Anyone have personal experience with Glaser Hitec CPM 15V or 10V tools?

[Jesse Goodwin]

I have recently gone pro with my turning since the housing crash has totally killed my custom stair business. My research has shown that selling utilitarian is most likely to show success. I also have a few galleries to show artistic pieces which will help to keep turning exciting. I have tons of walnut and have spent the last three weeks rough turning bowls and platters and I have barely put a dent in the walnut supply. It has become painfully clear that my HSS tools need alot of sharpening and I am considering buying some 15V or 10V gouges to save the hassle and time of constantly sharpening. They are quite expensive and I would like to hear from folks that have taken the plunge and purchased them. I sharpen on my Tormek system and I can get the HSS tools extremely sharp but they just don't stay sharp very long when roughing all day long. Are the CPM tools really worth the extra money? Do they really stay sharp 4-8 times longer? I would appreciate hearing others experiences.

Thanks in advance.

[Reed Gray]

I have been using the Thompson (same steel but you can buy just the steel and make your own handles) V10 tools for a couple of years, and they are a step or two above the standard HSS. I haven't tried the V15. I have noticed that walnut, especially if it is green really dulls the tools quickly, much more so than other woods. That includes bandsaw blades. The V10 does keep a working edge a lot longer as in you can do a lot more roughing, but I prefer a freshly sharpened tool for finish cuts.

robo hippy

[Ron Bontz]

I pretty much have a full set of Doug's V10 tools with the exception of scrapers. I chose the V10 over v15 because I would prefer to make my own handles, at this point, costing me much less as well as Doug's good service. I don't turn excessively so they hold up well. The V15 metals are a little more brittle from the research I have done. That being said, I sure wish Doug made a V10 Bedan. In 1/2" and 3/8th". Hint hint. I would love to try a Glaser 1/2" bedan. But I am not sure I would like the handle and the cost...well another story. Best wishes.

[John Keeton]

Jesse, from my understanding both Doug Thompson and Glaser Hitec use the same metal, from the same source to make their 10V and 15V tools. I do not have any Glaser tools, but I do have several of Doug's - as well as some HSS tools. There is a marked difference in the length of time between sharpening. I also have an M42 cobalt steel (I think) gouge from D-Way Tools (Dave Schweitzer) and it is a favorite, as well. It seems to hold an edge as long, or nearly as long, as does the 10V steel. There are several owners of Glaser tools on the creek, and the tools seem to have a good following - though much pricier than other tools.

I would guess you would not be able to rough out walnut all day long with any of the tools unless you re-sharpen - or, work with a dull tool.

[Robert Mitchell (Simi Valley)]

I have both the Thompson and Glaser tools. The Glaser tools are superior if you ask me. Get one in your hands and you will never go back. Worth the added cost if you ask me.

[Jake Helmboldt]

I only have one Thompson (10v) and I'll echo Reed's assessment. It certainly holds an edge in that mid-range longer, so you can rough more than with regualr HSS. But the super fine edge on any tool degrades quickly. But with the CPM metals the decline after that is not as rapid.

Given the same supplier to both Glaser and Thompson it would seem the shape/grind of the tool would be at play if someone finds there is a discernable difference in performance.

[Peter Lamb]

I have four Thompsons and one Glaser and love al lof them. Thompson's are priced lower.

[Richard Allen]

The Glaser tools are terrific. They are good for all aspects of woodturning not just roughing. If roughing without sharpening is your goal then the carbide scrapers like the ones from Easy Wood would seam like a good solution for you.

If to much time is spent sharpening, for roughing, then a change to your sharpening procedure might be in order. Put a dry grinder with a 36 or 40 grit wheel next to your lathe with the grinding height at the same level as your turning height. Then sharpening would be much quicker and that coarse sharpen would last longer than the ultra fine edge you are getting from the tormek. Sharpening, for rough turning, should be a quick process. For finish turning a fine edge can save time with the sandpaper. For roughing the surface condition left by the tool is much less important.

I have Glaser V15 tools. I do not feel you would get more than twice the turning life from the V15 over M2 HSS between sharpening. For me the real benefit is in the finish cuts.

[Bill Neddow]

I agree totally with John Keeton. I do a lot of woodturning. As a production woodturner for more than a decade I have gone through a lot of gouges --- every popular brand made from steels ranging from High Carbon to 15V. I have worn out both Glaser and Thompson 5/8 inch bowl gouges over the years. (I am not going to tell you how many bowls I finish a year -- but I need to maintain an inventory of about 3,500 roughed and drying bowls to keep the business going.) I have been accused of "talking more than turning". I don't think I could talk that much.

