On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:13:55 -0800, Jim Stewart
wrote:

I have to make a number of fussy little
groove and radius lathe cutters. Grinding
a HSS insert would be easier than grinding
them out of a full size lathe tool.

Maybe something from Thinbit...
http://www.kaisertool.com/catalog/index.htm

Would drill blanks be too slender?

Everede makes boring bars that use small HSS tool bits with a
triangular cross section.

--
Ned Simmons