but they just won't dig in unless you pound them.

Yeah, you have to give 'em a whack. That's normal. Most turners keep a
plastic or wood mallet handy for just that purpose. But then you don't
have to go the extra step of cutting grooves in your stock unless it is
wood that is prone to splitting.

In article rs.com,
buck wrote:
Thanks Mike.... Already picked one up from Sears for $9 and it is way better
than what I had. I will take your advice and grind down the old one for a
spare.... if need be.
Also, the new one has 4 spurs that line up which I like so they fall into
the saw cuts on the end of the wood piece. The old one had staggered spurs
which I suppose is suppose to keep from splitting wood... but they just
won't dig in unless you pound them.


"Mike Paulson" wrote in message
...
Spur centers are easy to sharpen. Somebody suggested a file, I do mine on
the bench grinder. You could also use a sanding disk, a belt sander, or a
Dremel. No sense spending money for a new center when a minute or two is
all it takes to make yours sharp. If you use power tools instead of a
file, dip it in water every few seconds to keep the metal from overheating
and drawing out whatever temper it may have.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co