All gouges wear out -- but there is a dramatic difference in how quickly the sharp edge disappears and it is related directly to the steel. I now use Thompson and Glaser tools, as well as Dave's D-Way tools. These are my "go to" brands. There is a dramatic difference in the length of time you have a sharp edge on the 10V and M42 steels, compared to M2 High Speed steel. From my experience, you get a minimum of five times more "sharp edge time" with the 10V and M42 compared to high speed steel -- maybe slightly more with the 10V. All three brands are sharpened to exactly the same shape on an 8 inch CBN grinding wheel using a Wolverine jig. I hate dull tools because they slow you down and give a terrible finish. In other words, I am not trying to avoid sharpening by using these quality steels.

The 10V steel used by both Thompson and Glaser comes from the same source. In fact, it is coming from the same batch of steel in many instances because very little 10V steel is made. And both companies use the best of Cryo treatment technology. The only other significant variation is flute shape. Both work extremely well.

There is a slight improvement in "sharp edge time" with the 15V steels. I can see it because I production turn. The average hobbyist is going to really have to pay attention to see the difference.

For me, the choice is based on price.

[David DeCristoforo]

I've never known anyone to take up woodworking in any form simply as an excuse to buy expensive tools. But I have known many for whom woodworking was greatly enhanced by using the best tools. And professionals, regardless of what trade they work in, will rarely use anything but the best they can get. For them, the best tools are not a luxury, they are a necessity and represent part of the "cost of doing business". I spent much of my life as a "professional woodworker" and I never gave a second thought to buying top quality equipment. When I started turning, it was not as a "professional". I was looking for a "creative outlet" and I did not encumber my endeavors with the burden of financial return (not to say that I would not like to see some income from it!)


Like you, I began with whatever tools I could gather together and the tools I bought were modestly priced (I have never felt that "cheap" tools were worth even the ridiculously low price most of them can be had for.) But years of working with top quality tools had spoiled me and I soon began looking at the "good stuff". I already had a few Glaser tools from the 1980's and they were the best ones I had. So when I started buying better tools, I naturally gravitated towards the Glasers. Granted, the Glaser tools cost more. But if you look at the price of any top quality tool that includes a handle, you are pretty much in the same ballpark. Make your own handle…save some dough.


After a while, I had accumulated quite a nice arsenal of Glaser tools, greatly enhanced by the recent acquisition of seven more of them. And I can tell you that I am nothing but happy with them. You will find that the difference between 10V CPM and HHS to be dramatic as far as edge holding ability goes. The difference between 10V and 15V will be less dramatic. In fact, unless you are a production turner who uses his tools all day every day, you will probably not notice a great difference. Glaser is also introducing a "new" steel next year which will, presumably, have even better edge holding abilities. But the bottom line is, if you are working with HHS tools, you will undoubtedly appreciate the advantages of CPM steel.

[Jesse Goodwin]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I will spend with confidence now. I think I will stay with the Tormek because it is very fast and always exactly the same once the initial shape is established. Tools last along time because so little steel is removed to regain a good edge. Walnut does seem to dull tools faster than anything else I have turned, except maybe Manzanita root, which is an exercise in masochism.

[Jesse Goodwin]

Thanks David
I started my stair company with what I could afford at the time but, life sure got better when I could afford top quality tools and the bottom line took a giant leap forward. I started turning the same way and now that I am turning all day, everyday, I see the need for the best tools. I did not start with cheap tools either time because, I learned at a young age that cheap tools are not ever a good buy. I did not even know the CPM tools existed when I bought my first turning tools. I have been misguided by advertising claims in the past so, I learned the hard way, that asking others to share their experience is wise.
Thanks again
Jesse Goodwin

[John Keeton]

Jesse, the price you pay here for input on things like this is the obligation to share pics of your turnings!!

[Rick Markham]

I am spoiled. I've been using CPM 10V from the start. All of my gouges are Thompsons. Doug just got my money for a 1 1/4" SRG and handle I'm a happy turner.

When I got into this aspect of woodworking, I knew this was something I wanted to pursue seriously (as an artistic outlet) I had wanted to get into woodturning for nearly a decade (I resisted the vortex for a long time.) So I sat down, and weighed all the costs, including the costs of getting "cheap" tools to get started. In the end I knew where I would end up, so I contacted Mr. John Keeton to provide me a list of his "most used, most useful" tools to get started with. I then built my budget around starting with those, (and a lathe.) I knew if I bought things to "just get me by" that they would quickly get replaced with what I REALLY wanted, and that would just waste more money.

I will be ordering some of the D Way tools soon, I've heard nothing but wonderful things about them as well.

I won't lie, I want to try some of Glaser's tools too

[Scott Hackler]

I will admit that the Glaser tools look cool, but from a tightwad standpoint I can't see spending extra on them over Thompsons when the steel is exactly the same. Now if I ever win some of Paulo's tools, you can bet I will use them with a big ole smile! I can tell you that there is a giant difference between my HSS Sorby's and the Thompson's I own. The edge stays sharp FOREVER on the 10v Thompson's.