# need advice



## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I am sharpening a gouge I just bought on ebay it pretty rough. one corner is quite rounded and i will lose a lot of metal if I straighten the edge. Will it work to straighten the edge up to the rounded corner and sharpen it down over time. The other way I will lose about 1/8 of and inch. The pic is before I stared working on it. sorry i can post a better pic but my photos won't upload from my phone and I don't know what wrong. thanks Mike


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I'd work it over time


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok thanks


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I agree. It's unlikely you'll be using the full cutting edge most of the time anyway. I'd sharpen it up and give it a go. If you find it's an issue, you can grind it out then.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok, thats what I thought, but I have seldom used a gouge


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Me too so take my advice with a grain of salt ;-)


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## mpounders (Jun 22, 2010)

I can't tell much from your picture, but if you are talking about the corners at the top of the gouge, then I wouldn't worry with them. I deliberately grind those back on almost all my gouges so that they won't dig in when carving. I have heard it called a thumbnail grind and it allows me to undercut carvings the way I use it. The only time I leave those corners level with the cutting edge is on smaller tools that I use to make circles or buttons.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

i habe never heard of a thumbnail grind on a carving gouge just bowl gouges. I guess I am doing it right. I am using the gouge for spoon carving and that corner just doesn't seem important. thanks Mike


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