Turning tools - OK or No?

[poolhound]

I picked up a bunch of tools and odds and ends for $75 from a guy who was clearing out his grandfathers old woodshop. It was a treasure trove of stuff but mostly old which is not necessarily bad. FYI his main machine was a shopsmith. In the pile I bought were these turning tools and am wondering if anybody knows much about them.

• There is a set of 8 chisels that have "KEYSTONE Made by DISSTON USA" stamped on the ferrule. Not sure if these are any good or even HSS, anybody know?
• 2 Hirsch Werkzeuge tools. I recognize this german brand but they dont seem to make turning tools any more. Again are they HSS
• 2 older Sorbys with changeable tips. Look similar to some current Sorbys but cant find these exact tools. Any idea if current tips would work with these?
• then a random bunch of others, 2 craftsman (one carbide, one HSS), 1 AMT and 3 no name. who knows...

I am totally happy with what I got for my $75 as in with the tools was a Swedish Anchor No7 plane which already works nice before I have even tried to do any tuning and a 14 piece shopsmith brad point bit set (3/16 - 1") some of which look to have never been used and make nice clean holes. Basically am trying to figure out what of this batch of chisels is worth keeping (sorbys for sure) and getting back to working shape. For example is it worth the effort to make the Keystone usable or just clean them up and sell them on and buy a new midrange set of HSS tools e.g. PSI or similar?

[phrog]

I'm not familiar with the Keystone but have several of the Hirsch. (Hirsch is the same as Two Cherries or Spannsage; there are several other names made by this company.) The ones I have are not HSS but are fantastic tools. They sharpen easily and take a better edge than many of the HSS tools I've used. The Sorbys appear current and I've never gone wrong with a Sorby. If you got all this for $75, your conscience should be bothering you.

The Wilh. Schmitt Company (Hirsch, Two Cherries) still makes turning tools but I think they are HSS now. Here is a link to where you can download their catalog (in German).

http://www.kirschen.de/en/Home.html

Here is a link to the Sorby catalog:

http://www.ebookhq.co.uk/robert-sorby/rs_catalogue_2015/

I just read that the Keystones were made of "Tool Steel," not HSS.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Jon,
Nice buy on a great range of tools! IMO the Sorbys and Hirsch were worth the $75 alone, the rest is gravy. I like those Hirsch hollowing scrapers!

I'm not familiar with the Disston, but they have nice handles and look serviceable. For me, the overall mass of the steel is important. For me, more mass equates to better tool control with less energy expended, which keeps the cutting edge better engaged with the workpiece, especially when roughing. E.g., compare the feel of the spindle roughing gouge out of the $20 HF set vs. a higher grade tool. I'd clean them up, sharpen, and see how they perform. If you don't like them afterward, then sell and maybe check out the PSI HSS tools.