#3 Carving Gouge Oops

[Thomas Canfield]

Confession time. I picked up a 1/2" #3 Carving gouge last week to use to remove the small tenon section on bowls. It works better than a straight chisel with the slight curve to the edge. I am still on the learning curve in how to use it safely, after spending a couple of hours in the emergency care getting stiches to take care of a jab today. It was my first trip in several years and hopefully the last. I was lucky that the cut was only 1/4" deep and parallel to the muscle in the fleshy part of the thumb but did require both internal and external stitches to close the gap due to swelling and internal bleeding. Of course I tried to bandage it before going only to find that the swelling would not let the bleeding stop, and that made the cleaning and stitching more difficult.

[Sean Hughto]

Most of us woodworkers have learned this one the hard way at some point. It's so easy to forget how sharp chisels and other hand tools, like your gouge, are and to take for granted that they are unthreatening little hand tools! You make the mistake of using your free hand to hold the work and neglect to think about what would happen if the tool slipped or the wood disappeared (so to speak) - i.e., that your hand would be in the path of the blade. Really it's the same rule as the table saw or power tools - don't use your hand as a clamp, vise, feather board, etc. for just this reason.

I was lucky to only get 5 or 6 stiches in my left index knuckle and fully recovered. Will never forget the lesson though. Heal up quick - and remember!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Sounds like it was a painful lesson - but one that hopefully we can all learn from! Hope you heal quickly and can get back to turning real soon!

[Curt Fuller]

Man, I did the same thing a couple years ago. Trying to carve off the nub on the bottom of a bowl. Right into the meaty part of my thumb. So I know how it feels. One lesson I've learned, an 80 grit sanding disc will take it off almost as fast, a lot faster if you figure in the time at the emergency for the stitches.

[Cyril Griesbach]

Here is a tip I learned from David Ellsworth. When you've finished the bottom of the bowl and are down to that little triangular nib, and wish to remove it for the final time, slow the lathe down below about 400 RPM. With the shaft of the carving gouge supported on the tool rest, SLOWLY apply the cutting edge to the nib where it meets the bottom of the bowl using gentle pressure to cut through the nib. When the cut is complete the nib will briefly quit turning and the bowl will continue to turn. Stop the lathe, hold the bowl and slide the tailstock away and remove the bowl. Light sanding required.

DO NOT insert the carving gouge a second time as it will knock off the nib and the live center will give your bowl a nice spiral groove.

[Steve Mawson]

I use Curt's sanding disk technique. Goes pretty fast. Heal up quick.

[Frank Drew]

I'd be a little nervous using a carving gouge on a lathe; they're not designed to encounter those potential forces.

[Thomas Canfield]

Thanks for kind words. I do often use 80 or 120 grit sanding disc, but had a similar nub fail the day before on the lathe and I left this one bigger and decided to use the gouge to remove it. I should have put the bowl face down on a rubber mat to hold it, but got in a hurry. The failure was probably due to having the point in the bark when using a jam chuck and rubber shelf lining on the finish sanded interior.

Good news is that the swelling is going down and tomorrow I will remove the bulky pressure bandage the ER nurse put on and use a band aid to cove the cut for a few days. Still can't wash dishes for a week or so.

[Curt Fuller]

Originally Posted by Thomas Canfield

Still can't wash dishes for a week or so.

Every cloud has a silver lining!