fluted or non-fluted thin parting tool....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I've wanted a thin parting tool for some time. A recent gift from a friend and an early Christmas gift from my generous MIL has made it possible.


Which should it get.....Sorby thin parting tool...or Sorby fluted parting tool?

Why? Which do you own and use the most?

Thanks!

[Brian Brown]

Kewn,

I have the Sorby midi fluted parting tool. This is one of the nicest tools I have used. Incredible easy to sharpen, and cuts really well. They make a larger similar tool that I have thought of getting, that is longer and has a wider blade. This is a great tool, as long as you don't bind it. I snapped the blade once by binding it. It came off with such force that it bounced off my face shield, ricochetted off the wall, and stuck in a cardboard box 3 feet away. Moral... Don't bind it, and always wear a face shield. The only problem with this tool is that it doesn't leave a flat surface. The fluted cutter leaves a very tiny bead like surface. It is not good for making tennons like you would use on a pen.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Buy the least costly one Ken, I don't find the fluted one cutting that much better than a sharp regular cutoff tool, besides if you want a fluted one, it is very easy to grind a groove in the face of the tool right on the corner of your grinder, or use a dremel and cutoff disk.
As for binding you should either wiggle the tool sideways, as you go in, or back-out and make the slit wider.
The fluted cut-off tool is supposed to make a clean cut when parting off, I find that it doesn't take much to take a cut with a gouge to clean the cut up if it has to be very clean, and the cut-off doesn't make that kind of a clean cut in my experience

[Jeff Nicol]

Ken, I had a nice pruning saw that I was using for cutting branches to clear areas when I hunt. Any way I tackled a larger tree and snapped the end off it. The blade was replaceable so I kept the old one and ground it untill I got it to work the way I needed it to. It is 1/16" thick and is aready hardened steel so it cuts like a dream! I use it a lot on the mini's I turn and when parting off small boxes and ornaments. I think any old saw blade will work.

Can't hurt to try!

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ken I have both. I find I use just a plain 1/16" parting tool all the time. I do use the fluted parting tool to put small beads inside the lids or the bottoms of lidded boxes. As Brian said with the fluted you don't want to get it in a bind. I bought mine for about $9 or $10 from PSI and it does just fine.

[Jim Becker]

Since I use parting tools for more than, well...parting...I prefer them with a straight profile. I can't use a skew for the life of me, but I can do "skew-like things" with a parting tool. Go figure... ;)

[Larry Marley]

Hi Ken,
I have both and I don't like the fluted.
The instructions explain that you need to use it flute down. The tool is tapered and will bind if you don't. The flute is hard on the cast iron tool rest as well.
I was just looking at the fluted yesterday wondering if I could grind it into something else.
I really like the Sorby thin parting tool.