An abstract from my notebook tells the story:

I obtained a couple of samples of Hamlet Craft Tools gouges recently and have been meaning to write up the results. I guess the best summary is to say that I have just placed a large stock order for both the 2030 and 2060 version of their bowl gouges. The test I did, alongside my Taylor and Sorby equivalents, involved turning a carver's mallet out of a large lump of Jarrah.

This Jarrah timber is some that I rescued from a railway surplus yard in the form of a sleeper (English) or railroad tie (US!). As you know, Jarrah can be pretty heavily infiltrated by mineral residue which travels up with the sap: this had plenty of that. Add to that the burial in cinders, grit and gravel for fifty years and more and you'll have some idea of the state of the stuff. But it's a lovely colour! I had previously had a go at it and knew that it was going to be tough - it is hard and dense at the best of times.

For my test I used the four gouges (Taylor, Sorby, Hamlet 2030 and Hamlet 2060) in turn, initially using the Hamlet tools unsharpened, straight out of the box. The conventional HSS gouges blunted quickly.  The going got tough as I had to force the tools to cut and the finish deteriorated. I re-sharpened them and the same quickly happened again. I used the two Hamlet tools for the job from start to finish with no apparent significant dulling or loss of cutting performance: they just cut and cut. After doing the comparative test, I tried sharpening the Hamlet tools. It was as easy as any HSS tool, maybe easier as their hot toughness is very much better than HSS. They sharpened quickly, cleanly and easily, the only noticeably difference being a more "dull" sound of the tool on the wheel (a white AlOx wheel), more like grinding cast iron, compared with steel, and a more dead/soft feel as distinct from the ringing you get with steel.

I have since used them in conventional bowl turning and though I have yet to get the grind 100% to my liking they are performing admirably. I wouldn't throw away my HSS tools, but these are a very useful addition to the armoury, especially on larger work where you may want to reduce the number of times you need to re-grind in the course of a project. First class tools in my honest view.

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