I could use some advice.

[Tom Baugues]

It's been about 5+ years since I attempted to turn a bowl and today was not planned but I saw a piece of wood today I've had stored for a few years and the next thing I knew it was spinning on the lathe with no real plan in place. So far, it's going well but I have a question......Many years ago I purchased a "Robert Sorby swan neck tool". I have rarely used this tool, but I find it to be rather dull and doesn't cut well although I feel it would serve me well on this bowl. It has a HSS cutting bit, but I don't know how to go about sharpening the bit. Do I simply remove it from the handle and rub it on a honing stone? Or is there a better way? Any tips would be appreciated.
https://www.grizzly.com/products/ro...H6PjrlTTZ_ihDy4uLcI4OXallSAS2AlgaAhrFEALw_wcB

Swan Neck Tips - Bullet

These tools are suitable for blind turning or undercutting where reach is restricted and designed for the H9078, H0507 and H0508 Swan Neck Hollowing Tools.

www.grizzly.com

 

[Ryan Mooney]

According to to the inimitable Doc Green you sharpen them pretty much like a scraper:

Sharping Sorby Hollowmaster

Doc Green's woodturning tips.

www.docgreenwoodturner.com

I guess for light use I might skip all of the holder business and use one of the cheap diamond hones (I've gotten some years out of my ez-lap set which is basically this one https://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-PAK4-Color-Coded-Diamond/dp/B000UVTDZC) and just touch up following the bevel and then flat hone the top face a touch.

 

[Vaughn McMillan]

I agree with Ryan and Doc Green. They're just small scrapers. They cut with a burr instead of a sharpened edge. I don't have the Sorby tool, but I've got a bunch of similar cutters among my various hollowing tools. I take the bit off and sharpen them the same way (and at the same angle) as my handled scrapers. I've never been fond of honed scrapers. I prefer to use them fresh off a 120 grit grinder, when they have a bit more prominent (and somewhat coarser) burr. A honed scraper can take a thinner, lighter cut, but I've found a light touch with a coarser scraper gets the same end result for me.

That said, be aware that a swan neck tool can be a fickle beast because it's easy to hang more tool off the tool rest than you can easily control. I try to keep the tool rest as close to the cutting edge as I can when I use one in a handle. (I prefer to use them in a captured hollowing rig, so I don't have to fight the torque of the wood trying to rip the tool from my hands, lol.)

 

[Tom Baugues]

Thank you guys for the advice. I'll see if I can get it sharpened up and hopefully get this project done today.

 

[Mike Stafford]

The Hollowmaster was one of my first tool purchases. Sharpening the various scrapers was a challenge until I made a holder. The holder was a piece of square steel bar into which I drilled and tapped a hole for a bolt that would fit through the scraper hole. With this holder I could securely hold the little scraper. Then it was just a matter of tilting the table slightly on my 1x42" belt grinder and touching up the edge. After the belt sander I gave it a lick or two across the top with a diamond paddle to clean up any burrs. This worked quite well.

For the small scrapers I drilled a hole down the length of the square steel bar from the end. Then I drilled and tapped a hole for socket head cap screw that aligned with the hole. I could then put the small square scrapers into the hole and securely hold them by tightening the socket head cap screw. Tilt the table on the 1x42" sander and sharpen to your heart's content finishing with a quick swipe with the diamond paddle.

By the way you can forestall sharpening on the sander by renewing the edge with the diamond paddle. You can refresh that edge several times between sharpenings.

I sold both of my Hollowmasters to another turner after I obtained my Hunter straight and swan neck tools. They cut better and require no sharpening.

 

[Dave Hoskins]

The Hollowmaster was my first hollowing tool. The reason I quite using it after a while is as I remember the shaft was round. For me that made it a bit awkward using. I know most bowl gouges and such are round as well, but that's fine for them. Later I went with the Easy Tools version which has a square shaft and makes it a lot easier to use. Again that is for me. Others prefer Hunter and probably other brands. I sharpen the Easy Tool cutters with one of those aforementioned diamond hones. Works well.

 

[Tom Baugues]

The Hollowmaster was one of my first tool purchases. Sharpening the various scrapers was a challenge until I made a holder. The holder was a piece of square steel bar into which I drilled and tapped a hole for a bolt that would fit through the scraper hole. With this holder I could securely hold the little scraper. Then it was just a matter of tilting the table slightly on my 1x42" belt grinder and touching up the edge. After the belt sander I gave it a lick or two across the top with a diamond paddle to clean up any burrs. This worked quite well.

For the small scrapers I drilled a hole down the length of the square steel bar from the end. Then I drilled and tapped a hole for socket head cap screw that aligned with the hole. I could then put the small square scrapers into the hole and securely hold them by tightening the socket head cap screw. Tilt the table on the 1x42" sander and sharpen to your heart's content finishing with a quick swipe with the diamond paddle.

By the way you can forestall sharpening on the sander by renewing the edge with the diamond paddle. You can refresh that edge several times between sharpenings.

I sold both of my Hollowmasters to another turner after I obtained my Hunter straight and swan neck tools. They cut better and require no sharpening.

Thanks Mike.

 

[Tom Baugues]

The Hollowmaster was my first hollowing tool. The reason I quite using it after a while is as I remember the shaft was round. For me that made it a bit awkward using. I know most bowl gouges and such are round as well, but that's fine for them. Later I went with the Easy Tools version which has a square shaft and makes it a lot easier to use. Again that is for me. Others prefer Hunter and probably other brands. I sharpen the Easy Tool cutters with one of those aforementioned diamond hones. Works well.

Dave, I too think the round shaft makes this tool a bit more difficult but honestly when I bought this many years ago I don't remember any makers with flat shafts like they do now. I'm learning that I have to use a very steady hand and go slowly.

 

[Tom Baugues]

I finished up this little bowl today. Thank you all for your help and advise. I'm mostly happy with it. Of course I see all the imperfections (after) finish is applied. It felt good to turn again and I need to do it more often. Have to keep tools sharp is the most important lesson learned. I'll give it to the inlaws as it was from their tree. Just a simple catch all bowl. 4.5" wide by 2" tall. 3/16" thick

 

[Tom Niemi]

That turned out great Tom!!! I really like the shape. Don’t forget to sign and date the bottom

 

[Robert Horky]

Looks awesome. Nice job

 

[Ryan Mooney]

Very nice Tom!

I'm with you on finish popping out all of the flaws, I kind of hate to apply it sometimes "oh this bowl looks really good".. "oooh ooh darn.." hah. I'm honestly not seeing much here (at least comparatively). Nice looking bowl