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View Full Version : Sharpening a Gouge



Jerry Murray
04-13-2009, 9:42 AM
I just ordered a gouge from Lee Valley. I do all of my sharpening on my belt sander. I've used this system for years and can get scary sharp on a regular basis with knives, and other flat edged tools.

I haven't sharpened a round or curved tool, so is there anything that you would recommend for this?

Eddie Darby
04-13-2009, 12:48 PM
Make sure that the belt is always running away from the edge, and try having the belt run almost sideways to the edge, but still away from it. Use the section of the belt that does not have a platen.

Check out Leonard Lee's book on sharpening, as he uses a 1" x 42" belt sharpener.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32991&cat=1,43072,43091

On this page in the pictures behind the book you can see a gouge being sharpened. I should mention that the direction of the belt is down in these photos.

If you click on 'View' at the very bottom of the above page, and scroll down inside you will actually see a picture of a gouge being sharpened on a belt sander, close to the end of the view section.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

Zahid Naqvi
04-13-2009, 1:34 PM
Jerry, have you looked in the Woodcarvers forum. We had a few threads there on sharpening.
I am only a beginner carver at best, so consider my advice accordingly. My understanding is that the carving tools rarely, if ever, require re-establishing the primary bevel. All you need during regular use it to keep re-honing the cutting edge via a strop and/or slip stones. Making a stop is very easy, basically you can take a 3" wide stick of MDF and scribble several lines on it with your honing compound/stick and that's it.

Eddie Darby
04-13-2009, 1:50 PM
There is this approach to honing on a belt sander as well.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48040&cat=1,43072

Jerry Murray
04-13-2009, 8:46 PM
There is this approach to honing on a belt sander as well.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48040&cat=1,43072

This is what I use and it works very very well. I dropped by Woodcrafters on my way to work today and picked up a diamond hone for gouges. This is 600 microns so it should be good to take the wire off the back end after honing.