v tool keel

[Bruce Mack]

I make boxes as gifts to friends. I'd like to try low relief carving on the tops or front. I got an Auriou 60 degree v tool which is well made. I've successfully sharpened the wings but am having trouble with the apex. I've narrowed the keel as recommended by Chris Pye, and have it cutting nice vees with the grain on pine. Cross grain carving is jagged, a mess. I'll try again, thinning the apex as far as I dare. Is the problem me (as I suspect) or do v tools have intrinsic problems at the apex - am I asking too much?

[Joel Ficke]

Bruce, one of my instructors grinds the vee so that the keel is substantially behind the tips of the vee. That way as you make a cross-grain cut, the wood fibers are sliced (almost like a shearing motion) instead of being cut orthogonally. I was skeptical at first, but after using the tool this way for a while now, I have to admit it does a significantly better job. If the description isn't clear, I can take a photo and post it. BTW - the instructor was Al Breed.

[Bruce Mack]

Thanks, Joel. I'll try that.

[Bruce Mack]

Followup to Joel. It took 3 regrindings and now I have a nice v tool. I used the platen of a Worksharp with 80 grit paper to freehand the bevels, substantially lowering their angles and also lowering the angle of the keel. This was followed by a 220 stone, 400 grit silicon carbide paper on a granite plate, and aggressive stropping (like Paul Sellers) on MDF with chromium oxide. It took a few hours and finally patience to avoid overshooting the grinds. The tool is now a kit completed, 3/16 in. shorter than it started. Perhaps a decent carving will follow.

[Jim Underwood]

Picture would be nice. I've struggled with getting these things sharp also...

[Joel Ficke]

Here's the difference between one from the manufacturer and the one described to Bruce. They are different sized tools, but hoping differences are clear enough.

[Bruce Mack]

It worked well. Thanks again Joel.
To avoid a beak at the apex, I frequently checked with a magnifier, trying to narrow both wings equally. An inner burr was followed by a v shaped slipstone followed by the next finer grit for outer wing grinding. As recommended by Leonard Lee in his sharpening treatise I used a pine "slipstone" shaped by the gouge and covered with chromium oxide for the final inside honing. The chromium oxide applied to MDF seemed to hone as well as polish the outside edges of the wings. The compound is nicely aggressive when applied to a non compressible substrate if the wing is firmly pressed against the MDF and multiple strokes are used.
I am far from expert, but have greatly enjoyed shaping a fun tool.

[Mike Pounders]

Yep, v-tools can be a pain to sharpen, especially smaller ones. But it really helps to reduce the bevels and the heels as you've discovered. I use a buffing wheel to remove the burr,simply pressing the inner part to my buffing wheel.

[Mark Yundt]

+ 1 with Mike. A quick touch is all it takes. That's all I use for any of my chisels.