Nick Cook parting tool.......got one?

[Odie]

Since the "beginning of time", I've been using a standard diamond parting tool. I've had pretty good success with it, but have been seeing this narrow kerf fluted parting tool in the CSUSA catalogue for some time now.......thought I might give it a shot.......

I recently ordered, and should be getting this Nick Cook parting tool sometime next week.

click:

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...ck_Cook_Parting_Tool___cook_narrow_part?Args=

Got a couple of questions about it.

First of all, how do you like it?

Is it what it's cracked up to be?.....make parted surfaces smoother?

According to the description, the fluted edge is along the top surface, but it would make more sense to have it along the longer lower edge......wouldn't you think. Seems like that fluted edge would last much longer that way, anyway. Maybe this is just a typo, and the fluted edge is really along the bottom edge after all.......right, or wrong about that?

I assume you only sharpen on the non-fluted edge......and maybe, if at all, just a touch to the fluted side on some fine emory, or something like that. Am I right about this? ? ? ? ?

Looking forward to hearing your evaluation of this tool......and thanx for giving it.

otis of cologne

 

[GeorgeH]

I did look at it but, for the difference in price, I'm satisfied with my Robert Sorby Narrow Parting Tool.

 

[David Wilkins]

I have the crown parting and the Firmanger parting tool. They take a narrower swath to allow for better grain matches, and do that well. The idea of what you have purchased is to strike two clean lines first and just remove what is between. So yes, the flute is on the bottom. I toyed with one a couple of times, nothing stood out so much that I bought it, but I may not have been looking hard enough 😀

 

[Michael Stafford]

I have it and I do like it. On smaller boxes I use it to remove very little wood and with the sharp fluted spurs I get an extremely clean cut of the end grain which saves wood because I don't have to remove more to clean up torn grain. This permits better grain alignment in the finished box.

It however does have a limit to its depth of cut and great care must be exercised when trying to part a large diameter piece. One twist and you have a broken tool. One of the reasons this happens is that the long bevel where the flutes are ground causes you to have more of the tool extending over the rest than I like. This makes it much more susceptible to twisting if you do not have excellent tool control. When it happens it happens very quickly and in a frightening manner. I have not had it happen to me (yet) but I was watching when it happened to another turner and his tool was twisted like a pretzel in the blink of an eye. It also tends to get really hot unless you create some clearance in a deep cut which sort of defeats the purpose of having an ultra thin parting tool.

Like GeorgeH and David I find myself more and more reaching for the Sorby narrow parting tool I have which works extremely well and is significantly less expensive.

 

[jffink]

I have a fluted parting tool with the flute on the bottom of the blade — I think it's a Sorby. The sharp flute edges cut into my conventional nonhardened tool rests. I think this is why Nick Cook designed his parting tool with the flute on top. I do think you get a smoother cut with a fluted parting tool than with a standard tool, and I doubt that it matters a lot whether or not the flute is on the top or the bottom of the tool. Regarding sharpening: you sharpen on the unfluted side of the tool — I use diamond hones.

Before I bought the fluted tool, I ground (and smoothed) a very small flute in the end of my narrow Stott parting tool, and it worked fine — except that the Stott tool really needs a longer handle. I think I ground the flute using the edge of a relatively fine belt sander belt (and a magnifier).

Regards,
John

 

[Odie]

I have it and I do like it. On smaller boxes I use it to remove very little wood and with the sharp fluted spurs I get an extremely clean cut of the end grain which saves wood because I don't have to remove more to clean up torn grain. This permits better grain alignment in the finished box.

It however does have a limit to its depth of cut and great care must be exercised when trying to part a large diameter piece. One twist and you have a broken tool. One of the reasons this happens is that the long bevel where the flutes are ground causes you to have more of the tool extending over the rest than I like. This makes it much more susceptible to twisting if you do not have excellent tool control. When it happens it happens very quickly and in a frightening manner. I have not had it happen to me (yet) but I was watching when it happened to another turner and his tool was twisted like a pretzel in the blink of an eye. It also tends to get really hot unless you create some clearance in a deep cut which sort of defeats the purpose of having an ultra thin parting tool.

