# gouge shaping



## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi, I want to start carving so i bought a set of yellowhammer tools. When they came they look a lot thicker than they should be. Down the road I may get some tools that need shaping. All the videos that I have seen about gouge sharping are from dull tool, are there any videos that show how to shape a gouge


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Not sure what exactly you're referring to as far as shaping vs. sharpening. The process is the same, you just have to remove more metal from the tool if you're altering the bevel angle. If you feel like the cutting edge is too thick, I imagine lowering the bevel is what you need to do. In which case you just hold the tool at a lower angle on the stone/grinder.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

its not the bevel, the bevel i good but from gouges i have seen the blade looks like is to thick. Remember the Vtool and spoon gouge you did for me last year maybe the year before, same problem with the other gouges only not as extreme


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Still the same process. If you want to remove metal, you rock it back and forth on stones/grinder/sandpaper. I recall setting those two tools up for you but I don't think I removed any metal from anywhere other than the bevel. I just lowered the bevel angle so that it removed more material behind it.

On some of my gouges, I'll grind in my bevel and then I'll grind another, lower bevel behind that and smooth the transition between the two bevels. This gives a bit more clearance and leaves a smooth bottom face. Hopefully that makes some sense… I tried to find YouTube videos illustrating what I'm talking about but couldn't find anything.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok thanks


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

There are some differences in the shaping of gouges, depending on sweep, width, and personal preference. For example, on the #11 (so-called U-gouges) the wings are shaped to one's preferred bevel, but the heel has a shallower bevel. This is especially true for small (narrow) ones. This treatment of some small V-tools may also be true. If you simply match the factory bevel on the wings, the heel protrudes too far forward.

I have seen examples of poor forging on gouges, resulting in variable thickness from one side to the other. To get the bevel right would require making it even.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok thanks


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

I noticed today that Yellowhammer Tools is offering a 12-gouge Pfeil (Swiss Made) set for $493 thru Amazon. If they are authentic, I'd trust them to be ready to use. I realize you have already purchased the Yellowhammer set of recent years. If you plan to rework the Yellowhammer set, choose one gouge, perhaps a simple shape like a #1. Determine what is wrong - wrong bevel, crooked edge, chipped. Grind off only what is wrong. Work from coarse abrasives to fine.

Here is a discussion from another carving site: https://forum.woodcarvingillustrated.com/forum/woodcarving-illustrated/woodcarving/woodcarving-tools-technology-sharpening/32751-sharpening-curved-cutting-edges This is twelve years old, and the photos are missing.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

thanks Phil, I just jumped in and started grinding, got the gouges looking better now to change the angle. 25 degrees don't feel right. I thought I'd try 22.5 like Mary May


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