Actually, I have read great things about the HF Lathe Chisels (The HSS ones that is http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-high-speed-steel-wood-lathe-chisel-set-47066.html) , they take a beating reputation wise due to the HF/China origin, but those that have them like them. The trick is to sharpen them out of the box and keep them sharp. HSS is the way to go for wood turning, long lived and relatively easy to sharpen is what you want. I still use some 60 yr old carbon steel chisels these are really easy to sharpen but the edges don't last and I have to hone more often.eagleta2 wrote:for the longest time the best lathe chisels I could afford lived at harbor freight. The worked well enough and got the job done...
Geo
The MOST important part of turning (other than safety) is sharp tools. Once you have the desired geometry set, hone/sharpen often. Just a few passes (less than a minute) with a honing stone or credit card size diamond hone is all that is required and makes a world of difference. Lathe Chisels don't need to be as sharp as hand planes or bench chisels (that kind of edge will never last anyways) but they do need to be sharp enough to do the job.