George's thread on tool sets and the resultant discussion of who uses what for which, got me to thinking about what tools I use the most and how I use or misuse them.
"Misuse" I qualify by defining it as "using a tool for other than the 'textbook' use of said tool." By which I don't mean do you use your Glaser 5/8" powdered-tritanium-diphosphorotic bowl gouge (with hexachloraphine) with optional 5-foot depleted uranium handle to gig frogs with, or your HF 15-cent skew to hold the window open, I'm talking about using them as turning tools.
What I mean is, do you, like me, ever use your skew in place of a roughing gouge, on spindle work? I noticed that someone else uses their beading tool to turn beads on the rim of a bowl...I use mine for beads on bowl feet, as well. While I find that I have to sharpen it a lot more often, I like nothing better than my 1/2" Sorby HSS skew for cutting box lid recesses and tenons, when used as a scraper. My scrapers, particularly my 1/2" square-ended Crown scraper, I use for back-cutting inside the rims of potpourri bowls, my pathetic attempts at "hollow forms" and other places where I want to remove a lot of wood and the gouges will no longer fit.
These are the ones that leap immediately to mind, but I'm sure there are others. I'd be interested in hearing how other people (mis)use their tools, too.
Oh, and that 1 1/2" Hamlet roughing gouge works great for holding the window open!
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September 11, 2001 - Never Forget