# New tool



## Brooks803 (Jul 30, 2012)

While I was up in VA visiting my friends and fellow IAP members I got a chance to meet Brian (AkA: Nikitas) and bought myself one of his carbide tools. Slowly but surely (a couple weeks!) I turned the handle for it. I used a chunk of Ironwood burl and it came out beautiful! No finish except sanding to 600 and a couple passes with EEE wax paste. Feels wonderful. Haven't been able to use it much since but so far I think it's going to be my go to tool for pen turning.


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## grz5 (Jul 30, 2012)

Do you like the round cutter more than the square?


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## seamus7227 (Jul 30, 2012)

very nice! I really like the versatility of that tool(so to speak). No matter how i said it, it was gonna sound bad.


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## watch_art (Jul 31, 2012)

Do you think the handle might be too short?  I have a carbide tool with a 5 or 6 inch handle and it feels really awkward.  In fact I have trouble keeping it from twisting HARD when using it.  So I haven't used it.  I'm sticking with my woodchuck tool until I have time to play with the other some more.


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## SteveG (Jul 31, 2012)

I was thinking the handle looked fantastic, but too short. I have a woodchuck-pen and remade my first handle. It was seven inches long, but needed more "beef" at the butt end. This was for better control. You may start to feel that need for more control as you get used to the tool. If it performs like the woodchuck, you are going to love the tool!
Steve


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## cwolfs69 (Jul 31, 2012)

i think i got the first one from brian and  simply love it. use it almost exclusively. brian hit it on the nail with this one. have even turned some aluminum and brass with the round insert. works great. buy the way i made the handle on mune about a foot long and it feels great. dont thnk i would like a short one.


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## Russell Eaton (Jul 31, 2012)

A WOOD handle...that had to be a tough one for you.


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## thewishman (Jul 31, 2012)

I like it. Made two handles for a carbide tool and ended up using no handle. Short is sweet.


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## glycerine (Jul 31, 2012)

me likey.


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## BSea (Jul 31, 2012)

Very cool.  But you must have a lot of really nice stuff to use that on a tool handle.  I'm also one that likes a longer handle, but I really don't see a downside to that handle for pen turning.  As for the round cutter.  I use mine when doing anything with segments.  I think it just works better with less catches.


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## Brooks803 (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks for the comments yall. The handle is on the short side, but for penturning it's perfect for me. The length of the metal is so long that for the way I hold my tools I could have gone with an even shorter handle if I wanted. I'm really happy with the way this one came out.



Russell Eaton said:


> A WOOD handle...that had to be a tough one for you.


 
Yeah I kept looking at it and thinking...I'm gonna hear something from Russell for sure! :tongue:



grz5 said:


> Do you like the round cutter more than the square?


 
Depends on the situation really. I have a homemade carbide with a square cutter that I can use like a skew so I like that for roughing blanks to round. Also good for tenons and squaring things off. I haven't done too much with the round cutter but I was getting some of the best ribbons I've ever had with it. 



BSea said:


> Very cool. But you must have a lot of really nice stuff to use that on a tool handle. I'm also one that likes a longer handle, but I really don't see a downside to that handle for pen turning. As for the round cutter. I use mine when doing anything with segments. I think it just works better with less catches.


 
Lol...yeah I've got a stockpile of burl slabs that just keep collecting dust. I hardly ever turn wood so it needed to be used for SOMETHING!


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## jasontg99 (Jul 31, 2012)

Jonathon,

    Great looking tool!    If you have any chittum burl or coco burl laying around, please let me know.  You know I am always good for making your inventory of blanks a little lighter.  :wink:

Jason


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