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The best parting tool for a lathe, for most woodturners, is a 1/8-inch high-speed steel tool such as the Robert Sorby 830H. That width wastes little wood, stays stiff in a sizing cut and handles tenons and parting off. Add a 1/16-inch tool if you turn pens or boxes, and a 3/8-inch beading and parting tool if you cut a lot of tenons and beads.
Width matters more than brand here. A parting tool does one job, cutting a narrow groove straight in, so the real decisions are how wide the kerf should be, what shape the bar is and how long the handle needs to be for the work you turn. This guide covers wood lathes only: metal lathes use a parting blade clamped in a toolpost, which is a different tool.
Below are three picks that cover the common widths, then a guide to choosing between them. If you already own one and want the technique, our guide on how to use a parting tool walks through every cut.
Our top picks at a glance
Quick Picks
- Best All-Purpose: Robert Sorby 830H 1/8 in. Best for sizing cuts, tenons and parting off on most spindle and chuck work.
- Best Thin Parting Tool: Robert Sorby 865H 1/16 in. Best for pens, box lids and small work where the kerf matters.
- Best for Tenons and Beads: Robert Sorby 833H 3/8 in. Best for wide, flat-bottomed grooves and rolling small beads.
Parting Tool Comparison Table
| Tool | Best for | Width | Steel | Handle and length | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Sorby 830H | All-purpose | 1/8 in. | HSS | 8-1/2 in. handle, 13-1/2 in. overall | Check price |
| Robert Sorby 865H | Pens, boxes, miniatures | 1/16 in. | HSS | 6-1/4 in. ash handle, 10 in. overall | Check price |
| Robert Sorby 833H | Tenons and beads | 3/8 in. | HSS | 18-3/4 in. overall | Check price |
Lengths come from retailer listings. Sorby also sells the 830H in a 1/4-inch width, so check the size on the listing before you buy.
The Best Parting Tools for a Lathe, Reviewed
1. Robert Sorby 830H 1/8 in. Standard Parting Tool: Best All-Purpose
Who it's for: anyone buying a first parting tool, or replacing the soft one that came in a budget set.
The 830H is a plain, parallel-sided high-speed steel parting tool, made in Sheffield, England. Retailers list the 1/8-inch version with an 8-1/2-inch handle and 13-1/2 inches of overall length. That is a compact tool, and it suits the small and medium spindles most hobby turners work on.
At 1/8 inch, the kerf is narrow enough that parting off does not eat up your blank, and the bar is still stiff enough to feed straight in while you hold calipers in the groove. Sharpening is two flat bevels meeting in a point, and Robert Sorby's ProEdge guide lists 20 degrees per side.
Pros
- 1/8-inch width suits most sizing and parting work
- Parallel sides are simple to grind
- High-speed steel, not carbon steel
- Also sold in a 1/4-inch width
Cons
- Plain HSS, with no cryogenic treatment
- Sides rub in deep cuts unless you widen the kerf
- Shorter handle gives less leverage on large work
Robert Sorby 830H 1/8 in. Standard Parting Tool
by Robert Sorby
2. Robert Sorby 865H 1/16 in. Micro Parting Tool: Best Thin Parting Tool
Who it's for: pen turners, box makers and anyone working on a mini lathe.
A 1/16-inch tool leaves a kerf half as wide as a standard tool. That matters when you part a lid from a box and want the grain to run on across the joint, or when a pen blank has no wood to spare. Retail listings give a 3-3/4-inch blade in a 6-1/4-inch hard white ash handle, 10 inches overall, in HSS, made in England.
It is a delicate tool. Keep it to small diameters, keep the rest close and never lever it sideways, since thin parting tools snap when twisted. Our woodturning pen kits guide covers the projects it suits best.
Pros
- Very narrow 1/16-inch kerf
- Good grain match on box lids
- Compact size for mini lathes
- Fine control on small diameters
Cons
- Too light for large spindles or bowls
- Breaks if twisted in the cut
- Short handle limits leverage
Robert Sorby 865H 1/16 in. Micro Parting Tool
by Robert Sorby
3. Robert Sorby 833H 3/8 in. Beading and Parting Tool: Best for Tenons and Beads
Who it's for: turners who cut a lot of chuck tenons, spigots and small beads.
A beading and parting tool is a wide, square-section tool, and at 3/8 inch this one clears waste quickly when you are cutting a tenon. It also rolls small beads, using the same motion as a skew but with a blade that is less likely to catch. Retail listings give 18-3/4 inches of overall length, so there is much more handle to hold than on the other two tools here.
It is the wrong choice for parting off valuable wood, because 3/8 inch of your blank turns into shavings. Treat it as a second parting tool, bought once you know you make a lot of tenons or beaded spindles.
Pros
- Clears tenon waste quickly
- Also forms small beads
- Long overall length for control
- Square section is stiff
Cons
- Wastes 3/8 inch when parting off
- Not a first parting tool
- Beads take practice
Robert Sorby 833H 3/8 in. Beading and Parting Tool
by Robert Sorby
Other parting tools worth a look
These are worth comparing if you want something heavier or a different bar shape. Check the current listing for each:
- Hurricane CryoCut HTT-513: a tall M2 Cryo parting tool, listed as 3/4 inch tall and 1/8 inch thick, with a 12-inch beech handle. The extra height makes it stiffer, and cryogenically treated steel holds an edge longer.
- Hurricane CryoCut HTT-526: listed as a 1/16-inch thin parting tool in M2 Cryo.
- Hurricane HTT-246KW: listed as a 3/16-inch diamond parting tool in M2 Cryo, for turners who want the diamond section in a sturdier width.