Like GeorgeH and David I find myself more and more reaching for the Sorby narrow parting tool I have which works extremely well and is significantly less expensive.

Thanks Michael Stafford......I was hoping to catch someone who has hands on experience with this fluted parting tool.

Will the tool cut with the flute facing up? If it does, then those times when a shorter distance over the tool rest would be a big advantage just might be doable that way......?

How do you sharpen yours? Is my thoughts on that in my original post correct, or close to the truth?

One thing about it, if this tool doesn't work out as I hope it does, I can always grind that flute off and make a "normal" thin kerf parting tool out of it!

Thanks for the input, so far......

otis of cologne

 

[Michael Stafford]

Odie, the flute is ground into the long bevel which sits on the underside of the tool. I use it with the flute down. That way two sharp spurs are presented into the wood to pre-score the fibers before the main part of the top bevel removes the wood between them. As you can see in the picture you included with your post that longer lower bevel is the reason that the tool ends up protruding over the rest a considerable amount.

I also have a Sorby 3/16" fluted parting tool which is like the one jffink is describing I think. It is also used with the flutes down on the tool rest but mine came with a hard plastic shield that fits over the tool and exposes just the beveled end and protects the tool rest. It also pre-scores the wood along the sides before the main body of the tool removes the wood between.

I sharpen the narrow 1/16" fluted tool on my grinder just by touching the short bevel of the non fluted edge to the stone. It only takes a micro second to do so. Sometimes I just hit it with a diamond hone and that will do it.

I do the same on the 3/16" fluted but find it benefits more from the grinding stone although I can touch it up with the hone several times before it needs grinding.

 

[Bill Boehme]

When Nick Cook did a demo at our club, he used the Sorby tool.

 

[john lucas]

One of my students had one this last year so I did some testing with it. It does cut cleaner than a flat parting tool. I used it with the flute up. I tried it both ways but it seems to me that you might dull the edges if you use if flute down on the tool rest.

 

[Bill Boehme]

One of my students had one this last year so I did some testing with it. It does cut cleaner than a flat parting tool. I used it with the flute up. I tried it both ways but it seems to me that you might dull the edges if you use if flute down on the tool rest.

You're not supposed to put the fluted part on the tool rest. Extend the tool past the angled part until the regular straight edge of the tool is on the rest. The long overhang is one of the shortcomings of the tool.

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Ironic that you posted this question today. I had a Nick Cook parting tool until about noon today. As Michael Stafford pointed out, you have to be careful about depth of cut. I pushed it a little too far (OK, a lot too far) today and now have a tool that will only be suitable for parting around corners.

When I was thinking about buying a thin parting tool, I heard a glowing recommendation by a "big name" pro demonstrator. So I bought it, even though local turners I respect suggested far more economical alternatives. I did not find it to be superior to any other thin parting tool that I've tried. I won't be replacing it.

Ed

 

[Odie]

Ironic that you posted this question today. I had a Nick Cook parting tool until about noon today. As Michael Stafford pointed out, you have to be careful about depth of cut. I pushed it a little too far (OK, a lot too far) today and now have a tool that will only be suitable for parting around corners.

When I was thinking about buying a thin parting tool, I heard a glowing recommendation by a "big name" pro demonstrator. So I bought it, even though local turners I respect suggested far more economical alternatives. I did not find it to be superior to any other thin parting tool that I've tried. I won't be replacing it.

Ed

Ed.......Thanks for posting.......

I am interested in hearing more about your unfortunate catch using this Cook parting tool. How deep did you go with it, and what were you making? What do you think were the causes? What kind of wood were you parting, and what was the diameter? Were there any early warning signs that you were likely to have the tool catch......or, was everything going well up to that point? I assume your cutting edge was positioned right at the centerline of your workpiece.....right?

