Question/suggestion for the handy folks

[Hilel Salomon]

Now I'm incredibly lazy, untalented and generally hate even the idea of making my own tools-though I've tried. After trying unsuccessfully to buy one more size to complete a second set of center save knives, I got an older one (still not the size I needed) from woodcraft that did not have the point in the middle. Well that's what a grinder is for, so I made a point in the middle and set it up. Bottom line is that it cut as sweetly as any of the newer ones, actually even sweeter. If someone doesn't want to pay the bucks for a mcnaughton or Oneway system, why not get some flat steel rods, make a variety of curves and then use a swivel holder like some of the ones I've seen, Mcnaughton hollowing gate is one, but I thought I saw another one on closeout. Wouldn't that do a good job for a lot less. Now maybe I'm trying to reinvent the wheel, but....

[Reed Gray]

The biggest difference in the old style and the newer spear pointed blades is that with the spear points, the cutter sticks out on both sides of the blade where the old style, the cutter sticks out on only the outboard side. This, to me makes a big difference because with the spear point, you can remove a bit on the inside of the cut, but with the old style, you can't. You can have your own blades made, and that is some thing that I will do. I think McNaughton needs a curve that is between the medium and small curved blades. I do grind off the spear point, and leave it square. Mostly this reduces the cutting area to 3/8 inches where the spear point is closer to 1/2 inches. Less cutting area. The spear point is better when you want to cut the core all the way off, rather than cutting down to a small tenon, and then breaking it out. It is better when coring burl, end grain, or crotch wood to cut it all the way off. The grain doesn't always run parallel to the foot of the bowl, and you can rip the bottom all the way out, even though you are 1/2 inch thick. I am also a big fan of the laser pointer for this tool.
robo hippy