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I'm also considering carbide tools since I currently have no way of sharpening traditional gouges, eventually I plan on having both - thoughts?
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Aren't carbide tools all scrapers? Screw that, a sharp gouge and skew are soooo much better than scraping. A sharpening system is part of the price of admission. Also, lathes should be free... they just get you in the door, then they take you to the cleaners on chisels.
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Other than that, yes, get carbide tools. I bought a few chisels and gouges as part of a set to start with (HSS) and they got dull very quickly. I went to carbide quickly and have never looked back. Only my parting tools are HSS and I'll probably replace those soon too.
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Well, you're dragging the chisel over as much as a MILE of wood per minute, so yeah, they dull. But not all HSS is the same... if you buy "M2 HSS" turning chisels from Harbor Freight and some M2 HSS turning chisels forged in Sheffield, England, there is night and day difference. And cutting is soooo much better than scraping. Watch the Alan Batty and the Alan Lacer videos on the skew, and be prepared to be blown away. Sure, sharpening takes a little time, but it's super worth it. You want to be slicing and throwing long shavings all over the place at a ridiculous rate, not scraping.