Do you think if you made two cuts parallel to each other, just a tiny bit larger than the single cut kerf itself, you might have had better success?

My intention, here, is to have a cleanly cut surface on the bottoms of bowls that are parted away from a glued waste block. I only need a clean cut on one side of the cut......the bowl side. The waste blocks are generally up to about 4 1/2" in diameter.

Here is a photo that shows my method of attaching the waste block to an Ash bowl, and use either a screw center, or standard faceplates. The diameter of this particular waste block is about 3".......Do you, or anyone else see anything that would be problematic with that?

I have a suspicion that if the top edge of the blade were slightly beveled on both sides, a catch of large proportion, such as you had, may have been prevented. Comments about that? I'm also theorizing that if the shorter bevel of the cutting surface were facing down, instead of the top (like shown in the picture of my first post) the cutting edge would be more close to the horizontal plane of the tool rest. This would mean that the flute would be facing up, but from what I gather from jffink's post, this is a moxnix consideration. I can imagine this being a much safer way to do it........you think?

otis of cologne

 

[MichaelMouse]

When Nick Cook did a demo at our club, he used the Sorby tool.

If you hit the "larger image" text, the writing on the tool shows Robert Sorby. The ferrule and handle looked suspicious even without the print. I have the 3/32 and it's pretty much as advertised, leaving a smoother face on continuous cuts. Great for minimum grain match on boxes.

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Ed.......Thanks for posting.......

I am interested in hearing more about your unfortunate catch using this Cook parting tool.

otis of cologne

Hi Odie - I was roughing out a 7"diameter mahogany end grain box (from relatively green wood) where I wanted to match grain on the lid. I've done this before with no problem. I generally go in 2" to 2.5" inches depending on the wood and finish parting the blank with a saw. Mahogany is pretty easy so I pushed it to 3" (as it turned out, depth wasn't the real culprit in my incident).

I was a little less than 3 inches in and just about to stop and switch to my saw when things got interesting. The outer inch of the wood was pretty spalted, but the center 5 inches was solid. When I performed the autopsy this morning on the blank I was surprised to discover that the parting tool cut through the spalted sap wood at 90 degrees to the spindle (as expected). Once it hit the solid heartwood, it took a slight jog to the left and started cutting at an angle. Essentially cutting around a corner. Nothing good could come from this. I didn't notice anything different enough to cause me to stop. I always loosen up the drive belt on my lathe when I'm doing something like this just in case. As I got close to 3 inches in and was getting ready to pull out, the lathe just bogged down and stopped.

It took a pretty good effort to pull the parting tool out of the kerf and it was extremely hot. It also had a nice left hand curve in it.

Making two cuts may have alleviated the problem, but it defeats the whole purpose of using a 1/16" parting tool so I can match grain.

As far as your intended use, I didn't find that the parting tool cut any cleaner than any of the much less expensive alternatives out there. Personally, I don't think the Nick Cook tool is worth the extra money (it's made by Sorby and has a Sorby brand, Nick Cook's name doesn't appear anywhere on it.)

Unless you are paying a lot for your waste blocks, why bother with a 1/16" parting tool? Doesn't seem worth the hassles to me.

Ed

 

[Odie]

Hi Odie - I was roughing out a 7"diameter mahogany end grain box (from relatively green wood) where I wanted to match grain on the lid. I've done this before with no problem. I generally go in 2" to 2.5" inches depending on the wood and finish parting the blank with a saw. Mahogany is pretty easy so I pushed it to 3" (as it turned out, depth wasn't the real culprit in my incident).

