# Greenlee Lathe tools?



## lumberjoe

I found this on Craigslist and it seems to be a pretty good deal










9 Greenlee lathe chisels (in grinds I would actually use) for 95$. These are, according to the ad, 45 years old and were only taken out of the factory sealed box to take these pictures. They look pretty decent, I've just never heard of Greenlee


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## LeeBarker

I have a slightly smaller version of that set (6) and they are just fine. It's a quality company.

I found this on woodcentral.com:

Re: Greenlee chisel
Posted By:
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

"Greenlee is a respected name. I've heard comments from people whose chisels were harder than average old chisels, but they held a good edge. I own three of their drawknives, and I think one chisel, but (shuffling my feet and looking embarrassed) have not had occasion to use most of them while I'm in carpentry mode. I've used my Greenlee folding-handle drawknife and really like it.

Greenlee is still in business, now owned by Textron, but focused on electrician's tools. The "Greenlee punch" is an extremely useful tool for knockouts in electrical boxes, whether making one where you need it or enlarging an existing one."

I cannot comment on price overall, but if I had none and saw those, I'd pungle up the C note and with the change pick me up a celebratory latte on the way home.

Kindly,

Lee


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## lumberjoe

I actually do have a set of turning tools now, but I want to change the grind on several of them so they are more suited for bowl work. I was interested in the companies history and wanted to confirm Greenlee was actually around 45 years ago and these are not some knockoffs or an obscure Chinese brand being pawned off as old. You answered that for me!

Thanks Lee!


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## OnlyJustME

Yes they are good chisels if they are made from the same steel as the old ones (before 1960s i think). I have a couple very old socket greenlee bevel chisels and they are good steel. As to how old those chisels are i don't know. I've never seen lathe chisels made by them before but i'm just getting into lathe work myself. The Greenlee company was founded in 1866.
i didnt know that it is basically still the same company as the greenlee tools made today. 
Do they say made in Rockford Illinois? 
I would definitely still by them. Hard to beat $10 a chisel even for cheap chinese stuff. 
I'm actually looking for opinions on what lathe tools to buy myself. What have you used and liked or disliked and why?


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## davidmicraig

I started out turning with some HSS chisels from harbor freight. The cutting edges were not bad on them but heft was a bit of a problem. I was taught some turning techniques by an old LJ member that went by the handle jockmike2 (His projects and posts are still on the site and a good resource for turners). His collection of chisels had longer handles than mine and the blades were stout and heavy. He mostly liked Sorby chisels. As I replace my old chisels, I look for longer handles and larger diameters. The smaller ones I have are good for detail work but when you are roughing out larger logs and breaking the corners of some glue-ups, that exta bit of girth makes a big difference.


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## OnlyJustME

Thanks for the input David. 
I was thinking about the Hurricane chisels available from amazon. have you seen or tried them? any thoughts?

Joe did you get those Greenlee chisels and have you tried them out? wondering how they compare to what you have.

Sorry if i'm hijacking the thread.


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## lumberjoe

Matt, I've been trying to contact the seller, but being in a storm area, I'm assuming he is currently without power and will respond when he can. 
I currently have the HSS chisels from HF that David referenced. I like them a lot. I agree they could be a bit heavier when turning larger items, but overall they serve me well. They sharpen up good and hold an edge for a decent length of time. For the price they are tough to beat.


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## Wildwood

Do you really know what want to buy? Greenlee made carbon steel turning tools, no record of them making high speed turning tools.

http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/classifieds.pl/md/read/id/10166/sbj/set-of-seven-greenlee-lathe-tools/

I have no problem with carbon steel tools; in other countries can still buy them from major manufactures. Few years ago seen a set of Crown carbon steel tools selling for $76.00 + shipping on E-bay.

Find it hard to believe some ads. If tools do not have or mentioned Greenllee logo and made in Rockford ILL, made in America in ad would pass. Certainly ask before buying.

http://connecticut.freetoolshopper.com/tools/9-greenlee-wood-lathe-chisels.html

Buck brothers another fine carbon steel manufacturer often seen for sale in wood box but comes from China today.

Several vendors of major brand turning tool today offer 10% off if buy 2 individual tools. Packard Woodworks does this on their house brand made by Hamlet tools that has same address as Henry Taylor tools. Craft Supplies offers same deal on Henry Taylor, Sorby, Crown, and Artisan tools. Woodcraft runs sales on Sorby tools couple times a year. Check catalogs, websites, or store for discount, sale details.


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## GaryMax

I have owned several sets of them--- if you don't mind spending a lot of time sharpening--they work.


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## crank49

I knew GreenLee made a lot of tools used by contractors like pipe threaders, wrenches, hole punches, tubing benders and such. Good company as far as I know based on my experience with them.


