(woodcraft) Wood River bowl gouge?

[Brian McDermaid]

Anybody have an opinion on the Wood River tools at woodcraft? I'm thinking of getting the 1/2" Bowl gouge (http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=146174&FamilyID=5238). (I did a search but couldn't find any threads on them).

Thanks!

[Alan Trout]

Brian for about $53 you can get a Thompson 1/2 bowl gouge in either V or U shaped. They are probably the best deal going. Of course you will have to make your own handle.

Its not that I think there is anything wrong with with the Woodriver it is just I think the Thompson gouges are the best in the biz for not much more.

Alan

[Jim Kountz]

I have that gouge and its fine really but like Alan said for $53 you can get the Thompson, One is a bowl gouge and the other is a BOWL GOUGE!!

[Jake Helmboldt]

+2

Thompson. I made my handle in a couple hours and it was a fun project. In fact I used all scraps, including an old brass compression fitting for the ferrule. In the end close to the same money and a much higher quality product.

[Ryan Baker]

I have the 3/8" WoodRiver and I am very happy with it. Of course, I will also add my +1 for the Thompson tools.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I sold mine after I got the Thompson gouges. I bought the 3/8" V & U and the 1/2" V & U. Best bowl gouge I have used and the 1/2" gouges are $53.

[Jason Clark2]

It would depend on how the Woodriver gouges are measured. If it's a 1/2" European then the Thompson equivalent would be 5/8" which would increase the price to $75. If it's a 1/2" American then the $53 price for the 1/2" Thompson is a fair comparison.

Jason

[Gordon Seto]

It would depend on how the Woodriver gouges are measured. If it's a 1/2" European then the Thompson equivalent would be 5/8" which would increase the price to $75. If it's a 1/2" American then the $53 price for the 1/2" Thompson is a fair comparison.

Jason
They are not the same steel to begin with. The Thompson is A-11 and the other is ?? How can that be a fair comparison?
http://www.crucibleservice.com/datash/ds10Vv7b.pdf
A-11 tool steel has 2~3 times the wear resistance of M2 HSS steel. Better wear resistance, fewer trips to the grinder; the tool last longer. IMO, a fair comparison would have to divide the A-11 price by at least 2.

And look out for the term "cryogenic" tools. They are not the same either. The cryogenic heat treatment would increase the performance of tool steel. Some "Cryo" tools don't tell you or you have to dig deep to find out what steel they are. If they start with mediocre steel; the cryogenic treatment would make a better mediocre. It is not a miracle process as the advertising slogans want us to believe.

[Jason Clark2]

I was referring to the size of the tool only, not the steel used to manufacture it. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. I'm well aware that the steel used in Doug's tools is far superior to regular HSS.

Jason

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Are you strapped for bucks? IMO the bowl gouge is the workhorse. Buy the best you can afford, I reluctantly plunked down full retail for a 3/8 Sorby. Good gouge, but I'm thinking you can get away with less money. But it does say Sorby on the handle. If I'm not good, at least I have a good looking tool...... LOL

[Mike Peace]

I believe the Wood River is the same as the old HSS Pinnacles that were made in China. If so I have a 3/8" and am generally satisfied with it. That said I was in a class taught by Stewart Batty and he pointed out that me and another turner in class with the same gouge seem to get more green shavings clogging with that V shape than others in the class with more traditional U shaped bowl gouges.

I am with the others, if I was in the market I would get a Thompson even if it might be a few bucks more.

[Ryan Baker]

The WoodRiver tools use European sizing (my 3/8 gouge is 1/2" round bar). It is a V profile, but note that it is not the same as the Thompson V. The WoodRiver (like Sorbys, etc.) is a deeper and steeper V shape than the Thompson, and is more prone to clogging, especially in very green wood. I would not choose it for a rough work gouge. It does work pretty nicely for lighter cuts, and seems to hold an edge as well as my Sorbys. The Thompson is better steel and a better profile IMO, but costs a little extra plus a handle. I would say the Thompson is worth the extra money though.