Well, I got started on an 8lb burl for my beast over the weekend. I wanted to save the center for a lid on another piece so I was cutting in at a 45 degree angle to save the center for a cap. Unfortunately there was a knot I couldn't see. I had plenty of room for the tool to fit. My parting tool caught and literally snapped in 2. Since I had plenty of room, I tried with my bowl gouge and snapped it off at the handle. At this point, needless to say, I'm pissed. I grabbed my Glaser 15V and finally motored right through the knott. It made me realize it really is worth it to just buy the best tools and never look back. Having a metal handle really makes all the difference. When I looked at the Crown Powder metal gouge, I realized that there's almost no wood surrounding the tool. It really didn't take much to snap it in 1/2. You may have heard the old saying "Money is only a way of keeping score" If that's the case, I'm loosing the game now.