a great deal of enjoyment to be had from trying something new; no one is born with skills or tools in their hand; making every mistake possible before succeeding is how to learn.

Kind regards, Colin.
 
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