Joe Fleming said:

Greg,

Keep in mind that, for bowl gouges, English tools typical list the
size as the flute width, where a North American tool typically lists
the bar diameter. A Sorby or Crown 3/8" tool has a bar that is 1/2"
(or 13 mm). This is the size to get as others have said.

Please remember that you can grind any tool to the profile you like
such as the Sorby. Save the $$$ and grind the tool to the Sorby-like
fingernail grind.

For a sharpening reference, see the San Diego Woodturner's web page
under tips. I have posted a grinding handout there that explains a
fingernail grind.

http://www.tridsd.com/sdwt/index.html

Joe Fleming - San Diego

Thanks Joe!

I visited the link you posted. Lots of great info! I hope you/they
don't mind, but I downloaded many of your newsletters for offline
perusing - even though I live in Atlanta. They look professional and
informative. There is a dearth of creative/engineering info in our
library system, and I love to read anything current I can get my hands
on. I'm filing your link in my ever expanding library of favorites!


Greg G.