Tool review

[commercialbuilder]

Penn State has a carbide tool called the Pen Genie with a dual cutter, two sides are straight and two sides have a radius edge. They list the tool for $60.00 and I ordered one to try. It is a very good tool, the cutters is a little thinner than others but it is extremely sharp and holds the edge very well. You can get replacement cutters in the dual edge, an all radius edge or a all flat edge cutter.
It is 12" total with the metal bar being 3 1/2" making it a good length fo pens. If anyone is wanting a carbide tool I donot think you can go wrong at this price.

 

[Randy Simmons]

Thanks for the info! How easy is this tool to control? I am used to gripping a skew and moving the tool with my fingers. Is there a different "turning style" involved in using this tool??

 

[76winger]

Thanks for the info! How easy is this tool to control? I am used to gripping a skew and moving the tool with my fingers. Is there a different "turning style" involved in using this tool??

There's a tremendous difference between using a skew and using a carbide bit tool. Just for starters, you are "slicing" and "planing" away the material whereas the carbide tipped tools are "scraping" away the material. You also have to hold and position them completely different than the way you do a skew.

The carbide tips stays sharp longer than the steel of the skew, but I think the scraping action it uses is more aggressive, and as they dull, can produce increased stress on the blanks leading to more blowouts if you don't change the tips often enough, which can get pricey after a while.

Many prefer the carbide tipped cutters because of the way the stay sharp longer and they tend to let you shape easier, especially so for beginners. But if you've developed your skill with a skew and can use it proficiently, I think it's a much better tool that gives you more flexibility and control over what your doing.

I also think you need at least one carbide tipped cutter of some sort in your collection of turning tools though, because some materials, like many of the Trustones and M3 metal blanks simply dull the steel tools of any variety too fast.

 

[Randy Simmons]

Thanks a bunch for the info! Really appreciate it.

Cheers,

Randy