Every woodturner has different preferences when it comes to tools. One hotly debated subject is choosing between traditional chisels or carbide chisels. Which one is better? Well, there’s no simple answer for that! The fact is, they’re just different, each with pros and cons.
Traditional chisels are usually made from high speed steel, which is harder and tougher than other types of steel. These chisels require sharpening while you work, with sharpening frequency depending on what you’re making. Some traditional woodturning tools include gouges, scrapers, skews and roughers, although many wood lathe projects require only one or two.
Carbide chisels are a little newer on the scene. Carbide is an extremely hard, heat resistant synthetic substance used for cutting tools, such as drill bits. These chisels have a removable carbide tip that can be screwed on and off, rotated and replaced. Carbide chisels are usually referred to as “scrapers”, meaning they scrape the surface of your turning project, unlike a gouge, which makes a cut.
Either type of tool can be used for most wood turning projects, including custom pens. The choice comes down to preference, skill level, time, and money.
The difference between cutters and scrapers
Carbide chisels are generally used to scrape, while gouges cut. A carbide chisel is placed on the tool rest, presented to the wood at a 90-degree angle and moved side to side while maintaining that angle. A gouge, on the other hand, can be moved around to various positions to create different effects. It has a beveled edge that acts as a guide while turning, providing support and preventing wood fibers from tearing (you may not need a gouge in pen making, but when it comes to something like bowls they’re an option). By changing the angle and pressure, a traditional chisel can make many cuts, from roughing out to smoothing a surface.
These two types of chisels each have a slightly different impact on the wood. Carbide scrapes the surface and can tear the wood fibres, while a gouge can be angled to slice instead of tear. That’s why carbide chisels produce shavings that are thin scrapings and dust, while a gouge makes clean strips. In the end, a carbide chisel results in a slightly rougher surface that needs a little more sanding but for pen turners who love their carbide, this doesn’t outweigh the benefits.
Which costs more: Carbide or traditional chisels?
Carbide is known for being pricey, but lasts a long time. Traditional tools cost less, but require a sharpening system. Which is a better deal?
It really depends on what you personally value while turning. Traditional tools can be sharpened exactly how you want them to be, which means an experienced turner can use just one chisel in many different ways. However, sharpening systems, bench grinders and grinding wheels can be expensive. If you plan on woodturning for the long haul, want to move onto complex or large projects or remove lots of wood at once, you may want to learn how to use traditional chisels.
Carbide doesn’t require a sharpening system, but you might need to purchase multiple carbide chisels to do various jobs such as a square rougher, a round cutter and a detailer. Once dull, the cutter can easily be rotated to a sharp edge. A common misconception is that carbide cutters must be thrown out once they become dull on all sides; this is incorrect, as you can sharpen them with lapping fluid and a sharpening stone. There is also the negative rake carbide cutter which is perfect for brittle materials like acrylic or polyresin, for pen turners who want to experiment with different materials.
Versatility and ease of use
Carbide chisels are excellent for beginners or those who are penmaking for a hobby. You just place it flat on the tool rest and away you go. Carbide doesn’t require a ton of practice, because it always uses the same simple technique. It also stays sharp for a long time so you don’t have to learn how to sharpen tools on a grinding wheel, which is a skill unto itself.
Traditional tools have a bit of a learning curve. It takes time to figure out which angle does what, and how to get the effects that you want. Understanding technique comes with time and practice. While a little trickier to learn, these tools are more versatile than carbide because you have more control. A single chisel can be sharpened into different shapes as needed, which means you can do many things with just one chisel once you get the hang of it.
Woodturning supplies in Canada
In the end, carbide and traditional chisels both have their pros and cons depending on how much money you want to spend, where you are in your learning journey, which projects you’re making and which you enjoy more. Also keep in mind that there’s no rule saying you can’t use both! At William Wood-Write we have a selection of tools for different wood turning projects as well as pen, project and bowl blanks in exotic wood and more. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned expert, we have what you’re looking for.
