A Sharpening Fixture for Gouges

The hardest part in sharpening a gouge is keeping the tool at a constant angle to the stone.  After an investigation for commerial devices to assist in sharping carving tools, it was determined that the devices available were either too expensive or would not do an adequate job.  It was decided then to see what one could produce in a home work shop that might assist in sharpening gouges.

A fixture was made and used to verify the design. The fixture consists of a base with two rails that will hold a sharpening stone securely so that it does not move inadvertently, the stone being held securely with a pair of wedges.  To make the wedges use a piece if 3/4 by 1 1/4 stock and saw it on a diagonal. 

One of the rails is higher and has a 70 degree angle on the top edge to produce a 20 degree bevel on the tool.   The height of the rail will be determined by the height of the top surface of the stone.  Dimensions are only sugested and can be modified  to reflect different sized stones.

Generally a 20 degree bevel for wood carving is ideal.  If however a mallet is to be used , a greater angle may be called for.  A shallower bevel will be more fragile.

To use the fixture, lay the gouge flat against the beveled edge and rotate the gouge as you move it back and forth.

Sanding Sticks

When I have finished with one of my carvings, I sometimes like to sand the surfaces to relieve the marks made by my tools.  The carving invariably has areas where it is difficult to sand.  The usual practice is to rip up pieces of sandpaper and by folding them in a certain way, it is possible to sand those areas.

I do something different. I take a piece of scrap wood and split it into lengths that are about 3/8 of an inch wide.  I then shape the end of the stick with my carving knife appropriately.  I cut up pieces of sandpaper and using super-glue, glue the sandpaper to the end of the stick that I just carved.  I use various grades of sandpaper to get the finish I want.

The sanding sticks are easy to make and require only a few minutes of work.  They are quite effective in getting into those areas missed by regular sanding.