Hook Tools

[Olaf Vogel]

I've used the Martel hook tool. Not sure I really figured it out all the well, but it worked on certain scenarios.
But like above, I had a catch and it broke. This was on very wet green wood.

Lots of promise and I would like to try again. But I'll try making my own next round.
Olaf

[Dick Strauss]

Allen,
I mistated my experience a bit but have made over a dozen tools (maybe 15-20?) of various sizes and shapes. My process to is similar to that of Alan Lacer. I prefer to have fire bricks surrounding the piece to help it heat up faster and maintain the heat while shaping it. I also prefer to shape the hook tool around something round when you are bending the hot hook. Old chrome plated needle nose pliers work well and offer a variety of radii to use while working (they also start the cone shape you need for later sharpening). So, I clamp the one end of the O1 away from the flame in a vise, bring up one pair of pliers to act as a template, and use the other pliers as a bending tool while keeping the steel is hot. It helps to have an extra set of hands.

Tempering with a torch is kind of difficult for most folks especially as we get older and our vision is less acute. The smaller the tool, the faster the color change while tempering (given the same torch heat). So, it is much easier to temper to a given temperature in the oven (with a known good thermometer). The steel shoud be left to cool with the oven door closed. It will give off very little odor as long as the oil is cleaned off the O1 before tempering.

This part is a little OT but you may find it interesting...

Fire bricks also come in very handy if you want to silver solder a HSS tip on a steel rod/square. A buddy and I made scrapers with 1/8" thick HSS soldered to 5/8" steel squares (with one end turned round to fit inside a tool handle).

If you don't want to solder, you can cut HSS using your dremel with wheel or angle grinder from your old planer blades. Because the planer blades are hard on HSS or cobalt drill bits, I prefer to make a slot in the bit using the dremel/angle grinder just wide enough for the screw to pass through the slot. Then you just need to drill and tap the flat piece of steel using your DP and you have a teardrop scraper tool or whatever shape you desire. The HSS portion is removed from the steel and sharpened off the tool.

I hope I've started you thinking about using your old "scrap" planer blades...

[robert baccus]

Tom, believe it or not but I am still using a cutter head(woodcut) that is 7 years old with a new one in the drawer. I do 90% of my sharpening with a diamond tapered stick and an occasional pass with a dremel. Also after trying I can report that they are breakproof. Also only sharpen the inside. Some people try to cut with the tip but they cut much faster with the hook side in a starter hole---big shavings.