david weaver
Perhaps it's the tools made after 1981 that are softer. Mine were made in about 2006. They are, unfortunately, not any better than tools that were being sold from china at the time.

The bench chisels are a soft alloyed steel that is spongy/greasy feeling on the stones.

The iron that came in one of the late norris planes that I just got is marked norris on the front and "robt. sorby" on the back. It's actually quite good, so I'm not sure if it is only the recent stuff that is problematic.

(and I have a pretty high tolerance for soft tools - a preference in some cases).

I mentioned this to George once, and he said that he rehardened the turning tools they used at the museum in recent years.

FWIW, I have turned everything with those turning tools, I'm certainly not going to buy more of them just because those are a bit soft. That includes turning a mortising mallet out of verawood, which the turning tools didn't really like. For the price, I was disappointed, though - they are seemingly not that concerned about making tools as good as their competitors, but still charging as much or more.

People would've turned those things just fine with cast steel tools, anyway - it's a desire for them to be better than they are (the newer sorby tools), but not a need. The same people who think you can't turn hard woods with them probably also think every turning and carving has to be finished with sandpaper.