- Robert Sorby H0502 3/16 in. diamond parting tool: Grizzly lists this HSS version.
Many tool sets include a parting tool too. Our best wood lathe tools guide lists which sets do and at what width, and our lathe chisels guide compares single tools across the whole rack.
How to Choose a Parting Tool for Your Lathe
Width
| Width | Good for | Trade-off | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16 in. | Pens, box lids, miniatures | Fragile; small diameters only | See options |
| 1/8 in. | All-purpose sizing, tenons, parting off | Sides can rub in deep cuts | See options |
| 3/16 to 1/4 in. | Heavier sizing cuts, larger spindles | Wastes more wood | See options |
| 3/8 in. beading and parting | Tenons, spigots, small beads | Too wide for parting off good wood | Check price |
If you are buying only one, buy the 1/8-inch tool. The narrower tool is a specialist, and the wider ones are upgrades for specific work.
Bar shape: flat, diamond or fluted
A flat (parallel-sided) parting tool is the simplest and very rigid. It is also the easiest to sharpen, because the two bevels are all you grind. Its sides do rub in a deep cut, which can burn the wood unless you widen the kerf.
A diamond-section tool is thickest in the middle, so the sides clear the groove and rub less. Turners on woodworking forums often report that the shape is fussier to grind square, and plenty of them still reach for a flat tool most of the time. It is worth having if deep cuts bind or scorch.
A fluted parting tool has a groove along its underside that gives a cleaner entry with less tear-out. It costs more and is harder to justify as a first tool.
Some cheap tools are sold as "diamond" but are ground from flat stock. A true diamond tool is made from bar with a diamond cross section, so look at the end view in the listing photos.
Steel
High-speed steel is the baseline. According to the AAW, high-carbon steel does not hold an edge well, and most professionals use HSS or powdered-metal steels. M2 cryo tools hold an edge longer but cost more. A parting tool sees light duty compared with a bowl gouge, so plain HSS is usually enough.
Handle length
Parting cuts are low-force compared with bowl work, so you don't need a long handle on small work. Longer handles help on larger spindles or when you feed in deep with the rest further from the wood. Match it to your work: 10 inches overall is fine for pens, and 13 to 19 inches suits general spindle turning.
Lathe size
On a mini lathe, a 1/16- or 1/8-inch tool suits the work. On a midi or full-size lathe, the 1/8-inch tool still does most jobs, and a taller or wider bar helps when you size large spindles. Bowls are a special case: the bowl gouge does the shaping, and the parting tool's job is mostly cutting a tenon on the foot.
A sizing tool add-on
If you repeat the same diameter across many spindles, a sizing tool that clamps to a parting tool saves stopping to reach for calipers. It is useful for chair spindles and other repeat work, and unnecessary for one-off projects.
Safety Notes for Parting Tools
Parting tools work close to the spindle and throw a steady stream of chips at you. These habits come from the guidance in our wood lathe safety rules:
- Wear a face shield. The AAW says full face shields give the protection needed for bowls, vessels and any turning involving chucks and faceplates.
- Slow the lathe for parting through. WEN's lathe manual says to adjust to a slower speed for parting through a workpiece.
- Keep the rest close to the work, and rotate the work by hand to check clearance before switching on.
- Don't part all the way through between centers. Stop short with a small core left, switch off and finish with a saw. Parting completely through with the tailstock engaged can trap the piece or the tool.
- Keep the tool straight. Twisting a narrow tool in the cut is how most of them bind or break.
How to Keep a Parting Tool Cutting
Grind both bevels equally so they meet in a centered point. If one bevel is longer, the tool steers sideways in the groove. Robert Sorby's ProEdge guide lists 20 degrees per side for parting tools. Our guide to how to sharpen lathe tools covers the grinder setup.
How We Chose
We did not test these tools ourselves. We compared published widths, steels and lengths from retailer listings and Robert Sorby's own literature, then weighed them against sharpening and safety guidance from Robert Sorby, the AAW and WEN's lathe manual, plus what turners report on woodworking forums. We picked one tool for each common job rather than listing every width, and we note where a listing doesn't give a spec.
FAQ
What size parting tool should I buy for a wood lathe?
A 1/8-inch parting tool is the best first choice. It is narrow enough to waste little wood and stiff enough for sizing cuts and tenons. Add a 1/16-inch tool for pens and box lids, and a 3/16- or 1/4-inch tool only if you do a lot of heavy sizing on larger spindles.
Is a diamond parting tool better than a flat one?
It cuts with less rubbing, because the bar is thickest in the middle and the sides clear the groove. A flat parting tool is simpler to sharpen and very rigid. Turners are split, so a flat 1/8-inch tool is the easier start, and a diamond-section tool is a good upgrade if deep cuts burn or bind.
Can I use a wood lathe parting tool on a metal lathe?
No. A woodturning parting tool is held by hand on a tool rest and is ground for wood. Metal lathes use a parting blade clamped in a toolpost. This guide covers woodturning tools only.
Do I need a parting tool if I already have carbide tools?
Yes, for most spindle and chuck work. Carbide roughers and finishers shape surfaces, but they do not cut a narrow, deep groove. You still need a parting tool for sizing cuts, tenons and parting off.
What speed should I use for parting off on a wood lathe?
Slow down. WEN's lathe manual says to adjust to a slower speed for parting through a workpiece. Keep the tool rest close, wear a face shield and do not part completely through a spindle with the tailstock engaged.
Verdict
Buy a 1/8-inch high-speed steel parting tool first, such as the Robert Sorby 830H. It will handle most of what a parting tool has to do. Add the 865H if you turn pens or boxes, and the 833H if you find yourself cutting tenons and beads on most projects.