[VAwoodcarver]

I recieved a tool from sculpture house tools recently and need some advice. I bought a 25mm #3 gouge and got home and began sharpening, i kept on and kept on but the very tip of the edge kept crumbling and chipping and very small chips that are hard to see except for the scratches in my cuts. Ive reground and resharpened several times but keep getting the tiny chips. Now ive never had this problem so the only the thing i think is that the tool is over tempered or something and is brittle. Has anyone else had this problem and should i send it back for a new one? PLEASE HELP! asap..

[cats pa]

Hard to say without seeing it, but I've used file steel (d*mn hard, 1% carbon +/-) fully hardened and not had it do that. Sounds like it's not only brittle but very coarse-grained, as well.

Possibly the steel was too hot or left too long at heat and burned. I've done that while hand forging, but I can't picture it happening in a production environment and them not knowing it, with all the controls and monitors and stuff that commercial heat treaters use.

One way to find out is to smack it sharply over a vise or anvil. If it's still in the full hard state (not tempered) it'll break in two. 'Course, that may void the warranty...

Parker

[Eddy Smiles]

I bought a knife blade at our club show that did the same thing. I'd get it sharp but as soon as I used it the edge would chip off. My mentor suggested heating the tip back up and retempering it. I haven't done it yet because I made a beautiful handle for it and I haven't figured out how to get the blade tang out of the handle without runing it.

[AlArchie]

I'd contact the manufacturer.....either phone, letter or email and explain the problem. I'd bet they would replace that tool with no argument. Even the best manufacturers slip one by quality control once in a while.

al

[Eddy Smiles]

Al's got a point but I'd write a letter and include a copy of the receipt so that they know that you're for real. I get better results from my letters than I do email or phone.

[R-OLDS]

IMHO It doesn't sound as if the tool was over tempered (higher heat) which should make it the tool softer, I would guess that the tool was over heated in the first stage of heat treating. I'd do what everyone has suggested just let your supplier know of your problem the tool is certainly defective..

Randal

[VAwoodcarver]

Ooooh. Ok. Well i went to the website and went to the customer service part and it said to send it back. So i did and asked for a replacement. I think it will come back better. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Its really helped.. Thankyou