The use of the ring iron

January 24, 2025 Additional information

The use of the ring iron

Manufactured by Crown Hand Tools Ltd, Sheffield, England. Translated from English to German by our customer Jürgen H.

Important Note: This ring chisel is designed for the removal of all finest shavings. Any attempt to achieve a stronger chip removal will inevitably lead to the breakage of the cutting ring. Beginners can easily do this unintentionally, and even the professional, who is used to handling their chisels confidently and naturally, must be prepared to adjust a bit and proceed with special caution. Breaking or shattering of the cutting ring is a result of improper handling and therefore cannot be covered under warranty. We advise beginners against using this chisel.

Description

Cut with the burr directly from the grinding stone, instead of honing the edge. Recommended are aluminum oxide wheels (grit 100, pink or white). Align the grinding wheels often.
Sharpen the tube often to maintain the burr on the edge.
Sharpen only with extremely light pressure to extend the life of the tool.
Always cut across the fibers, not into them.
Don't be afraid of a few tear-outs when learning to handle this tube. It happens to all of us!

Deburring and Resharpening

The ring chisel was designed for end grain cuts in seasoned or fresh woods. You can achieve a very clean surface if the sharpness of the tool is maintained. The ring chisel has two edges: an outer bevel for hollowing out bowls or vessels and an inner bevel for smoothing straight cuts.

Hollowing end grain wood with the outer bevel

The edges of the tool must first be sharpened. For this, a round sharpening stone is used for the inner surface and a flat stone for the outer edge. The ring iron only needs to be re-sharpened if the edges have been damaged. For this, you can use small, conical grinding stones that you can clamp into a drill or flexible shaft. Avoid removing too much material or changing the ring shape. Note that the edges will become very sharp!

Planing the end grain with the blade on the inside bevel

Set the lathe speed to 500 RPM. Mount the blank, round and finish it with conventional tools. Install a drill chuck in the tailstock and drill a hole with a diameter of 6 to 8 mm, not deeper than the hollowing is intended to be.

Align the tool rest parallel to the surface of the blank on the centerline and as close as possible to the wood without affecting the freedom of movement of the ring. Position the bevel on the wood surface so that the tool handle is on top and the cutting edge is on the bottom.

Check if the blank can rotate freely, put on the safety glasses, and start the lathe.

Visualize the rotating wood as a clock face and position the cutting edge of the outer bevel at the left side of the pre-drilled hole at the 9 o'clock position. Gently turn the handle counterclockwise by about 10 to 15° and bring the cutting edge of the tool into contact with the wood on the left side of the hole.

Remove the wood by rotating and pulling back the tool handle, ensuring that the bevel remains in contact with the wood and the ring tool glides up to the edge of the blank. Avoid turning the ring more than 15° out of vertical. Always work in the range between 9 and 9:30 o'clock, as shown in the diagram. Keep the bevel always on the wood and make fine cuts.