[BZawat]

I've never turned, but was given a lathe a year ago or so that's been collecting dust since. Too damn busy with work to start learning.

Anyway I scored this old set of craftsman chisels today on Craigslist for 40 bucks. They are UNUSED! Still have factory milling marks on the bevels & crisp edges.

Are these decent chisels, or is my score a dud?

 

[duncsuss]

I have some very similar, but the handles are closer to red than this orange color.

Mine are carbon steel -- not high speed steel (HSS). This means you have to be very careful when sharpening them, if they get hot the edge will "blue" and it's all over (so far as holding a sharp edge goes). If they are carbon steel, keep a cup of cold water near the grinder and quench the tip frequently while sharpening.

(Do not quench if they are HSS.)

Mostly I use the skew chisels -- which I sharpen by hand on diamond-grit sharpening cards, not on the grinder. It is rumored that carbon steel takes a sharper edge than HSS (but loses its sharpness faster, so frequent honing is required.)

 

[warped wood]

When sharpening wrap a wet towel around the shaft near the tip to act as a heat sink, and use smooth motions when grinding. Alow full cool down before more grinding or cutting the cheaper turning tools will work fine they just need a bit more babying

 

[BZawat]

Thanks guys. They are carbon steel, not HSS. I inherited a slow speed wet grinder that I haven't played with yet. It's got a 220 grit grinding wheel with a water tray under it, I think it runs at 120 rpm. Would that help to control overheating?

I sharpen all my bench chisels and plane irons on wet/dry sandpaper & plate glass, so honing on a grinder is an area I don't know a lot about.

 

[duncsuss]

Thanks guys. They are carbon steel, not HSS. I inherited a slow speed wet grinder that I haven't played with yet. It's got a 220 grit grinding wheel with a water tray under it, I think it runs at 120 rpm. Would that help to control overheating?

Absolutely -- I don't think it would be possible to overheat them using that grinder (so long as it doesn't run dry )

 

[warped wood]

Jump on the you tubes and search sharpening lathe tools, theres a guy that shows how i think he calls his show makin shavins. Anyway he sells this jig i just made a shop version works awsome

 

[duncsuss]

Couple more options for "how to sharpen" ...

-- John Lucas has made several videos, about sharpening and how to use different lathe tools. Search John60Lucas and check out all his stuff.
-- If you have a local Woodcraft or Rockler store, they might run classes.
-- Look on the AAW website to see if there's a local woodturning club, the one I go to has a "mentor program" where members volunteer to help other turners (and those who want to try it)

I think warped-wood was thinking of Captain Eddie Castelin, he also makes good videos.

BTW, I don't see any bowl gouges among that set you bought (there's one which might be, but I think it's a spindle gouge.) Probably best to use them for spindle work only.