Sharpening Wood Turning Tools - A Twist on Carbide Cutters

Welcome to my first video in a series of tutorial wood turning tool sharpening videos. I explain how I currently sharpen my wood turning carbide cutter inserts and provide various sharpening methods. I hope that you will enjoy this video and future videos to come.
I would also like to give a shoutout to Ken at Woodturners wonders for providing me with the inspiration for this video. Please check out Ken's innovative wood turning tools, especially his CBN wheels and lathe lights. woodturnerswonders.com
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I create handmade, high quality wood pieces (and sometimes, crafts using other mediums such as natural stone or acrylic) that connect to people on an emotional level. Each piece is meticulously designed to look and feel like an art piece. I have always adored art, and have an underlining mission to incorporate my knowledge and skills into wood turning. With my videos, I hope to inspire and encourage others while promoting wood turning, experimentation, and safety. Please stay safe at all times!
Wear appropriate safety equipment and always follow owner manual instructions. All videos and/or posts, methods, equipment, techniques, tools, materials, medium, chemicals, opinions, etc. therein, are risks of the viewer. IN NO EVENT SHALL SP WOOD ART, ITS OWNERS, OFFICERS, OR EMPLOYEES, BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, PERSONAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, and by watching, reading, listening, trying, you agree to this terms and are responsible for your own actions. Wood turning is inherently dangerous and is not intended for children. Now that that’s been stated, please go have fun.

[@ShevillMathers]

It helps to keep your mandrel close to the headstock chuck jaws or collet chuck to eliminate run out (wobble), it is much more rigid which helps keep the diamond card flatter against the cutter. The keyless chuck shown is an Albrecht chuck, not a Jacobs, which uses a key to tighten the chuck jaws. Greetings from Tasmania Australia 👍😁🇦🇺🦘

[@spwoodart]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@leoveroude4492]

This is an excellent video and very thorough! Really appreciate you taking the time to put this out there.

[@spwoodart]

Leo Veroude thank you, and be safe. It can be dangerous.

[@benbirdsill4709]

Thanks for the how-to. I've only used carbides for 6 or 8 months, but that's been my reluctance at the change is the disposable mentality of just throw it away and get a new one. Sharpening is the great thing about traditional lathe tools and if I can carry that over to carbides, great!

[@spwoodart]

Ben Birdsill Hey Ben, thanks for watching. I know what your mean. I currently use both carbide and traditional tools. Carbide in my opinion is not the greatest on soft woods, leaves a bit of tear out due to their aggressive nature. I like carbide but I love my traditional tools.

[@davedubanoski2981]

Thank you I have been using a flat diamond stone for a while. The mandrel idea looks like a better faster way. Thank you again.

[@spwoodart]

Thank you Dave, it works great and saves cash too. One just has to be careful with the spinning carbide. You can sharpen on a drill press too. Thanks for watching!

[@kwstasantwniou243]

Superb job Spyros, very helpful tips for quick and accurate sharpening!

[@spwoodart]

Kwstas Antwniou thank you my friend!

[@tomasarguinzoni9022]

Thank you for sharing great ideas 👍🏼

[@spwoodart]

Tomas Arguinzoni thank you!

[@donfillenworth1721]

Another great video and shop tip! Thanks for sharing.

[@spwoodart]

Don Fillenworth Thank you again Dan and for watching several videos, I appreciate it.

[@woodturningwithDave]

Thank you for sharing great ideas

[@spwoodart]

David the walsall woodturner thank you and for watching.

[@thomasgarrison3949]

Great video, thank you for sharing!

[@spwoodart]

Thank you!

[@Bramsshed1913]

Brilliant video and information Speros ! I'm just starting to make my own tools and this is going to be a great help later on! Looking forward to the next in the series Cheers mate, Bram

[@spwoodart]

Bram the Wadesmill woodturner hey Bram, good to hear from you. I absolutely love making my own tools and jigs, it’s a lot of fun. Plus, one can save some money for something else. Lol Thank you my friend!

[@antonioimparato9164]

Thank you Bram, is fantastic information, I use from long time the turning carbide cutter and some time it is good to find the right way to sharpen so as not to buy the new bits very often. Antonio from Sydney.

[@spwoodart]

Thanks for watching!

[@fierceflyer5]

Thanks for the tip,

[@spwoodart]

Fierceflyer55 thank you for watching!

[@antoniobaptista1122]

Very good ideia and presentation. Thank you

[@spwoodart]

Thanks and for watching!