I was a little less than 3 inches in and just about to stop and switch to my saw when things got interesting. The outer inch of the wood was pretty spalted, but the center 5 inches was solid. When I performed the autopsy this morning on the blank I was surprised to discover that the parting tool cut through the spalted sap wood at 90 degrees to the spindle (as expected). Once it hit the solid heartwood, it took a slight jog to the left and started cutting at an angle. Essentially cutting around a corner. Nothing good could come from this. I didn't notice anything different enough to cause me to stop. I always loosen up the drive belt on my lathe when I'm doing something like this just in case. As I got close to 3 inches in and was getting ready to pull out, the lathe just bogged down and stopped.

It took a pretty good effort to pull the parting tool out of the kerf and it was extremely hot. It also had a nice left hand curve in it.

Making two cuts may have alleviated the problem, but it defeats the whole purpose of using a 1/16" parting tool so I can match grain.

As far as your intended use, I didn't find that the parting tool cut any cleaner than any of the much less expensive alternatives out there. Personally, I don't think the Nick Cook tool is worth the extra money (it's made by Sorby and has a Sorby brand, Nick Cook's name doesn't appear anywhere on it.)

Unless you are paying a lot for your waste blocks, why bother with a 1/16" parting tool? Doesn't seem worth the hassles to me.

Ed

Howdy Ed....... Thanx for your reply. I saw it the other day, but didn't want to reply until I had gotten my Cook parting tool and had tried it out.

I've been out in the shop this evening trying it out......and have a few observations to add to this thread.

I've got a question for you: When you had your catch, did you have the flute facing up, or down?

I've done all my practice cuts this evening on pine and one piece of hardwood scrap......I think it's Nara, but not sure. So far, so good......I'm getting the best cuts I've ever had.....but, the only thing I can compare it to is the standard diamond parting tool. With the diamond parting tool, I've been able to get some very decent cut-offs, but that's because I can get a very sharp edge to it. I've sharpened the Nick Cook tool pretty much the same way, but only on one side.....of course! S.O.P. is upright on the edge grinding with the Norton 80gt blue wheel......then over to the 200gt slow speed, water bath grinder.

I did a bunch of parting cuts with the short bevel facing down (flute facing up). To tell you the truth, I've been a little hesitant to flip the tool over and do it the other way.....simply because with the cutting edge high like that, it seems that any binding would have greater leverage with a catch. It just seemed safer to keep the short grind facing down.....making the level of the cut closer to the height of the tool rest. (Is my reasoning correct there?)

Without making this post very long, I'll close here and see if I've elicited any thought and/or comment.......I know that if my posts get way too long, people tend to not read them.

......probably won't be able to post again until at least tomorrow.....

otis of cologne

 

[Michael Stafford]

Odie, these fluted parting tools are designed to be used with the bevel up and the flutes down. I understand your argument that using it the other way brings the cutting edge closer to the wood and reduces the overhang.

The whole idea is to have two sharp spurs scoring the edges of the cut before the flat surface of the sharpened bevel removes the wood in between.

I am sure someone will disagree with me but using it with the flutes up will dull the flutes and there is no practical way for us to sharpen the flutes.

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Hi Odie - I always used it flute down for two reasons. That's what I thought I remembered the instruction sheet (which I promptly lost) showing and that was the orientation that had the printing on the side of the tool right side up.

Here's where I"m at in diagnosing what went wrong for me. At 1/16" thick, the tool is pretty flexible and the farther you go into the wood with it, the greater the chance that it will flex inside the wood. In retrospect it would have been a good idea to have a light better positioned so I could see into the kerf clearly on deep cuts with the tool. When the tool started curving inside the piece I was parting, I would have been able to tell if the lighting was good enough. Just going by feel was not good enough for me.

Anyway, I got a lot of use out of the tool. My decision to not replace it is not because I think it's a bad tool, I just don't think it is worth (to me) what they are charging for it.

Since you already bought it, price doesn't matter anymore. I think you will find the tool useful. Just watch the kerf for any sign of tool curving if you go in a couple inches. It's probably a pretty rare thing, but once is enough.

