Just received a rather inexpensive HF lathe and it is set up and ready
to go. I noticed that the spur center is a MT-1 that has 4 individual
spurs on it. The spurs themselves are flat across the ends and not
sharp at all...And I mean really flat, like over a 3/32" flat. So when
tightening up the tailstock the spur center spurs don't dig in at all.
I don't know if this is normal for a spur center to not have sharp
spurs. I had a jet lathe a few years back and I'm pretty sure the spurs
on the spur center where really quite sharp. I know you are not suppose
to sink the spurs into the workpiece by using the tailstock but I do
know that by using easy pressure I could sink the spurs into the wood by
gentle turning the tailstock. So my long-winded question is: Do I have
some really cheap/defective spur center and live center which I should
replace? The only MT-1 that I have been able to find online are from
Grizzly and run about $4.00 so I imagine these are probably real cheap
also and I don't know if they are sharp or not. If it looks like I
should replace the spur center and live center are there any suggestion
sources that provide mid-priced centers?

-Thanks for any and all help