"Ray" wrote

Thanks for the reply. The joints on the purple heart are tight. What
is showing in the picture is maple sawdust in the shallow tearout of
the purple heart. When I blow it out I will be the only one who will
see it, so it is not a major problem. The maple is not tearing, only
the purple heart when the tool is rising from parallel with the grain.
For your suggestion I will try honing the tools before making the
final cut. I would think more relief angle would let the tool slide
in more easily and tear the grain? How does one determine the optimum
turning speed to maximize the finish? I am a novice to turning so
help would be appreciated.

If your tool is free to slide _at all_ then that is a big part of the
problem. Get a firmer grip on it and keep it stationary by anchoring the
side of your finger on the side of the tool rest.

I suggest more relief, by thinking about a scraping blade held almost square
to a surface, then think about a utility knife blade almost parallel to the
surface. The razor edge will cleanly cut, while a scraping angle will tear
as it pushes along the cut.

I guess I didn't say it out exactly, but the extra relief angle is put there
to allow a steeper cutting angle.
--
Jim in NC