Turning Tools

[alexf]

I am looking for a source for turning tools without handles. Why pay for handles when I have a lathe to make them myself. I managed to get some at an exhibition, but cannot find a source on line. There are no woodturning shops within easy travelling distance so on line is my only solution.

 

[Russell]

Most shops will sell unhandled chisels Robert Sorby, Hamlet and Ahsley Iles will all supply unhandled chisels to retailers but you only save a small amount between £1.50 and £2.50 depending on the chisel. Ask your local dealer if they will order them for you.

 

[MickA]

Turners Retreat is one shop that has an online website that offers turning tools without handles. There may be others by looking at the adverts in a woodturning magazine.
Mick.

 

[Ken Furminger]

As far as I know Benmail are still going, 01934 510497, they usually have an advert in the Woodturning mag and show a fantatic list of tools most with or without handles. personally I reckon Crown are about the best for cost and quality.
Regards
Ken

 

[Scrums]

I'm not sure it's worth the bother either, OK - all you get is 'lookalike Rosewood' or something - (stained Beech) and a price differential of £2 or £3

....but your own handles in your own style are nicer....

Chris

....thought Benmail had gone belly up and done a closing down sale?....I bought some good Henry Taylor stuff from someone on ebay saying that.....

 

[Intarsiaplans]

This might be a good place for chisels.

Check out the site and pay a visit to the show if you want unhandled chisels....Last time i was there they had loads of them and in every size.

http://www.alexandrapalace.com/whatson_woodworking.html

Danny

 

[beejay]

Try Doug Thompson. http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/ His tools are all unhandled and much better priced than the high quality UK versions. He delivers pretty quickly and the tools are amazing.
regards, beejay

 

[duncanh]

Probably the best reasons to turn your own handles are...

1) to have them suit the shape of your hand and your turning style rather just accepting what you're given

2) you can give each tool a different handle to help you identify it faster and pick it out from a collection of tools. These differences only need to be small but they're a real help - a variation in the number of v-cuts either on the end or at the head of the handle, a number of burned grooves, a domed head screw in the end, and of course, different lengths and types of wood.

Craft Supplies sell some unhandled tools but I've never bought them from there

Duncan

 

[CHJ]

Probably the best reasons to turn your own handles are... to have them suit the shape of your hand and your turning style rather just accepting what you're given
..............Duncan

One problem with that was that until I became proficient enough at tool control to be almost automatic it was difficult to make any valid assessment of balance and hence handle length-diameter-weight distribution etc. and as every piece of steel is of differing weight itself the optimum won't be known until you have made several alternate handles with differing characteristics to try.

To ease this problem I resorted to handling as many differing makes as possible and selecting new tools based on how they felt to me for the task I wanted them for, not by brand, this then lead to the turning of handles for naked tools selected at shows, based on the ones I was happy with.