# bowl gouge sharpening



## D_Allen

I'm looking for some experienced grinders.
I got a bowl gouge today and tried to re-sharpen it. It wasn't sharp enough in my view, but it did cut. WELL, it cut pretty WELL. Anyway, all's WELL that ends WELL! Good grief!.
Anyway, this is what it looks like. It is real close to what it was originally.










I would like to do a side grind, like this…....sometimes called an Irish grind.
From what I have seem on videos it is necessary to use the pivot jig in such a way as to have the tool on a steep angle with the handle down. I made a jig with a 45 degree pivot. When I sharpened it the tool was level at the midway point.










Can I achieve that grind on this shape tool? 
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
And by the way, my confidence has been restored after trying both the bowl gouge abd a 1/2" roughing gouge.
You're gonna know when the edge cuts clean and right.


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## CharlieM1958

I have not really experimented with custom grinds much, but I've seen quite a few turners say they like to experiment with non-standard edges.


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## doordude

Sure, you buy a wolverine jig and and a slow speed grinder, and you can put any kind edge you want on it.
your going to need it eventually anyway.


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## Loren

Dunno about jigs, but you can grind that shape freehand. If you've never
turned much with a standard bowl gouge however, I'd recommend you
start with a less aggressive modification to the stock grind.

I'm not a big shot at turning, and that Irish grind looks interesting but
it also looks like it might introduce its own set of handling problems
that may be no better, all compromises considered, than a more
common grind. The standard bowl grind is not very interesting, but
it does work and manage heat well and can both cut and scrape.


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## hairy

youtube has lots of videos , mostly with a special jig.

This one is without a jig.


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## mtenterprises

This is what you want 



MIKE


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## croessler

I have reground a standard one to the Irish or fingernail grind. I had a link that to a step by step… I will try to find it and post it for you


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## D_Allen

Here is my version based on a lot of information gathered on the web.
It uses a u-bolt that squeezes the tool against the top leg of an angle.
I checked the alignment and the mounted tool is square to the pivot post.
That post was turned on the lathe off-center so that the arm was in line with the tool when mounted.
I sharpened both the bowl gouge and spindle gouge with it and am pleased with the results.
However, I will need to make some modifications to get the Ellsworth grind. Still working on that.


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## D_Allen

OK, I had to make some modifications. At one point I was real close to buying the veri-grind, and I still may.
With just one u-bolt it allowed the tool to wander side-to-side. This holder is similar to the veri-grind.
I also made a more substantial pivot section.









I also made this finger saver. Not pretty but it works. At one point today I had a catch with a spindle gouge and it got me to thinking that if such a catch forced my knuckles against the chuck, it could be very messy.


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