Carbide turning tools - need help

[Evanism]

Hi brains trust!

I've been given a job to turn a stiletto handle for a WW2 knife. The blank was prepared using sheoak and a material called G10.

G10 is a fibrous matt-like material, impregnated with an incredibly hard resin and baked. Its an awesome looking material, but cutting it with HSS should be regarded as impossible.

The sharpest points and sharpest edges barely touch it. However, confusingly, it sands readily.

I cannot fathom this dichotomy.

After very careful and truly sharp edges on the HSS chisels touch the blank, it does... nothing. Nothing other than blunting the tool! Files are virtually useless.

Im hoping a carbide cutter might be better.

Does anyone know where I can get a carbide cutter mounted on a chisel at short notice? I've looked at the forum sponsors and I'd be buggered if I can find them there.

[switt775]

Here is one option

http://www.timberbits.com/robert-sorby-turnmaster-handled.html

[Evanism]

Here is one option

http://www.timberbits.com/robert-sorby-turnmaster-handled.html

Oh! Perfection!!!!!!!

EXACTLY what I want! Shame I didnt order it last week :(

Timberbits too.... one of my favourite stores.

[aldav]

Don't you dare take to this material on your router table with that new bit! :o

[Evanism]

Aldav, I promised to flog it - and flog it I will. My mate is a physicist at the ANU (Ilya) and even he won't believe the universe bending torments I'll be subjecting it to :D

[Cliff Rogers]

Try scraping it, some of the hard western timber that is hopeless with a cutting tool scrapes beautifully.

[delbs]

Ev did you order a turn master? Would be great to see in action. Wonder what sort of finish I'd get. On acrylic pens with these type of cutters


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[Evanism]

I sure did. Hopefully they'll post Tuesday. It's for the stiletto that Matt is making for the Melbourne Knife-Fest, so I'll want to do my most handsome work.

Remember that time when we were noodling on your lathe with that black acrylic? BOOM! Bits everywhere!

I read some things about carbide cutters that don't make a lot of sense, but I'll repeat what I "know"... But they do run contrary to my experience...

-- HSS is sharper and will cut almost anything
-- carbide wont cut as well as HSS

My experience so far is that carbide is magical. My router bits and the new cutters for the thicknesses are fracking AWESOME. I'm thinking that the G10 composite can't be touched by the HSS, then the carbide surely has to cut it. The G10 absolutely kills the edge on the HSS instantly.

I'd also recon it has to be awesome for your acrylic pens too.

[Pat]

Evan, carbide scrapers have their place in society. With the Turnmaster, you can set the angle of the scraper to 45° and shear scrape for a better finish off the tool.

The G10 material sound interesting. Maybe cutting on a Bandsaw to octagonal shape might help minimise the chance of a blow out.

[Evanism]

Pat, I committed the most egregious of wood turning sins... Sandpaper!

I grabbed the Festool Rotex, put in a fresh 50 grit Rubin disk and cranked it to high. The DC snugged right close to catch the lung cancer dust and ground that mongrel to shape. :cool:

Now what's needed is detail :) I'm hoping the diamond point of that Sorby Carbide does the job...

I will say, that this little stabber is going to be classy :D

[Pat]

Evan, sometimes it takes the 60# gouge to make progress.

Post a pic of the finished product and I'll compare it to my Sykes Fairbairn Knife :;

[Woodturnerjosh]

I turned up a new shifter nob for my car out of Bakelite (fine cloth weave layered) and cutting it blunted my bandsaw and HSS tools where useless. My Vermec tungsten hollowing tool was all I used to shape it and even that was slow work. Sanded beautifully though!

[Evanism]

Pat, it is a Sykes Fairburn stiletto. :) it isn't mine but Matts. Matt is a member here, I think that's how we first met.

He's a tallented knife maker. The ones he has shown me are incredible.

I'm not sure for the reason for the G10, but I can speculate its to replicate the original handles. It's a pretty interesting story, there is a very considerable amount of research on another forum.

Matts idea is make a very fancy box and have it for the knife show.

It's been a very interesting turning job. It's been a pleasure to do due to the history.

[powderpost]

Evanism, I have turned some very hard, abrasive timbers. as Cliff suggested, scraping may work better than a cutting technique. Also try slowing the speed down, that works for timbers that have a high level of silica that blunts tools quickly.

Jim

[Christos]

Sounds a bit like woven bamboo. I made a couple of pens and it was horrible to cut. I think I ended up using a scraper and sanding paper to finish.