3/8” Sorby with an Ellsworth grind - Tool Review

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I am an artistic wood turner and one of the most challenging skills to master is the turning and hollowing of bowls. When you get it right the results can be spectacular, particularly if there are defects and figure in the wood. Sometimes the fragility of the blank can add extra element of difficulty to the project.

My go-to bowl gouge is the 3/8” Sorby with an Ellsworth grind (essentially this an exaggerated Celtic or fingernail grind).

Having a bowl gouge made from  quality High Speed steel,  that is easy to sharpen and holds an edge is essential to turning successfully. Despite this, I typically hone my gouges every 20 minutes depending on the hardness and species of the wood to ensure the gouge is cutting the wood cleanly.

Another slightly more cost effective alternative to the Sorby  is the Hamlet 3/8” Masterflute Cryo Celtic Long Bowl Gouge and Crown David Elsworth Gouge, these are  also Sheffield steel and literally manufactured just around the corner from the Robert Sorby factory.

The Celtic and David Elsworth grinds are a longer back wing grind on a parabolic fluted gouge, this gives one a number of options on cutting the wood.

The tip design is unique in that it allows the turner to make roughing cuts and finish cuts on both the exterior and interior of a bowl, if used correctly this could be the only tool needed to finish the work.