Parting Tool

[scmhogg]

I am not a frequent turner. Mostly because my skills are sorely lacking.

I have to turn a handle out of some close grain Ash. I was using a parting tool to to make a shoulder and mark the depth of the tenon. I know the tool quality is not great, but it is the only "wide" one I have. I got a pretty good edge with fine sandpaper on glass.

But, it was still tough. It smoked, and the chisel got hot. It is a diamond shaped parting tool so you don't get much rub.

I went to Leonard Lee's sharpening book and found a tip that worked. He suggests burnishing a small hook on the narrow cutting edge, like you would on a scraper. Wow, wat a difference this makes. No smoke, and chips are flying.

Steve

[Uncle Cracker]

Any time a tool smokes, it's rubbing, rather than cutting. This means you have a problem either with the edge, or with the angle you're attacking with the tool. Looks like you solved the problem with this particular cut.

[guycox]

Actually the parting tool works just like any other chisel. It has a bevel that you can "ride" just like you would ride the bevel of a gouge or a skew. It's possible pull long shavings off a parting tool with a peeling cut. Scraping make a messy sawdust instead of shavings.