Difference in "Long and Strong" and "Detail" Gouge

[Jeff Paxton]

I was interested in getting a detail gouge and read in Woodturning Design that a Detail Gouge was also called a Long and Strong Gouge, but when I went to research them, the Detail Gouge is said to be shallow fluted, and the Long and Strong is deep fluted. Here are the ones I was looking at.

Here is the article reference:
http://www.woodturningdesign.com/askdale/21/


Detail -- http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=96

Long and Strong -- http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/product_info.php/cPath/533_534_536_540/products_id/3231


I was wanting to do some finials, tops, and other smaller detail work. Which would be best?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Curt Fuller]

Well I can't answer anything about the difference between the "long and strong" and the detail gouge, but the Thompson 3/8" spindle gouge I bought several months ago has become my "go to" tool on anything small. With a long fingernail grind it seems to do about anything I can think of.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jeff I use a 3/8" spindle gouge from Penn State Industries which I put a swept back or Irish grind on it. I grind the bottom of the bevel so that it only leaves a 1/8" bevel to rub. Cindy Drozda showed me this. It is this one.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LX320.html

I also use a 3/8" bowl gouge with a swept back irish grid on it. I also relieve the bevel on this one leaving a 1/8" bevel. Here is the bowl gouge.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LX210.html

These two and a 1/4" round skew chisel are used just for finials. Oh and I now have Thompson's 3/8" spindle gouge for finials. He has some great gouges. thompsonlathetools.com

[Gordon Seto]

Jeff,

Click on each kind of gouge and see the definition:
http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/products.asp

The spindle gouge has roughly 50% of the steel milled away. A detail gouge or shallow flute detail gouge has only 1/4 to 1/3 the steel removed for the flute. Therefore they are stronger and can be extended over the tool rest further without vibration. With the same diameter steel in these 3 types, the width of the flute is reverse proportion to the depth of the flute. The wider flute spindle gouge is easier to control on long sweeping curve; the shallow flute detail gouge is more difficult to control. For multi-axis turning when you can't pull the tool rest close, the shallow flute detail gouge is a big help.
I would recommend you try the detail gouge for the kind of works you want to do. With the thick steel, the hollow grind is obvious, rounding off the heel would make control easier.

[Don Carter]

Jeff:
I have the Thompson 3/8" detail gouge and I really like it. It is something that you have to "learn" as it is harder to control, but it is the go to tool for me for small precise work. Plus, it stays sharper longer than my other tools.

All the best.

Don

[Thom Sturgill]

Jeff, my research seems to indicate that the term 'long and strong' is primarily british and can refer to any bowl gouge. When used to refer specifically to a detail gouge, the gouge is typically thicker than a similar sized spindle gouge as it needs to be able to hang further off the rest to work on the inside of a bowl. I have both, and rarely use the detail gouge (yet). When I got it (a sorby) the grind had so much curve from the grinding wheel that the tip was unsupported and broke on first use. I have not yet established a grind that I like on the tool.