Thread: HSS Blanks for turning tools

Originally Posted by Bagmann

Hi everyone. I have been looking around for some new turning chisels and have found the price difference amazing when it comes to buying HSS blanks. Gary Pye and McJing sell blanks very cheap (both claiming to be type M2, which would make them the same as the Sorby, Hamlet etc. tools), butr unning on the old addage of 'if its too good to be true it probably is' with regards to the price of HSS blanks, can anyone tell me if they have any idea if these cheap blanks are any good, given that I am not a professional and they will only receive moderate use.

I don't know about Gary Pye but the McJing M2 is M2, and if you look around you can find it even cheaper than this. Hardness is not the only factor to assess quality but I have tested its hardness at work and is is as hard as any high quality M2 tool steel. As far as WW is concerned, M2 is working as the very light end of its working ability. M2 was developed as a metal working tool steel design to retain its hardness at high temperature. If a cheap M2 is going to have a problem it will be at the high temp end of the scale and not with the low temps involved in WW. There may well be second or third order arguments about how tough (ie how long an edge lasts), or fine an edge, or hard/easy to sharpen they are, but my experience is that there is not much in it.

I use a lot of McJing HSS tools while teaching here at Artisans Retreat.
I want people who come to have fun turning, to experience lots of different tool sizes, shapes & grinds. They can then narrow it down to the ones that suit them when they buy their own tools.
I generally dont have a problem with.the McJing steel (& Max is a nice guy too!).

I do tend to prefer P&N tools, mainly because of their cross section and feel, however I also feel they keep a better edge for longer.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know the length of the Pye and McJing blanks? I presume there's enough meat to grind a tang for the handle and still retain a decent blade length.

Our blanks are 8"(200mm) long and are m42 metal work grade HSS

I came across this article which may be of interest to those making their own lathe tools.

Thanks heaps. I will give them a go

The Carbatec blanks are 295 mm

Agree Garry Pye and McJing's are both worthy for ww also we buy the blanks to make cutters and shape them for ornamental turning

I've done a few tools out of McJing blanks and they vary in quality; since there's a deal of work in shaping the steel and fitting a handle you don't want it to be a lottery.

I bought a McJing 3/8 spindle gouge blank at the Brisbane show last week also a handle. I was pleasantly surprised when I got it home and gave it a bit of a brush on the grinder how nicely it performed. I have a 5 piece set of Hamlets and the McJing tool is just as good in my opinion except for th handle but for the price I am not complaining.Cost was $28 for the blank and $6 for the long handle, so a bargain.

This is also a good article on making homemade lathe tools,
http://www.bigtreetools.com/articles/siegel%2018-4.pdf

I actually found this on this site somewhere

Our blanks are 8"(200mm) long and are m42 metal work grade HSS

if you check, you will find M42 has some superor qualities over M2 and is well worth looking into.



...and I have never met Gary of Rohan, nor had any dealings with them, probably will tho'.


I have a McJings rough gouge, a bit ordinary,probably give it away.