On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 20:29:46 -0500, spaco
wrote:

I have a friend who turns a LOT of Norwiegan ale bowls (2 or 3 a day at
the MN state fair every year, for instance)with a spring pole lathe and
he uses mostly hook tools. He is emulating 1600's and 1700's usually,
so he uses only 1095 for tools (since that's what would have been
available). He forges out the Hook on the end of a roughly 1/2" round
bar about 15 inches long and fits a handle that is another 15 to 24
inches long. He does fully harden them and temper them back to medium
straw, but they do require a fair amount of sharpening ( a quick
stoning). We full hardened one without tempering once, and it stayed
sharp a long time, until it broke when it caught one day. He
demonstrates before the public often and gives classes, too.

Even though a lot of guys like the newer tool steel alloys (and I'll
admit, I do too- for hogging things out,) I actually kind of prefer
the 1095- old fashioned or not, I haven't found anything that takes a
keener edge. It just doesn't stick around as long.

I'd favor forging over grinding. You only need to work the last couple
of inches of stock, so it shouldn't take more than a half dozen heats to
draw it down. Come on over and use a power hammer if you want. (If I
can ever find the forge again). I think I have a bunch of 1/2" round
1095 to save you some time.

I might take you up on that- my wife came up with a "let's just
rearrange every single thing in the house quick" idea this weekend,
and I never got out to the forge.