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## lumberjoe

GaryMax, is that because they are carbon steel and not HSS? I am also trying to confirm this. If they are carbon steel I am not interested.


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## Planeman40

Way back in the early 1970s I used to frequent a small, junky used tool place near the Atlanta airport called Clinton Aircraft Tools run by a Delta Airlines pilot in his spare time. He would buy lots of tools from places like Boeing, Lockheed, etc. and the airlines. At that time, when a defense contractor finished with a project, it was required that all tooling purchased for that project be auctioned off. Many times there were tools the were barely used or even still new in the box. Even the used tools were most often in good shape.

Anyway, one day I found a pile of Greenlee socket wood chisels that were brand new. The irons were in one pile, the handles in another pile. I hollered to Wade (Clinton) what did he want for the chisels and he shouted back "$2.00 each". I put together a complete set and started toward the front counter. Then I stopped. What the hell, at $2 each I decided to buy another set as a backup.

Lord, I wish Clinton Aircraft Tool was still in business! I furnished half my shop there!

Planeman


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## MedicKen

Why not be interested in a carbon tool? Greenlee was and still is a well respected tool manufacturer. The older chisels rival some of the best in the industry. If they are carbon steel who cares, like you are gonna be able to tell the difference anyway. The older carbon steels are better than the Chinese crap being produced today, will hold and edge longer and are heavier.


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## lumberjoe

Maybe I have been influenced too much by cheap Chinese steel, but in my experience carbon steel does not take or hold an edge as well as properly hardened (59+ rockwell) HSS.


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## davidmicraig

*OnlyJustME* - I do not have any experience with the Hurricane tools, so I can't say. I can tell you that I bought the most costly HF chisels which gave me a decent set to start with. Since I have a set, I tend to purchase single chisels that I feel will complement the collection rather than replace it. When there are multiple chisels in a purchase, more than likely I am going to get a duplicate, which I don't really need. Though, if you are skilled with a grinder, sometimes the cheap chisel sets will give you an opportunity to get some steel that can be re-grinded to a different bevel or shape at a fractional cost.


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## Wildwood

Nice read:
http://www.woodturninglearn.net/articles/ToolSteel.pdf

I think certain quality carbon steel tools leave better surface than HSS or exotic steels. Talking about skew chisels, spindle & roughing gouges. I also believe M-2 HSS leaves a better surface than most exotic steels. I own carbon, HSS, and couple of exotic steel tools.

Quality carbon steel tools as expensive as HSS tools today. Buy best HSS tools can afford.
http://www.mhcrafters.com/servlet/the-Two-Cherries-Tools-cln-Turning-Tools/Categories

If you go to England turning tool manufacturer web sites will not see hardness claims for their HSS turning tools. You will for their more expensive exotic steel tools. Turning tool vendors here often make hardness and staying sharper longer claims in catalogs or on web sites.

Bottom line does not matter what steel your tools made of, tools need to be sharp. No matter what steel your tools made of all become dull through use. Knowing when to re-sharpening your tools as you turn should become a habit.

Basic tool sets never a great deal, shopping sales & discounts for individual tools as needed is.


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## JonathanG

I know I'm digging up a bit of an old thread, but I ran across a set of 18-Greenlee turning chisels on Craigslist. I have not contacted the seller, so I don't know what vintage the tools are, but the seller is asking $225 for the entire set.

Just out of curiosity, I did a quick search online and found new 8-piece sets of Greenlee chisels for $14.82, plus shipping, which was about $11 for the set, and only about a $1-more added to the shipping cost if I want 2-sets! I have never ordered from this company before, and they appear to possibly be some sort of clearing house, as they list the quantity available at 500-sets of these chisels. For $41, I can get 2-sets of these shipped to my door, going by the theory that I'd have an extra set to change grind angles on, or even completely change the profile on a couple of them.

I honestly haven't done any research at all on the company, but will post the link, as I doubt by me doing so, that the LJ community will buy up all 500-sets before I get enough information about the company to pull the trigger myself and pick up a set or two of these chisels.

Here you go, and I'm curious to see what you all have to say about this, as it almost seems like one of those "too good to be true" things at $2/chisel:
http://www.edmwi.com/home/edm_1358005421628/page_720


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## Kreegan

Buy em for sharpening practice if nothing else. I don't think I'd expect to get much functional use out of them though. No mention if they are HSS, carbon steel, pig iron or what. Heck, for 15 bucks, you can afford to take a chance.


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## JonathanG

Kreegan, since I'm brand new to turning (just got my first lathe on Monday of this week and haven't even fired it up yet), these would, as you said if nothing else, make for good sharpening practice chisels!


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## JonathanG

I may actually end up getting these, or something similar, to learn a bit about sharpening before subjecting my set of Sorby chisels to any punishment from my uninitiated hands.


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