[@catherinehargreaves9959]

hi, very good vid. good to see you answer all peoples comments. lignator jack. england

[@spwoodart]

catherine hargreaves thank you and for watching. I appreciate it!

[@paulschmolke188]

Interesting. Worth remembering.

[@spwoodart]

Thank you!

[@tompalmer334]

I will try this thanks

[@spwoodart]

It works well! Just be careful, can be dangerous.

[@stevefromlondon9175]

Very interesting video I have a couple that's a bit blunt Thank you Regards Steve UK London

[@spwoodart]

Thank you, it works well, just be safe trying it. You could attach a diamond stone to a flat stick for safety to keep your hand away from the spinning carbide cutter. Thanks for watching and commenting. -Speros

[@nickdispensa9762]

great job I usea green whell on my bench grinder it is for carbide I like your idea better

[@spwoodart]

Thank you!

[@carrollbestpitch9924]

Great video!

[@spwoodart]

Thanks for watching

[@donbomer5630]

Hi Spyros, Have you tried turning the round cupped cutter around? Maybe even putting it between a slightly smaller short dowel and a tailstock center, pressure only. This might allow you to sharpen the sides more easily.

[@spwoodart]

Hi, good tips, I have not tried that, but will the next time I sharpen. Thanks for the tip and for watching.

[@gilgrace1915]

These are great ideas for sharpening carbide cutters. Those spinning cutters could do major damage to your fingers with one little slip of the hand, so I think the glove is a good idea, as long as you respect the danger of a spinning lathe. A glove could save a little blood letting.

[@spwoodart]

Gil Grace Hi Gil, thank you for watching my friend, I appreciate your support. I totally agree, the spinning carbide can be dangerous, and I don’t usually wear gloves around the lathe, but one slip could be a really bad day. I was also thinking one could use a hand drill instead with the diamond stone fixed. Thank you.

[@spwoodart]

Hi all, here is my first video in a series for sharpening wood turning tools. Hope you enjoy and stay safe out there in your shops.

[@spwoodart]

@George Noah nice! Just be safe!

[@petermarsh4993]

Dear Spyros, very interesting video. I am new to wood carving and am considering making my own tools using Carbide inserts and make the rest. The shaft of the tool: is that hardened or simply mild steel? Cheers.

[@spwoodart]

Peter Marsh Hi Peter, I used 1045 steel. It was not hardened. You don’t need to harden the bar or rod, there’s no need to hold an edge and the bar only holds the carbide tip and added stability. Stainless steel would be nice if you turn wet wood, but not needed. Thank you for watching and for commenting.

[@billwells3836]

I do it by putting in my drill press and put the card in vise then just pull down until I make contact with light pressure then your hand never gets in the way

[@spwoodart]

Hi Bill, I’ve tried that a few times and it’s never worked as well for me. The down ward purser on the drill press distorts my diamond cards even with light pressure. Plus, this video is good for people that don’t have drill presses and only a have lathe. Thanks for watching!

[@charliehos3936]

Would a diamond wheel attached to the mandrel on the lathe while holding the bit with a mandrel be much safer! I couldn’t do the glove thing (accident pronged) that looks like an accident fixing to happen! Great idea , thanks!

[@spwoodart]

DONALD 2020 hello, I totally understand and you can sharpen the carbide inserts in other ways. I haven’t tried this yet, but I was thinking one could use the same method on a drill press with the sharpening card clamped flat to the table so you don’t have to hold anything. The mandrel method may work too. Thanks for watching and stay safe.

[@flemingcourt]

Thanks. It would be most helpful to mention the grits of your sharpening stones. cheers!

[@spwoodart]

Thanks! Good tip, the grits so use are fine, medium and course. That’s all they say on them. Lol

[@LAP1050]

SP - Great video, just subscribed. I noticed that your cupped round cutter looked like it was mounted on the Rikon bar. Have you found non Rikon cutters that fit the Rikon system?

[@spwoodart]

I don’t have the Rikon cutter bar. It’s a hollowing bar. Thanks for watching

[@jeremyhoward7337]

L P I use the Rikon cutter system and I love it. It is a great tool.

[@theRussianJiu]

Thanks for the tips. By the way, your chuck appears to be turning out of round.

[@spwoodart]

Robert Cornelius Thank you. I checked my chuck, and it’s fine. Thank you, I appreciate it.

[@jeremyhoward7337]

The guy at my local wood working shop said that putting pressure or any speed at all on carbide will ruin the integrity of the carbide. He said to only sharpen them by hand very lightly. I’m not sure if his info is correct as I just recently switched to carbide and have not sharpened them yet.

