i just finished at least 12 black walnut bowls using carbide. i belong to a woodworking club, have for about 10 years now, been wood working for about 40. I've seen many videos on turning, know expert turners, etc. I have finally decided to up my game and just ordered the Oneway Wolverine sharpening system for my gouges. I have known that I should be using gouges for years now and finally am making the move (at 76 years old!). What convinced me is the end grain tearout on every bowl i turn and trying to sand it out. I have 5-6 more bowls to "twice turn" out of a lot of green walnut that I was given in "rounds" form. You can do a decent job with carbide quickly, short learning curve that is. However, you'll not get away from end grain tearout with carbide so your limited in your ability to do really nice work. Randy
Randy Cox
Lt Colonel, USAF (ret.)