Sharpening a Woodcarving V-Gouge
T
O SHARPEN AV-GOUGE, first square off the cutting edge by hold-
ing the tool vertically and working the edge against the sharpen-
ing stone. This will angle the edge 90 ̊ to the shaft of the tool. Next,
treat each side of the V as if it were a flat chisel and sharpen each
outside bevel to a 15 ̊ angle. Be careful that both bevels are the same
and don’t round off the corners. A sharp hook will usually form at the
point where the two sides of the V meet. Remove this by sharpening
the point as if it were a miniature gouge—rock the tool back and
forth across the stone, angling this lower bevel about 25 ̊. In time,
the hook and any excess will wear away and you will have an even,
sharp edge.
Next, strop the tool on a piece of leather or a cloth buffing wheel
until all of the wire burrs are removed. The tool bevels, both inside
and out, should be polished to a mirror shine.You can hone the inside
bevels with a fine Arkansas slip, but avoid trying to sharpen the inside
of the V to a perfectly acute angle. Instead, the inner angle should be
treated as a small radius, and should blend into the flat planes on either
side. Sharpened in this manner, your gouge will cut more efficiently
and will be easier to control around curves.
RICKBUTZ,Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y.,
from a question by B.W.Thompson, Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
.CHAPTER FOUR