I think WAAAYYY too much emphasis is place on different tool maker's
tools. And I believe they are making some of the newer turners feel
like they have to have a "so and so tool" with a "so and so" grind on
it to get anywhere. What is sad is that they are now taking regular
gouges and selling them for 30% more if they have a certain grind on
them kissed by a national turner.

I have railed about this before as I think that turning is such an
individual thing. I used to be of the camp that said to never buy a
set, as you will not use three or four of the tools you paid for.

No longer. Buy a good quality set like the BB, and grind away to get
the tools to do what you want. To me (unless they have a deep flute)
they are only a piece of tool steel stuck in a handle. I bought some
spring steel pry bars to grind into hollowers at HF, and with square
shafts, I am thinking they could be pretty damn easy to use, and cheap
too! I am now trying Darrell's Oland tool, after receiving inspiration
from his website. (Thanks Darrell!)

And after all, if you took the handle off of all the tools, what indeed
would be the difference? Some changes to the metal, to be sure, but
not too much in the HSS department. I actually corresponded with the
man who imports the BB line to the USA from China, and he also told me
it is sold under the Windsor Design name. He gave me the metal
compositions, and it is certified good stuff according to my local
machinist. (So hey.... Robert.... why aren't you selling them if you
believe in them? Well, because I had to buy a minimum of 1,000 sets,
and each individual tool was a 250 piece order!!)

I looked into these tools after going to the catalogues to look at new
tools. Can a Sorby 3/4" roughing gouge be $75? And can a 3/8" bowl
gouge be $50? A couple of more tools and you are what I paid for my
Jet mini! So as a price driven quest, I decided to try the Benjamin's
Best. That's how I found out about them.

But I have said it before, and I will say it again. If it cost then
what it cost now to turn, I wouldn't be doing it. Ten years ago there
was no Benjamin's Best. I had a set of Delta carbon tools sold at HD,
and a couple of Sorby tools. Then I bought some Henry Taylor Artisan
tools from Craft Supply. And so it goes.

But when I started, it never occurred to me to take a shot at making my
own tools. When this group was really quite lively and there were a
lot more participating members, it was a hot bed of ideas. I went to
other people's sites, read discussions and followed the threads
closely. I couldn't believe some were making their own deep fluted
gouges out of shock absorbers (rumored to be O 1 steel) run over an old
table saw with a metal cutting blade in it. I still remember when I
first went to Darrell's site, and I was stunned... a masonry nail as a
hook tool? Genius. And better, he had instructions no how to make
your own. I amy now do what they do, but they certainly fueled my
imagination to make some of my own goodies.

Once again, I have said this before, here. I think as a competent
turner (without a sponsor), you will need to learn to use the tools
around you for other things, and when you need a new tool, you might
want to learn to make one yourself. Othewise you won't be able to
afford all the goodies you want.

Soap box mode off.

Robert