[@spwoodart]

Hi, I honestly never herd that before and I speak from my own experiences. I sharpen my carbide bits and it works well for me and know many others that sharpen carbide. I also sharpen my carbide router bits, carbide barrel trimmers, and carbide tip table saw blades with no issues. It works, and you don’t have to just throw your tools out. Even if it only lasted one more time, it’s worth it, doubles the life. Carbide is a very hard metal but brittle. I’m not sure about the integrity, unless the bits are heated too much during the sharpening. You do have to sharpen with diamond, because it’s harder than the carbide. Hope that helps and thank you for watching. Cheers!

[@alistairhosie652]

Hi Tungsten carbide is best sharpened with a diamond wheel gives a flat surface, and also leaves an almost perfect finish is also much quicker too.And a small diamond wheel will do fine although they are absolutely low in price unless you need to have one specially made at Tiffany's , lol Good video thanks a lot .Alistair

[@spwoodart]

Alistair Hosie Hi Alistair, totally agree that diamond is a great way to sharpen the tungsten carbide. I also tried sharpening the cutters the same way I did in the video on my drill press. I clamped the cards down and then I didn’t have my hands near anything. I just had to reduce the drill press speed. It was more time consuming on the drill press, but safer. At some point I will use CBN wheels with side cutting ability. Thank you for the tips and watching. Also, My wife wouldn’t mind a diamond wheel from Tiffany’s. Lol

[@WHATAGIRLWANTS2009]

Why wouldn't you chuck it up in your drill press and press down into the sharpening card. That way you can use a drill press vise and not have to "touch" anything. You can keep the card flat and the mandrel 90 degrees.

[@spwoodart]

Hi Creig, I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work as well. The downward rotation makes the diamond card want to move around and fly out. You also have to be extremely gentle with the downward pressure or the card gets destroyed. Plus, many people don’t have drill presses and use their lathes for that. Thanks.

[@oreos40]

I f you make the lip of the chip breaker flat you reduce shear cut and increase tear out as the cutter becomes a scraper.

[@spwoodart]

oreos40 Hi, I would like to say, I’m not trying to be combative. I believe what your saying or asking is that carbide cutters have a burr on the edge and that by sharpening the carbide cutters this way makes the cutters become fla and when in use provides more tear out. If this is so, carbide cutters do not have burrs on the lip, at least none I’ve seen or own. I have high speed steel scrappers that have burrs that I use, and without a burr they would still scrap just not as aggressive. I sharpen some of my tools this way on purpose for certain uses. As for the shear scrapping, In order to have shear scrapping, the cutter edge needs to be at a 45 degree angle from the oncoming material. It creates a slice which is why it has a smooth surface (less tear out depending on the wood type) and is mostly used as a finishing cut. I have also seen negative rake scrappers in carbide but that’s just having the cutter below center. I have been sharpening carbide cutters for years and have never had an issue accept for those who want to sell me more carbide cutters. Lol I have even been told that carbide cannot be sharpened, which is false. I have carbide cutters that I have been using for almost 2 years on my current tools by sharpening them, and they cut just like new ones. Hope that helps, and I understand what you are saying, thanks for watching. By the way my son and I love Oreo cookies. Lol

[@oreos40]

www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-insert-d.htm look down the list at "chipbreaker" type With cutting edge relief the style with a chipbreaker can be very aggressive but also cuts with less force because you undercut the fibers supporting the chip reducing tool cutting pressure. I have usd this type since the early 70's not trying to sell you carbide lol. we started using them production turning cedar bait casting bobers. soft wood prone to tear out.not saying that youre edges aren't sharp just the action doesn't peal the chip as easily.

[@flyingnukes]

DRILL PRESS WOULD BE BETTER?

[@spwoodart]

Drill press would work too, but most lack the speed control.

[@tailher1]

Everybody has their own way of doing things. Some work and some do not. That said, I have chosen the KISS method of using one finger on a 800 grit diamond card. A lot easier and much safer.

[@spwoodart]

Kent Oakley I use both methods. Sometimes I don’t feel like mounting the carbide, so I just use the bench method. Just showing others another way. Thanks for watching!

[@doylepugmire5180]

i tried your method a few years back and it messed up my fine diamond plate.

[@spwoodart]

Hi Doyle, sorry to hear that. I sharpen mine on fine diamond cards as well as large sharpening diamond stones. One must always apply light touch or it can distort shaping cards. This is why I don’t use a drill press as some suggest to do. Thank for watching.

[@Hagg506]

You may need some new gloves

[@spwoodart]

Lol I sure do.