Ed

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Another thought I had is that maybe in my last sharpening before my incident I somehow shortened one side of the flute and this made the tool want to cut to one side.

I used a diamond hone for sharpening and maybe I wasn't careful enough the last time.

Might not have anything to do with it, but it's a thought.

Ed

 

[KEW]

The tool Nick Cook "happens to like"!

I discussed this tool with Nick. He did not design it. He was confused when someone at a demo started asking him about "his" parting tool. He was referred to the CSU catalog and later called them. CSU is naming the various tools by the names of well known turners who use them, but this is not like the Ellsworth signature gouge. Jimmy Clewes had a similar story about some hollowing tools in the CSU catalog.

That said, it is the parting tool Nick prefers. He uses it because of the cleaner cuts it affords compared to a non-fluted tool. He recommends two cuts about 1/2 a blade width apart to provide clearance. And , yes, he uses it upside down as well (most of the time). It will cut either way.

 

[Odie]

I discussed this tool with Nick. He did not design it. He was confused when someone at a demo started asking him about "his" parting tool. He was referred to the CSU catalog and later called them. CSU is naming the various tools by the names of well known turners who use them, but this is not like the Ellsworth signature gouge. Jimmy Clewes had a similar story about some hollowing tools in the CSU catalog.

That said, it is the parting tool Nick prefers. He uses it because of the cleaner cuts it affords compared to a non-fluted tool. He recommends two cuts about 1/2 a blade width apart to provide clearance. And , yes, he uses it upside down as well (most of the time). It will cut either way.

Wow, KEW......that sounds like a deceptive practice. Also, wouldn't this be an illegal practice?.....using someone's name to sell a product, and inferring there is an endorsement?

If Nick Cook is using this tool with the flute up, then I'm not at all surprised. To my way of thinking, flute up is a much safer way to go. It does make a very nice cut that way, and with very little, to no tearout at all. So far, I'm very pleased with the results.

I also agree that two cuts would be a much safer practice as well.....that is with the deeper cuts anyway. It wouldn't have to be much wider than the thickness of the tool blade, I think......any increase in kerf width would be a great insurance against a catastrophic occurrence, it would seem to me.

Many thanks for adding your input on this......

otis of cologne

 

[Odie]

Hi Odie - I always used it flute down for two reasons. That's what I thought I remembered the instruction sheet (which I promptly lost) showing and that was the orientation that had the printing on the side of the tool right side up.

Here's where I"m at in diagnosing what went wrong for me. At 1/16" thick, the tool is pretty flexible and the farther you go into the wood with it, the greater the chance that it will flex inside the wood. In retrospect it would have been a good idea to have a light better positioned so I could see into the kerf clearly on deep cuts with the tool. When the tool started curving inside the piece I was parting, I would have been able to tell if the lighting was good enough. Just going by feel was not good enough for me.

Anyway, I got a lot of use out of the tool. My decision to not replace it is not because I think it's a bad tool, I just don't think it is worth (to me) what they are charging for it.

Since you already bought it, price doesn't matter anymore. I think you will find the tool useful. Just watch the kerf for any sign of tool curving if you go in a couple inches. It's probably a pretty rare thing, but once is enough.

Ed

Another thought I had is that maybe in my last sharpening before my incident I somehow shortened one side of the flute and this made the tool want to cut to one side.

I used a diamond hone for sharpening and maybe I wasn't careful enough the last time.

Might not have anything to do with it, but it's a thought.

Ed

Hi back to you, Ed......

Your experiences, thoughts, and insight has been helpful for my understanding of this tool.....it's too bad you lost yours.

WHAT INSTRUCTION SHEET?? I didn't see one, don't believe there was one. Sure would have liked to check it out. I wonder......is there somewhere online where the instructions can be viewed?


One thing about it.......as this fluted parting tool gets sharpened, the cutting edge will get higher and higher. (used with the flute up) At some point, I'll decide it's too high, and will be a bit too touchy to use. At that point, there's no reason why I can't regrind and use it like all the other thin kerf parting tools.....with the cutting edge low and if not level with the tool rest, very close to it.

