"william kossack" wrote in message
...
I've seen a number of turning demos. One thing that strikes me is the
number of turners that have a huge selection of chisels. Each has a
different grind or a different use.

At the prices I've seen anywhere I could easily spend as much on chisels
as a really good lathe.

Some of those that have lots of chisels claim to make their own. How? Are
they buying just steel rods and cutting a flute?

All I know is that at the typical $70-$90 that even mailorder stores want
I'll never own more than just a couple.

Neat thing about owning a number of tools is that the wear and tear is
spread among them, so they really don't have to be the latest and greatest
alloy. I still have some really stubby carbon steel tools that came with
Ol' Blue twenty five years ago. They make the last and finest cuts for me,
within their capability, and then go back on the rack. The big roughing
gouge gets used on every turning, so he gets a bunch of sharpening. Might
be worth spending a bit more to get a good one of them, as well as a good
interior-hogging bowl gouge. For the rest, let the gift-giving occasions
take care of you. I have a "dad shopping" folder of URLs myself, don't know
how it works at your house.

Don't be afraid to practice with the factory grind. Just make sure it's not
what you want before you start altering it. After you're convinced you've
got what suits you in Harbor Freight quality, it's time to consider if you'd
be better served by Sorby, Crown or Taylor.