When Rockler came out with their version of these tools, I'd never seen one before, I like the idea. I waited until they were on sale and got the set of 3 for small for mini lathes. I do use them a lot and like them. They have a lot of great qualities and can be rotated for another cutting surface. I also resharpen mine on a diamond hone. I do not have a parting tool with a carbide head. That may be my next purchase.  I still use some of my HSS tool, but not much.

If you were to rate the carbide cutting tools on a 1 to 10 scale (10 is tops)  what would your rating be?

Edited October 19, 20178 yr by Ron Altier
sp

Use mine exclusively- Easy Wood Tools. I did have to re-learn how to turn beads. Still use a couple of shop thin parting tools and some specialty tools for crush grind pepper/salt grinders.  One thing I've learned is that these tools will produce awesome cuts when  doing shear cutting.

well.....   in my opinion.....     

 

10?

I have some home made tools and some store bought tools (a couple of Easy Wood tools included).  The tools I rate as all similar in quality.  The Easy Wood carbide inserts are the only ones I would rate as a 10.  Sure there may be some as good that I haven't tried but I stick with the tried and true because they work.  Here are some pictures of tools I made.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Ron Altier said:

10?

Easy Wood Tools= 10

Edited October 19, 20178 yr by lew

I tend to use conventional tools but I do have some home made carbide tools and like Dan, a couple EWT's. The fit and finish on the Easy Wood tools are superior and they are definitely 10's. Just today I thinking about the easy finisher. I'm turning Christmas globes from segmented plywood blanks I make. The combination of the glue in the plywood and the yellow glue I use to make the blanks is death to a cutting edge. 

 

Steve

I have 3 Hunter tools and love them. Mostly I use my gouges, can't beat Thompson tools. I tried a EWT detail tool at a friends shop. Pretty neat piece for beading just not as smooth as I like.

Good morning Ron, I went ahead and added some relevant tags to your topic. So folks can search and find this great discussion in the future, we are trying to get you all to start adding tags to your content as a courtesy to future viewers. Thanks Ron! And thanks for being here!

somewhere in the middle.   carbide doesn't take the same fine edge that many good tool steels can. but once it gets an edge it lasts a long time.  so it's a good work horse but not a fine one.