# Sharpening



## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi, I am in the process of shaping and sharpening a set of new gouges. But I don't know what really sharp is. I get the gouge as sharp as I can take over to a piece of pine and it cut but has to work at it. If you get a tool as sharp has you can and it doesn't cut well what do you do


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Well this guy says






There are a number of videos on YouTube on sharping carving tools. My guess if you watch a few of those you'll find the answer.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I have watched sharpening videos until i'm blind they have done me no good because I can make my tools sharp but they still don't cut good. there is something I am not doing and no video is going to help. U tube isn't always the answer


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

You need to get an experienced woodcarver to give your tools a try. Maybe your sharpening, maybe your tools, maybe your technique. (or a bigger hammer)

I have a set of Freud gouges. Just don't seem to be sharp. Even a simple skew, where my Marples bench and mortice chisels the shadow will slice the wood. Learning how to do turning gouges now. I think they are sharp, but all I get on a bit of pine is scraping. I am sure it is me, not the tool.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I know I need a person to help but that will never happen. There are no wood carving clubs near me and I don't know anybody who carves, so I am on my own. A hint about the turning tool, turn hard wood. Pine is too soft to get a good surface. My first turning was 2×4 carvers mallet and the surface looked like a short haired cat the bowels were better but rough. Find some hard wood and skip the pine until you are more experienced. How are you sharpening your turning tools


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

I feel your pain. I consider myself a woodworker but I have never met another woodworker face to face. 95% of what I know I learned from youtube. I have been working on this "scary sharp" thing but what I need is just one person to tell me, "No, that ain't sharp, this is sharp" so I have something to gauge what I'm doing.

However, especially with COVID, many turning clubs like the one here in Seattle have gone to virtual club meetings. One suggestion would be to join your local turning club then, through email or asking if anyone would be willing to help you with your sharpening skills. I'd bet that someone would be willing to have you visit their shop. Even if you had to drive an hour it would be well worth it. Strike up a conversation. If they published in their newsletter that there is someone locally that would like an in-person tutorial on gouge sharpening I'd bet there would be at least one kind-hearted soul that would be willing to have you come over. Sharpening gouges is probably an entire skillset unto itself.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I use a magnifying loupe to look at the end of my gouges constantly during shaping to ensure I keep the edge even all the way around. If you don't keep it even, when you get to where a portion of it is sharp, you may still have other sections that aren't.

Are you rolling up a burr along the whole edge then removing it by stropping BOTH SIDES of the edge? You don't have to sharpen a bevel on the inside but you do have to strop it. If not, you might be rolling up a burr that feels like an edge and fools you. But then as soon as that burr hits wood, it breaks off and you have a dull edge.

Finally, it could simply be bad steel. Either not properly hardened and tempered to begin with or sometimes the temper at the tip can be ruined by some overzealous grinder doing the cleanup. I've never had to do it with carving tools but, I have had to grind bench chisels back 1/32" or so and re-sharpen to get to steel with a good temper.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

10X mag is really helpful. If you can see the edge, it is not sharp.

Y-tube has been invaluable for steeping up my totally self taught ( by failure) skills, but nothing beats having a pro show you. Headed to meet a turner this weekend to see why my first attempt was only scraping even though I am doing exactly what I think the video is showing.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

thank for reminding me about magnification i'll do that. The set i am boing now is brand new, ( Yellowhammer ) I can't find any clubs near me and I don't drive. My wife would take me but I have to keep the drive reasonable for her. I won't leave her in the car for 3 hours.
I hear you about the tube, the information is invaluable but some things can't be taught in a video. Like James Wright said in one of his sharpening videos. "I can't tell you what sharp is in a video"


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Do you have a Rockler or Woodcraft nearby. Can try bringing one in and ask somebody there, they are usually pretty helpful, plus they sell the stuff to make it sharp.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

no there is nothing like that around me


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

just to be clear - - - are you talking about CARVING gouges or TURNING gouges ????

I am thinking you mean "carving" gouges. (can you post a photo of the set you have ?).
I would rather take a lashing tied to the town center whipping post than sharpen tools.
I have some gouges that are polished to a beautiful smooth finish and are very sharp.
BUT - the angle of the edge is all wrong for the type of work I do - which is very aggravating.
the edge must be at a certain angle that suits your way of holding the tool and what you are cutting.
cutting across the grain of pine should be smooth and precise - as well as cutting end grain.
it is a very rough road to travel and fraught with perils.
I have had sharpening lessons from some of the most famous and successful sign carvers in the Nation,
and I still have problems.
wishing you all the best !! because carving is sooooooo much fun - with the properly sharpened tools.

about 30 years ago, I was at a sign makers get together near Tampa, FL and I gave a carving demonstration.
AFTER a very talented carver was generous enough to sharpen all four (4) of my gouges for me. (that's all I had with me at the time). carving some letters in hard cherry wood was like carving balsa wood.










Phil Allin (Phil32) had a saying in his profile signature line - There are mountain climbers and there are those that talk about climbing mountains. the mountain climbers have photos of themselves at the summit.
this is my summit. (making the 3rd page of the Tampa Tribune, 1990)

John

.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

You have certainly reached the summit. I am still climbing the hill. SAt my age I don't expext to be a Phil Alan but I do wnr to have some fund. I was referring to carving gouges although I think I did mention turning gouges but that is another topic


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

please show us a photo of the carving set that you are working with.
also - what kind of carving do you want to try ?


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

sorry forgot, here is the set I will also post a gouge from that set I am not sure what to do its very thick its 7/10


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

the second picture of the set is taken with the gouges on thier side to show the thickness of the profiles this pic is the bevel of the gouge above, no room. I plan mostly for now to do spoons and relief carvings of animals and people. I will do others as I learn


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

that's a nice set - I would take 3 and shape and sharpen them until you find out what you need.
it is just a trial and error situation.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I just discovered I can use my wolverine pocket for roughing gouge to change the bevel a on the carving gouge before going to the stones. Ill try that tomorrow. sany hints on how to machine that very thick gouge. at the heel of the bevel it is 7/16 thick


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## ClaudeF (Sep 22, 2013)

Hi, Karda. Based on the thickness of the shafts on those gouges you show, I suspect they might be gouges for a mini-lathe, not wood carving, but I easily could be wrong. The reason I say that is shown in these photos. This is a Pfiel (Swiss Made) #7/10mm gouge with factory bevel. I've stropped it a few times, but I have not altered the bevel at all. I believe all Pfiel gouges are beveled at 20°.
Claude


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Thank Claude that is what I need to know I have a lot of metal to remove. I just ground back my 20MM long bent and I remove about half the metal there to get a decent bevel and not remove to much. No they are not turning tools. I am a turner and know the difference. That gouge I posted is the most extreme. The spoon gouge also had a lot of extra metal. I thought I had a good shape but I have to go down more thanks Mike


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