Sorby Soverign tool Handle

[Dennis Taylor]

Not been much of a poster, but read and learn all the time from the site. happen to have a question about the new Sorby handle maybe someone knows the answer to for sure:

Anyone know if the handle will accept the handled Sorby tools, I have a few with cracked woodened handles and would be nice to have something easy to change back and forth with...I also have Thompson and Crown....anyone have or used one that might know if they would fit...says will hold 5/8, 1/2 and 3/8...you would think they would fit..Dennis

[Hilel Salomon]

Being a tool junkie, I bought the sovereign handle some time ago. Haven't used it, but as I understand it, it will accommodate almost any tool assuming the shank fits. When I bought it, it came with adapters for different sized shanks. I'll check it tomorrow and report back to you. Still have a few Thompson gouges and the "eliminator" and I'll try them.
Regards, Hilel.

[John Sheets]

I saw the Sovereign handle demonstrated Tuesday. It has a 5/8 bore, with 1/2 and 3/8 adapter sleeves, so sure, as long as your tools are of stock of one of those diameters, they'll fit fine. I really liked the design until I picked it up; too heavy for me, but YMMV.

[Mike Minto]

Sovereign? interesting name...sounds self-important; implies individuality, separateness, does it not? how does it work with other manufacturer's tools? i'm not impressed by titles. i really like my sorby tuning tools, but am not interested in this style of tool (or marketing). would like to hear reviews on it's performance, however - no knowledge is wasted, as they say. mike

[David Drickhamer]

I attended a Sorby demo earlier this month and that question came up. The answer. "If the diameter is a standard size, yes it will fit." If you find a custom tool it will not fit, Sorby has an adapter without a hole so you can drill yourself to the size you need.
I watched it being used but it seems he spent a lot of time changing bits. Seems you almost need a separate handle for each gouge and that defeats the purpose. I've made my own handles out of aliminum that I can change like the Sorby but still like wood better.
Dave