Thanks, lots of stuff to think about there and I will examine those links. I will perservere with the HSS for a while yet until I can explore just what the practical limits are, my bit of scrap steel is not exactly hard but it does not 'machine easy' either. I used pieces of the same stuff to get acquainted with my little shaper and initially I made very slow progress there too until I got tool sharpening and feeds etc sorted but it eventually handled it OK.
Rubbing, yes that is what happens after a minute or two. Keeping a constant feed rate with the 'X' handles will be a challenge and I can already see why so many people go for the power feed, maybe me too, but not just yet!
I have been pondering the shape of the end mill and can see it would be very difficult (impossible?) to sharpen one entirely free hand, no wonder I see so many projects to make tool and cutter grinders! But really it does not look too hard to make a jig or two to sharpen just the ends of flutes, grinding the centre to keep the plunge capability is another matter however!
Although this experience with steel has not gone as I imagined it would I am really pleased at how easy it is to work cast iron, hmmmmmm...... now I need a source of old cast iron.