# Woodchuck Pen Pro Carbide Turning Tool



## Daddy1 (Aug 10, 2015)

Looking to upgrade my pen turning tools and saw this on Bear Tooth Woods.  Has anyone used it and what do you think?


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## jcm71 (Aug 10, 2015)

I've had mine for several years.  It is all I use to turn pens with.  Love it.   I bought mine from Ken Ferrell (bitshird).  I don't know whether this is the same product, although it looks like it.


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## D.Oliver (Aug 10, 2015)

Very happy with mine also.  Had it about 4 years.  Also bought mine directly from Ken Ferrell (_www.*woodchuck*-tools.com/Tools.htm)._


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## Argo13 (Aug 10, 2015)

I bought mine a few years ago and love it. Even bought the uni-tool that Ernie ( bear tooth) sells also, so now I have both.

Jason


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## D.Oliver (Aug 10, 2015)

After going back and reading this, it occurs to me that you may not know who Ken Ferell is.  He and his son in law (I believe), are the ones who manufacture the Woodchuck tools and he is a member on here.


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## magpens (Aug 10, 2015)

In addition to Ken Ferrell's tools, Easy Wood and Easy Start carbide tools seem to be readily available now from Lee Valley, PSI, and other stores, and are much the same concept. 

I think that Ken Ferrell's Uni-tool and Woodchuck tools came out before those and have enjoyed good reviews by penturners for several years.  I have a couple and use them all the time.  I love 'em.

http://www.penblanks.ca/Unitool-turning-tool/

http://www.beartoothwoods.com/catal...cts_id=3531?osCsid=ssdc8j3e75j0c0q0g0pucb8j43

http://www.beartoothwoods.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=35_111

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/woodchuck-uni-tool-pen-pro-94186/

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/woodchuck-uni-tool-97219/


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## dtswebb (Aug 10, 2015)

Bought ne from Ken several years ago and it is all I use for pen turning.  For replacement cutters, I order them from Global Tooling or Oella Saw and Tool.  A pack of ten will cost you about $30.00.  The cutters can be resharpened easily.


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## Daddy1 (Aug 11, 2015)

Wow Thanks so much everyone for the info.  How quickly do you go through the cutters?


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## D.Oliver (Aug 11, 2015)

You can rotate you cutter to use all four sides.  I generally get about 10-15 pens per sides.  So anywhere from 40 to 60 pens.  I really only use if for acrylic, PR, and alumilite pen blanks though,  Nothing real hard like trustone.


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## Edgar (Aug 11, 2015)

I turn about 75% wood & 25% acrylic, PR & alumilite. Like Derek, I also get about 10-15 pens per side when I'm turning plastics or relatively soft woods. However, I might only get 3-5 pens per side when I'm turning really hard woods like hard maple, mesquite, pecan, etc.

I use these little diamond hones to touch up the edges when I'm turning wood to get a few more pens from each side.
Diamond Offset Mini-hone set

For plastics, I generally just rotate the cutter when it starts getting dull. Maybe it's my sharpening technique, but a honed cutter just doesn't seem to work as well on plastics as it does on wood for me.


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## Katya (Aug 11, 2015)

I started with Ken's pen pro and it's still my favourite.  We now have a couple of the easy wood/start tools too, and have started honing the blades.  I don't think it's as good as a new blade, but hey it's cheaper.


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