rockwell hardness of tools

[Ron Petley]

I want to make some turning tools for me and a few friends.
Any idea of what rockwell hardness is good for Turing tools.
I was going to forge them out of 01 steel and let the oweners turn their own handles. Cheers Ron

[Thom Sturgill]

I have looked at this several times lately. Advertised hardness runs anywhere from about 58 HRC to about 65-67 HRC for some of the more exotic metals (ASP 2060 for example). M2 steel comes in about 61-63 HRC and the ASP 2060 supposedly holds an edge about three times as long. On the other hand, Doug Thompson claims 60-62 HRC for his tools.

There is a study I saw on plane blades and the outcome was that, in general, the harder the metal, the less sharp it would get, but the longer it would hold the edge it did take.

[Dale Miner]

I think that you will find a full untempered oil quench with O1 will be too brittle for a gouge, especially a bowl gouge shape.

When starting to turn, my first and second bowl gouges were home made from 4340, and O1, will a full oil quench. The non tempered 4340 edge was not brittle, but did not stay sharp very long. The non tempered O1 edge was brittle, and would chip off in small pieces while turning. Eventually, the O1 was tempered by heating to a light straw color, and the edge chipping problem was eliminated. After tempering, the O1 did not stay sharp very long.

Eventually, working with dull tools was more of a hassle than coughing up the dough, and HSS and Doug Thompsom tools now fill the tool rack.

I will still occasionally make special purpose tools that see little use, or a one time use from O1.

You mentioned that you want to forge tools from O1. I believe that O1 has a fairly high forging temperature, and forging below the lower limit will cause internal fractures (bursts) in the material that may not show up until the piece is in service.

Later,
Dale M

[Ron Petley]

Dale, Thom, thanks for the insight, I guess it is not a simple thing. My friends want them for pens, so I will still give it a go and see if they stand up to light duty. I will report back my results. Cheers Ron.

[Tom Lewis]

I have forged a number of lathe tools out of 0-1 steel. I like the way they have turned out. I think M-2 and some of the newer steels hold an edge better, but in my experience 0-1 if properly heat treated makes a good tool.

[Paul Atkins]

I remember my first lathe tool made from a 16 penny nail, ground to a point. I must have been 13 or so and never heard of hardened steel much less HSS. But that got me hooked. I use drill rod (W1 ?) hardened and tempered sometimes now and then for a quick short use tool, but mostly M2 and just grind what I need without heat treating.

[Ron Petley]

I do have some W1 as well, forging held over due to a rain delay.
Cheers Ron.

[Ron Petley]

Thanks guys, here is a fly fishing rod handle I turned out of Box Elder, local wood.
Cheers Ron.

[Nathan Hawkes]

This is a very complicated subject. Hardness doesn't necessarily correlate to edge holding ability. As one response already noted, the ASP 2060 and 2030 tools are quite a bit higher than the CPM10V or A-11 steel that Doug uses, but it holds an edge as well. It is considerably softer, which may really be a benefit in multiple ways. It is both easier to grind, and more forgiving of some of the abuse we throw at our tools. I have a few 2060 tools, as well as an extra long Thompson "Bill Grumbine signature gouge" which I'm pretty sure flexes a bit when really hanging out over the tool rest. I have snapped a 2060 gouge doing this. I believe the term is called being more "ductile" or something like that.

[Nathan Hawkes]

Thanks guys, here is a fly fishing rod handle I turned out of Box Elder, local wood.
Cheers Ron.

WOW!!! This deserves its own thread!!! Too many people will miss this by filtering titles. Beautiful work!!!

[Ron Petley]

Nathan, thanks for the help, since the weather is still not ideal this will give me some time to look into this more. Thanks for the kind words I will post another photo when the turning is on the finished rod.
Cheers Ron.