Thank you for all of your input here......

otis of cologne

 

[Odie]

Odie, these fluted parting tools are designed to be used with the bevel up and the flutes down. I understand your argument that using it the other way brings the cutting edge closer to the wood and reduces the overhang.

The whole idea is to have two sharp spurs scoring the edges of the cut before the flat surface of the sharpened bevel removes the wood in between.

I am sure someone will disagree with me but using it with the flutes up will dull the flutes and there is no practical way for us to sharpen the flutes.

Hello Michael.......

Thank you for your input, too!

I do believe you are operating under a misconception, though. Where the sharpened bevel and the flute meet, it creates a "half moon" shape that's sharp on the entire surface. The spurs and the sharpened edge are actually the same surface.

As I see it, because the sharpened bevel is sharpened very similarly to a scraper, it likewise, creates a burr....just like a scraper has. When being used, if the tool is oriented like you would when using a scraper, the flute would naturally have to face up to take advantage of the burr......wouldn't you think? I, of course, am speaking theoretically, here, because at this time I have yet to try the tool with the flute facing down. This is because my experimental cuts have been so successful in producing a very nice smooth cut with the flute facing up.....and it sure seems like there is a safety advantage when using it in this manner.

otis of cologne

 

[Michael Stafford]

Odie, use it any way you like. I think that is the best thing for you to do.

If you're happy I am happy.

 

[salgoud]

I need to get a new parting tool and I may just try this one. I looked at your web page and your work is very cool.

 

[jffink]

Here's the text from the robert-sorby.co.uk site describing their fluted parting tool. This may answer a few questions (except that I thought the "cutting face" would be the top face).

"This tool has a milled flute running along the bottom edge, creating two sharp spurs at the cutting face. These sever the fibres to produce a burnished finish. The tapered profile also reduces the risk of binding in the cut. This features a radically new and unique cutting profile with a blade profile of only 2mm. The long bevel has a milled flute which is the cutting face. The small bevel his the sharpening face. When parting off, this unique arrangement causes the tip to always cut at a shear cutting angle of 45º, producing a finish without equal from a parting tool, virtually eliminating the need for sanding. "

 

[Odie]

Here's the text from the robert-sorby.co.uk site describing their fluted parting tool. This may answer a few questions (except that I thought the "cutting face" would be the top face).

"This tool has a milled flute running along the bottom edge, creating two sharp spurs at the cutting face. These sever the fibres to produce a burnished finish. The tapered profile also reduces the risk of binding in the cut. This features a radically new and unique cutting profile with a blade profile of only 2mm. The long bevel has a milled flute which is the cutting face. The small bevel his the sharpening face. When parting off, this unique arrangement causes the tip to always cut at a shear cutting angle of 45º, producing a finish without equal from a parting tool, virtually eliminating the need for sanding. "

jffink.....

Thanks for the heads up. From Sorbys site, it appears as though the Cook parting tool was intended to be used with the flute facing down.....just the opposite as I thought! Regardless of this, I believe I'll continue to do it "upside down", as I've given my reasons why I believe it's the safest way, and it has proven to give a great parted surface this way.

I imagine there might be a few readers that scoff at the thought that I've tossed out the directions, and cut my own path! This is the way I've pretty much pursued life. I follow the rules, when I think it's the best way to achieve the objective........When I don't agree with the rules, I do it MY way!

.....and, if you check on KEW's post in this thread, it would appear as if Nick Cook himself, and I, are like minded in the use of this tool.

otis of cologne

 

[Odie]

I need to get a new parting tool and I may just try this one. I looked at your web page and your work is very cool.

I sincerely appreciate the compliment, salgoud.......

Well, it's obvious that I have a limited amount of experience with the Nick Cook parting tool, but, at this point, I'd certainly suggest that it would be worth a second look to any serious turner.

