Spinning again! Question about very shallow gouge

[Jamie Straw]

Finally back to the shop, trying to spin things again. Visited an acquaintance yesterday who'd just bought his first lathe, used, and it came with a few chisels. A couple of them are very, very shallow gouges. Not like any I've seen, which isn't saying much, but I'm wondering (a) what's their special purpose and (b) how should they be sharpened. Any insight greatly appreciated.;)

[alex carey]

back in highschool I used a super shallow gouge for roughing, best roughing gouge I've ever used. Never found one just like it. Gonna pay a visit to my teacher soon :)

[Harvey Schneider]

If it has a long, fingernail like grind, it could be a detail gouge. If it is a straight across grind, probably a roughing gouge.
You didn't mention how wide it is or if it has a shank or a tang. All of these things are clues to it's intended use. A picture would really help.
Harvey

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jamie - a lot of the European style gouges have shallow flutes - at least that has always been my understanding. Here are a couple examples of shallow gouges - maybe they compare to the ones your friend has.

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=packard&Category_Code=tools-pkrd-gsg

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Turning_Tools___Bowl_and_Spindle_Tools___Henry_Tay lor___Henry_Taylor_Shallow_Gouge___htt_shallow?Arg s=

[Sean Hughto]

What Joel says here:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=IT-TPSG.XX&Category_Code=WIS

[Reed Gray]

They are also called Continental gouges. It is a spindle roughing gouge, and unlike what most of us call a srg, the tip profile is rounded rather than straight across which makes them safer to use on bowls. They work fine on bowls for finish cuts as they are on edge, and give a high shear cut angle. I have found one to be particularly good for the sushi plates, the ones you cut from a board, not a round blank. Normally I will get some tear out on the edges of this type of bowl, but the continental gouge gets rid of most of this. I can finish up with a scraper with a burnished burr, but the continental gouge seems to do a better job. I would not use one for roughing bowls as the tang (metal that goes into the tool handle) is small compared to standard bowl gouges or heavy scrapers.

robo hippy

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks to everyone for the info! The new owner of these chisels is wondering if they're perhaps not HSS, but it's hard to image they'd be cheap carbon knock-offs. Time to figure out what the best grind is, I guess. You probably need more info to offer advice. I'll see if I can get some this weekend.

[Jamie Straw]

If it has a long, fingernail like grind, it could be a detail gouge. If it is a straight across grind, probably a roughing gouge.
You didn't mention how wide it is or if it has a shank or a tang. All of these things are clues to it's intended use. A picture would really help.
Harvey

Unfortunately, I didn't look at them all that closely. I'll try to get another look at them and solicit sharpening advice. May be awhile, he's on the other side of the water.