Good Lathe Tools Make The Wood Lathe
Lathe tools have a centuries old tradition. A
wood lathe is the heart of the woodworkers
shop. The lathe, however, depends upon a good
set of tools to be useful. These tools are
a series of bits, knives, gouges and scrapers
designed with a cutting edge. This edge is
held against the piece of wood being turned
by the lathe with some pressure. This pressure
peels shavings from the turning piece of wood,
giving the piece the desired shape.
The lathe boring tool is another class of lathe
tools. These tools are designed not to shave
layers off the piece being turned, but rather
to cut holes of various sizes and shapes into
the end of the piece.
Top
Quality Wood Lathe Tools Are Made In Sheffield,
England
One
of the leading makers of quality wood lathe
tools is the Robert Sorby company of Sheffield,
England. The company traces its origins to
the early 1600s. The first Robert Soresby was
a Master Cutler and headed up the company which
made knives, axes, scythes, sickles, razors,
scissors, files, saws and other edge tools.
Over the centuries company was passed on to
succeeding generations of the family. The family
name was eventually changed to Sorby and the
company was instrumental in the development
of the high quality of the steel and workmanship
of edge tools bearing the Sheffield mark.
In
the early part of the 20th century the last
Sorby passed away and the company was eventually
sold. It retained its identity under new ownership.
By the 1960s, the company changed its focus
from an array of products, including ice skates,
to woodworking tools.
Today the company is a division of a much larger
hand tool company which has absorbed several
of the old Sheffield cutlery companies established
in the 1800s or before. The Robert Sorby name
is used to market high quality woodturning tools
throughout the world.
Wood lathe tools are sold as sets or as individual
pieces through woodworking stores, hobby shops
and Internet stores. The Robert Sorby name is
synonymous with quality steel backed by a centuries
old tradition of fine workmanship in creating
top quality lathe tools.
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