Bought a bucket of Turning Tools?

[David Beeler]

I just bought a bucket of turning tool, 29 handled and 4 or 5 unhandled, most all were labeled L & I J White. In the bucket were skews, gouges, parting tools and some scrapers. Could someone tell me what I got for $75?? I found an online link to a 1909 White catalog that had one of the tools in it listed as a "Turners Hustler Chisel". What was that chisel used for? Attached are pictures of the skews and roughing gouges. Thanks for any info that anyone can provide.

David

http://webpages.charter.net/dabeeler/RoughGouge.JPG

http://webpages.charter.net/dabeeler/SkewChisels.JPG

http://webpages.charter.net/dabeeler/Trademark.JPG

[alex carey]

Wow, that looks like a pretty good deal, 29 tools for 75$ is awesome. Tons of roughing gouges and skews. Any chance of seeing the rest of the tools?

Not sure what the answer to your question is but im sure someone will chime in.

[Sean Hughto]

http://www.bobvila.com/SmartBuys/L_and_I_J_White_Tanged_Gouge_Chisel_Set_of_5_Chise ls-p1238389.html

[David Beeler]

Here is a link to an explanation of the "hustler" of which there were 3 or 4 such tools in the bucket including the Hustler beading tool described in this link. Still not sure how it is supposed to be used??

David

http://books.google.com/books?id=bgbiAAAAMAAJ&lpg=RA1-PA654&ots=dlhRJeSfNJ&dq=Turners%20Hustler%20chisel&pg=RA1-PA654#v=onepage&q=Turners%20Hustler%20chisel&f=false

[David Beeler]

Thanks for the link. Interesting read.

[Curt Fuller]

I'd say you struck gold! I love using old tools. These are probably carbon steel so they'll sharpen very nice even if they don't hold an edge as long as the newer high speed steel tools. But think of the experience you're holding in your hands when you use them.
Back in the time they were made, gouges were just for spindle work. Big ones for roughing, smaller ones for finish cuts. Bowls were turned mostly with scraping tools of various shapes. I would guess the Hustler Chisels were an aggressive scraper used to remove wood quickly so you could get to the finish cuts quicker. I don't think skews have ever changed with the exception of some of the radiused edges some use now.
What a great find!

[charlie knighton]

thanks for sharing David, great gloat

[Dick Strauss]

David,
If I understand the desciption right, the hustler might be like our modern fluted parting tool. It sounds like the hustler tools all have a raised edge on both sides to help get a cleaner cut on the wood. A few pictures from different angles would definitely help identitfy the tool.

You'll have lots of fun with all of those tools. You may even end up re-purposing a few as time goes by...

[Steve Schlumpf]

Excellent score! Nothing like holding a piece of history in your hands when you want to do some creative turning! Great gloat! Enjoy!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Congrats on the tools. As Curt said probably carbon still but they work nicely.

[Dennis McGarry]

Nice find!

Remember when using them, respect them, they have a story to tell. let the tool guide you in a turning and see where it takes you. Those have made a lot of great works and I am willing to bet that if allowed to they will lead you into some great pieces...

[Tom Wilson66]

These look like carving gouges to me. Please have them checked before using as a roughing gouge, could be dangerous. The square end and skew chisels will probably work allright on a lathe, they look thick enough.

[Steve Trauthwein]

I also believe they are carving gouges and chisels, hence the striker buttons on the end of the handle and the small tang. As advised be careful using them for lathe work.

Regards, Steve

[Richard Coers]

I think you may have a combination of patternmaker's chisels and turning chisels.

[Steve Kubien]

I'm with Richard, especially regarding the patternmakers chisels (the skews)

[David Beeler]

Is there an easy way to tell the difference between the patternmakers chisels and turning chisels?

[Jeff Nicol]

If they were for carving they would most likely have different handles and would be sockets instead of tangs to be used with mallets. Patternmakers also used bigger tools on the lathe as the turned out large items to be made into originals to be used in the molding and casting process, like big gears and things. If the skews are sharpened on both faces most likely not carving tools. Just my uneducated opinion.

Jeff

[Gordon Seto]

Some popular brand lathe tools are still manufactured this way. In the picture are Record Skew, Sorby Continental Spindle Gouge and Crown SRG. They are very similar to the pictures from the OP, except these are all high speed steel. I think if the strikers were really for striking as in carving, they would be wider. You don't hit the carving tools on axis all the time.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/gbseto/RecordSkewSorbyContiCrownSRG.jpg
Tools made from round steel bars, such as bowl gouges are late comers. On the SRG, only P&N and Thompson are made from round stock, the rest are still manufactured the old way.

Remember to keep the tool rest close. Don't use the gouges for side grain orientation turning.

[David Beeler]

If they were for carving they would most likely have different handles and would be sockets instead of tangs to be used with mallets. Patternmakers also used bigger tools on the lathe as the turned out large items to be made into originals to be used in the molding and casting process, like big gears and things. If the skews are sharpened on both faces most likely not carving tools. Just my uneducated opinion.

Jeff

The skews are sharpened both faces. I found a link to a 1909 L & I J White Catalog in which the handles on the turning tools match these handles (have the button and are shaped the same). As you said, the carving tools in the catalog had sockets instead of tangs.