P&N Gouges?

[Bill Grumbine]

Greetings all

Earlier in the week, the tang on my spindle roughing gouge snapped like a fresh potato chip. I was even turning a spindle! Anyway, I am looking at replacing it with a P&N gouge. I was wondering if anyone here had any experience with them. Since I will be at a fairly large show next week, I will hold out until then to see if anyone might be selling them there. ;-)

Bill

[Raymond Overman]

I like their bowl gouges quite a bit. I have three different sizes. 1/4, 1/2, and 5/8. Can't talk to their spindle or roughing gouges except for quality of the ones I own.

[Joe Fisher]

Bill,

I have 3 of them, and am quite happy with them. I think they take and keep a better edge than my Crown ProPM. Two of them have been at your place already :) Remember that little 1/4" flute bowl gouge I brought (P&N measures by bar size)?

The roughing gouge (which I also have) is very beefy. It may even have been made with Grumbine-esque turning in mind :) I use it a lot.

I'll be happy to bring them to Five Barns, if you can wait 'till then.

-Joe

[Mike Vickery]

I have one of their bowl gouges and I think for the money they are the best value around. No experience with the spindle gouge.

[Jim Becker]

I haven't use the P&N gouges yet, but I recently acquired a P&N square scraper. I'm very impressed with the tool...after a quick touch-up on the grinder to take, um...the "factory newness" off the edge...it cut like the blazes. Nice steel. And since they all come un-handled, you can mount the thing in a handle that best meets your individual preferences without any hassle. (Unless you just bought your only spindle gouge and need to turn a spindle for the handle...LOL! )

[Mark Cothren]

I have four of the bowl gouges and love 'em... don't have any of their other tools, though.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I've got the 1/2" bowl gouge and two of their scrapers, and I really like them, mine came handed, as the unhanded were less than $5 cheaper here in Japan.

I don't use the grinder on mine often, instead, I touch it up with a medium diamond stone, works great.

I'll be buying more of their tools.

Cheers!

[Dennis Peacock]

I've got some of them and really like them. Can't tell them apart from my Crown tools. Go for it Bill...:D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bill I have got several and made the handles. I love'em. Go for it Bill you won't be disappointed.

[John Shuk]

They are very nice.

[Bob Noles]

Bill,

From everything I have read in many places, I have yet to see anything negative posted about the P&N line. I believe it would be a safe bet to go with them.

[Glenn Hodges]

Bill, I have been tooting their use for a good while. They seem to hold an edge as good as most others, and I like the open flutes. I find myself reaching for them often. I drilled the bottom of one of my handmade handles and pored in some lead which I like because I am a heavy handled guy. I use the big skew all the time.

[Bill Grumbine]

Thanks for all the responses everyone! There is no emergency, and I have plenty of stuff to turn that does not need a roughing gouge (and I still have my 3/4" SRG) so I am going to wait until the symposium and see what is there. These are high on the list.

Bill

[Ron Ainge]

Bill

I am at the Utah Woodturning Sym. right now and I saw a new gouge that is on the market from Henry Taylor tools that was being hyped here. THey say that they have a new process where they freeze (-195 degrees) the M2 steel for three days and it gives the ability for longer life and a sharper edge. I did not try it and I don't know anyone that has but I will bet that the same guy will be at the AAW meeting next week. you may want to check it out. I saw the presintation at Craft Supply and I know that they are carrying the tool now.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

The Cryogenic treatment for tools and motor parts has been around for a while.

Decent reading here

Cold Cuts (http://www.300below.com/site/cuttingtool.html)

I've heard some great things about this process, but also some results that do not warrant the expense.

Cheers!

[Steve Hayes]

We also do the Cryogenic treatment on our benchrest rifle barrels.

[Jim Becker]

...so I am going to wait until the symposium and see what is there.

Not a horrible idea...there are often some nice deals available, but even if not, you'll get to fondle a lot of stuff in a way you just can't do when UPS or FexEX is involved in the transaction!

[Michael Cody]

Bill, did you call the manf ?? Seems to be a warranty problem here and they should replace it.. I have heard of others doing that..

[Dick Strauss]

Bill,
I've also heard very good things about P&N. However, make sure you check the fit and finish before buying. A friend bought one of their 1.25-1.5" roughing gouges that had finish problems. The smooth oval shape that you expect for the interior of the tool had a couple of ridges that hadn't been milled properly. These ridges left discontinuities in the cutting edge. He had to spend quite a while with a round diamond hone to knock down the ridges before the tool was ready for real use.

[Glenn Hodges]

I tend to be a little heavy handled when I turn, but look who I took a lesson from. I broke a tang on a roughing gouge before I found P&N. Bill, one of the things I like about the roughing gouge is the round heavy tang on it. You will be able to see it at the symposium. You will not be breaking this things tang.

[Bill Grumbine]

Bill, did you call the manf ?? Seems to be a warranty problem here and they should replace it.. I have heard of others doing that..

Mike, that might have been an option a long time ago, but the gouge has seen hundreds of hours of use and is seven years old. I also suspect that it had more to do with operator error than anything else, and I am one of those who firmly believes in taking the blame when it is rightly mine.

Bill

[Bill Grumbine]

Glenn, me heavy handed? :p Never in a million years! :D :D Thanks for the reply.

I appreciate everyone who took the time to reply here. I had no idea about these gouges, but apparently they are fairly well known.

Bill