I would, however, point out that any depth of cut may require two parallel cuts in conjunction with each other.......that would be the only way to really insure safety........but, of course, not a guarantee!

I'm not sure how deep is deep......might depend on the type of wood......but initially I'm thinking I'd probably do a double parting cut around 3" in diameter and larger.

otis of cologne

By the way.......I really enjoyed contemplating your signature line! There is in that....truth to behold!

quote courtesy of Doug Salgoud:

"He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist."

 

[Odie]

Odie, use it any way you like. I think that is the best thing for you to do.

If you're happy I am happy.

Thanks, Michael........

Yep.......I'm happy! 🙂

otis of cologne

 

[jffink]

Thanks for the heads up. From Sorbys site, it appears as though the Cook parting tool was intended to be used with the flute facing down.....just the opposite as I thought! Regardless of this, I believe I'll continue to do it "upside down", as I've given my reasons why I believe it's the safest way, and it has proven to give a great parted surface this way.

otis of cologne

I too use the tool with the flute up for the following reasons:
1. It is more stable in that position, since it puts the cutting edge below the blade center and the blade tip can be kept closer to the tool rest;
2. The two "tips" of the flute act like knives to slice the wood fibers;
3. It works well.

By the way, I sharpen this tool using a few strokes of a fine diamond hone on the flat bevel. If you don't have a diamond hone, 600 grit silicon carbide paper held flat on a piece of glass or granite works fine too. There is no need to take this thin blade to a powered grinder.

For newbies, as with any parting tool, when making deep cuts, keep the kerf wider than the blade — I would keep the kerf at twice the blade width using this parting tool, and still wouldn't go real deep with it — if you need to go deep, use either a wider tool or a wider kerf. If one wants to part a box blank into lid and base sections and minimize grain mismatch, you can cut a little way in with a "single width" cut using the thin parting tool, and then, with the lathe turned off, use a thin bladed saw (e.g., a japanese style dozuki) to complete the cut.

 

[Odie]

I too use the tool with the flute up for the following reasons:
1. It is more stable in that position, since it puts the cutting edge below the blade center and the blade tip can be kept closer to the tool rest;
2. The two "tips" of the flute act like knives to slice the wood fibers;
3. It works well.

By the way, I sharpen this tool using a few strokes of a fine diamond hone on the flat bevel. If you don't have a diamond hone, 600 grit silicon carbide paper held flat on a piece of glass or granite works fine too. There is no need to take this thin blade to a powered grinder.

For newbies, as with any parting tool, when making deep cuts, keep the kerf wider than the blade — I would keep the kerf at twice the blade width using this parting tool, and still wouldn't go real deep with it — if you need to go deep, use either a wider tool or a wider kerf. If one wants to part a box blank into lid and base sections and minimize grain mismatch, you can cut a little way in with a "single width" cut using the thin parting tool, and then, with the lathe turned off, use a thin bladed saw (e.g., a japanese style dozuki) to complete the cut.

Good morning!

I was just about to post about this Nick Cook parting tool, and forgot about this thread I started five years ago.

Now, after using this parting tool for five years, I have the exact same conclusions as jffink does. The tool was actually designed for flute down, but it's safer and better with the flute up. I'm very satisfied with this tool. Since I also don't use a grinder on it, but instead use a diamond hone to sharpen, I can see that this parting tool will probably last longer than I will!

edit:......six years!

ko

 

[Charlie Knighton]

hard not to be a "gusher" regarding Nick's influence on woodturning.......thanks

 

[john lucas]

Well I've always wanted one and have heard great things about them but not sure what I would us it for. It's biggest advantage is the clean cuts but 90 percent of the time when using a parting tool I clean up the cut afterwords. Nick Designed it to cut the grooves in his honey dippers which can't be sanded afterwords. Still I'm lusting after any tool that does a better job for it's purpose.