Our pole lathe hooks are forged from 5/8” round, USA production, 5160 spring steel. These hooks are designed for use on a foot powered spring pole lathe, not a power lathe. Pole lathe turners often make their own hooks in order to adjust the many variables involved, and to make a hook for a specific purpose. We offer a few basic hook tools to you started on your pole lathe journey. With the small hook for general turning, and the bent hook for finishing around the core, a new turner can make a wide variety of bowl forms. We also offer a double edged hook which is preferred by some turners.For those who want to make their own tools, we offer two different blank options. First is a 12” long piece of 5/8” round 5160, the same starting stock as our hook tools. The second is a forged blank that has one end drawn out into a long rectangle, saving you a lot of hammer work. This blank is ready for you to forge, grind, and bend the hook, and point the tang. 5160 can easily be hardened in most any oil.
