# easy tools vs. HSS



## Patrude (Dec 5, 2014)

I'm sure this must have been covered before, but I'm curious about how what folks prefer; Easy carbide or H S S? I've only worked with H S S. To my thinking as good as the Easy tools appear to be the downside is the best cut you get is with the new edge. I'm thinking it's just got to go down hill from there until you finally toss it out & get a new cutter. While I don't necessaraly grind all the time I can maintain a good edge with a quick touch up on the H S S . hope I explained myself correctly


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## Schroedc (Dec 5, 2014)

Patrude said:


> I'm sure this must have been covered before, but I'm curious about how what folks prefer; Easy carbide or H S S? I've only worked with H S S. To my thinking as good as the Easy tools appear to be the downside is the best cut you get is with the new edge. I'm thinking it's just got to go down hill from there until you finally toss it out & get a new cutter. While I don't necessaraly grind all the time I can maintain a good edge with a quick touch up on the H S S . hope I explained myself correctly



I sharpen the cutters a number of times using a diamond card before discarding. I always keep one brand new cutter on hand for my final pass if needed but usually with most materials touching up with the diamond card is enough..... On the flip side I use HSS tools all the time too....


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## JR Custom Calls (Dec 5, 2014)

I got about 6 months out of my first set of cutters... turning at least 1 hour every day, usually more. Once week, I sharpen them on a diamond stone. I'm on about a month of my new ones and they still cut just as good as day 1, and that's turning mostly stabilized wood. Heck, they even performed well on antler.

Reactions: Like 1


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## jmurray (Dec 5, 2014)

Schroedc said:


> I sharpen the cutters a number of times using a diamond card before discarding. I always keep one brand new cutter on hand for my final pass if needed but usually with most materials touching up with the diamond card is enough..... On the flip side I use HSS tools all the time too....




What's a diamond card, and where do I get one


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## Schroedc (Dec 6, 2014)

jmurray said:


> What's a diamond card, and where do I get one



I buy mine at woodcraft. It's the size of a credit card, steel with a diamond grit impregnated in one side. Use with a little water.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## DKMD (Dec 6, 2014)

I prefer the traditional tools, but there are fans in both camps as well as a number of folks who blend the two. I prefer to cut instead of scrape, because I think I get a better finished surface by cutting. There are times where that's not true, and in general, I find very hard timbers, acrylics, and some stabilized woods tend to scrape as well or better than they cut.


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## barry richardson (Dec 6, 2014)

I'm with Doc, I mostly use HSS, but the carbide tools come in handy for certain things. I like the round cutter for cleaning up and smoothing up the inside of HFs. The edge last a long time, to me that is their upside. Downside: I have dropped quite a few or they have vibrated off my lathe bed and chip or break the cutters when they hit the floor. hit a rock and the cutter is done, at least for that side, whereas HSS will live again with a bit of grinding..


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## JR Custom Calls (Dec 6, 2014)

I guess the way I see it... I can make a call in the time it takes me to sharpen a set of tools over the course of a day or two in the shop... I'll make quite a bit more with that extra call than the cost of a cutter. Also, I find that I get a much smoother cut with carbide. I guess it plays in to what Doc mentioned, as I mostly use very hard, dense woods, and if not, it's stabilized. In most situations, I can go straight from turning to buffing with steel wool, with only the occasional 220 or 320 grit touch up. Huge time saver for me, and I don't have to worry about riding a bevel, or having catches. 

But, to each their own. I realize that others have found ways that they prefer to do things, and there's no reason that anyone should consider their way the 'right' way, or the 'best' way.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 6, 2014)

I use both, but mostly carbide now, especially for roughing. I just like the simplicity of carbide, I don't waste any time sharpening, virtually catch free, I don't have to think about riding a bevel and just cut and shape at will, forward and backward. Just keep the rest close and the speed up and the tool flat, easy peasy. But like others have said, there is no one way. Kinda funny how I have gone from traditional hss tools to carbide, most go the other way.


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## NYWoodturner (Dec 6, 2014)

I use both. I prefer traditional chisels but there is probably not a day at the lathe that goes by without some carbide usage. Straight cuts and lines most often are done with carbides. Curves done with traditional gouges. 99% of finish cuts on face grain I do with traditional gouges. I think theres room for both in any turning project.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Dec 7, 2014)

I just use carbide, I got my stuff from captain eddie, heck of a lot cheaper than ewt. I'd like to get some hss tools and learn but think I might need a teacher for those. I see people on youtube and they have like 20+ different tools, wouldn't know where to start, and then learning to sharpen them would be a pain as well. It's nice to only have 4 different carbide cutter heads to choose from and them being obvious what they're used for.


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## elnino (Dec 13, 2014)

For faceplate work tradition bowl gouges. 

For end grain containers def use some form of scraping tool. Like the easy tool


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