HF tools

[Bob Hallowell]

When I first started turning I bought the light color handled Hf hss chisel set and even though I have added a lot of other better quality tools I still use some of these on almost every thing I do. Yesterday I was in a HF (I don't live by one) and I saw the purple/red handle set and bought it. When comparing to the other hf hss set I owned this new set is much better. the spindle gouge is made form solid bar stock and every tool besides the parting tool is thicker. I was think on buying a new 1" skew but now I think I will play with this one first. What I want to play with most are the larger gouges they are much shallower and have a steeper grind than the roughing gouge of the set has. I think this set is a bargin for anyone starting out or a turning like my who like to shape tools how he needs them.

Bob

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bob .....is this the set that costs about $38.00?.....If so I've heard a lot of folks who say they are good tools though they dont' have the fit and finish of a Sorby or Henry Taylor.......I'm not really excited about fit and finish.

[Kevin McPeek]

I have, what sounds to be, the same set. While they are okay, and I still use some of them, the steel is not nearly as good as most of the name brand stuff. I'm sure I will eventually replace all of them with tools that are more suited to my turning, but I will still keep them around in case I need to make a specialty tool and don't want to grind up an expensive one.
For beginning they were great for leaning how to sharpen and with the less than optimum steel you get lots of practice.

[Bob Hallowell]

Bob .....is this the set that costs about $38.00?.....If so I've heard a lot of folks who say they are good tools though they dont' have the fit and finish of a Sorby or Henry Taylor.......I'm not really excited about fit and finish.

Ken the $38 set was my original set, this is the $50 set and it is much nicer. I have some better tools- ie crown, pinnicale and sorby and the steel is fine in these tools. Like Ken said the fit and finish just isn't as nice. I have been recommending the cheaper set as that is all that's available online but from now on I will be recommend the $50/ red handle set.

Bob

[Mike McAfee]

I still use most of my red handles although most have been reground to some other configuration! I do a have a few Sorby's and will surely add more upper end tools as I go but lately I enjoying making a lot of my own tools for scraping, skewing and boring!