Finally someone explains how to do this with enough detail to be understandable. Just sharpened a gouge using this method and it worked like a charm . . peeled off chips perfectly leaving a fine finish. Thanks so much.
Sam Thanks for this video on gouge sharpening. I have been wood turning for only 10 months but have watched numerous videos on sharpening and have even bought a jig to no avail. Yours is the only one that has shown closeup shots and explained the affects we should be aiming for. I always enjoy all your other clips so thanks once again from windy Lincolnshire. Charles
Thank you so much for that lesson. It was much needed by this newbie once from Wyoming. Spent 6 years there and still miss it to this very day. What a beautiful state. Thanks Again
Hello from Winnipeg. Thank you kindly Sir! You made a terrific video here. I followed your instructions and my bowl gouge works better than expected. I appreciate your teaching.
I found this video only now, my 5 cents about it are that even if I agree that to learn to sharpen free hand is an invaluable skill, and I did learn how to do it long ago, for this particular kind of sharpening is better to use a jig, a commercial one or something you build by yourself, there are plenty of examples of them in the net. Using a jig in a clever way is almost as fast as doing it free hand, gets a better result, unless you are a full time turner whose free hand movements are almost automatic and perfect and your tool will last longer as every time you sharpen you need only a very light pass on the wheel removing only very little expensive steel, while doing it free hand unless you are perfect doing it you have every time some little inconsistency, so you have to grind away more steel. This is particularly true for the beginners or even intermediate wood turners, for the beginners is even more important as they have to learn both how to sharpen and use properly the tool and is very likely that a tool not properly sharpened is one of the causes of their failure learning how to use it. So I will suggest to buy or build a jig, get a feeling of how to use the gouge then eventually try to learn how to sharpen it free hand. This is true only for the Irish grind, skew chisels, detail gouges and traditionally sharpened bowl gouges can be sharpened free hand by everyone, it is way less difficult to learn how to do it.
@UCRZxyT3UUS8spkIZDAsaFnA I agree about that and after all sharpening is riding the bevel on the grinding wheel instead of the wood, we all know that to properly ride the bevel is the true key to the successful wood turning. I just would suggest to a beginner to have a fellow more advanced wood turner shape the irish grind for him the first time, or shape it himself following one of the many good instructional videos and a jig, so he can get a feeling of what a properly ground tool feels, then after some sharpening with the jig to start to learn how to do it free hand. And when the free hand process is perfected I would suggest him to use the jig again as it is more gentle on the tool steel, this is what i had done many years ago. By the way to be able to sharpen free hand had been also useful in situations when I was at some friend's shop as I could sharpen my and his tools even if I did not had my jig with me, a jig is something that you can use, but is something that you should never depend on other way every time you have to do without it you are completely lost, the turner's skills are the ultimate jig, the one that will never fail and that you have every time with you...
Great video Sam. All the turning techniques in the world won't work without sharp tools. Really good demonstration. I know I need to set the jig aside and practice free hand a little more. Thanks for sharing. Fred
Great lectures! Thank you so much for sharing the great details! I always believe despite the availability of all the convenient jigs, a real machinist or wood turner has to be able to grind his cutters or gouges by hand.
A thorough demonstration Sam, freehand sharpening is something I need to get more comfortable with, as I use my jig all the time. This video will be my mentor. Thanks. Take care Mike
Thank you for this lesson. I have only been turning for about a year now and I'm learning more and more as time progresses. I don't have a sharpening system yet but am looking to get one in the near future however, this lesson will help me until then thanks. Stan
Thank you for this video! I am a little strapped for cash right now, so I can't afford a one way jig so my only option is free hand sharpening. I can't wait to try this technique!
Thanks for showing how to do it without a big I'm just starting and don't really want to invest a lot of money if im not going to like it but so far im loving it but couldn't find anyone that did it without a jig im now a new subscriber to your channel
Excellent series of videos on freehand sharpening. I'm slowly switching from using my Tormek system to freehand sharpening and like how quickly I can touch up the edge if my diamond hone doesn't give me the results I want. Rik
Sam, Thanks for another lesson. I was looking for a video on reshaping from standard grind to fingernail/swept back/ellsworth or whatever ya call it. JimE
I have always had a problem getting a clean cut in the area where the side of the bowl transitions into the bottom. I think the secondary bevel you mention will help alleviate the problem. Thanks.
David It helps when your gouge already has a 55 or 60 degree bevel. The angle may be good enough. But if you start with a gouge of 50 degrees or less then you can always go to the grinder and quickly grind a secondary bevel on it. You don't need it on the outside of a bowl.....Thanks for watching Sam
Great video. May I ask do you do this extended wing grind for both bowl gouges and normal gouges? Are they all done at 45degs? What is your main reason for doing this ? Is it to prevent catches? Thanks from a newbie.
My bowl gouges and spindle gouges are usually done with a 40º grind. The swept back grind is somewhat a result of the Oneway sharpening system I use. But the long wing and the 40º grind help with entering the wood. And also it helps with scraping the wood with the wing. Sam
Are jigs required for some tools compared to others? I used jigs in high school but notice you are doing it free hand . I guess freehand come with experience ?
I am sure you can sharpen most any tool without a jig. But yes that takes practice and experience. But some tools like scrapers really can't be sharpened with a jig-but they are easy to sharpen. I like to sharpen freehand but after a while the bevel is really ugly.....I like to go back to the jig to make it pretty and perfect once again. Sam
Sam Great video. I have a problem with my sharpening. I have an Ellsworth jig and the Woverine jig and I am now getting an asymmetrial grind. The left wing is good and true but the right wing seems to be less so, creating a concave cutting edge. Any ides why this should happen??? Thanks.
I am going to respond to this comment in my November Notes' video. Short answer is you may be spending too much time on one area of your cutting edge creating a concave spot. Sam
Sam, Thank you for the great tips! I am a beginning turner and my bowl gouge is getting dull. I hear everyone talking about the different grinds and I had no idea how to sharpen a bowl gouge. Very nice demonstration! Do you think these grinds will be ok for someone starting out? I have made about 15 to 20 bowls and I learn something on every one! I have made a LOT of mistakes! Thanks for the great videos! I watched almost all of your stuff and have learned so much but this is the first one I have commented on. I appreciate your free education to all of us who enjoy this craft!! Take care! Mike
+Michael Quinn Yes, the grind I have one these is pretty much standard and should work. There are different angles and such but that is your call and how and what you turn. Sam
Good video Sam. I did not see you cooling it in water as you went or was that off camera. I saw a little heat marks on the wing. I know that it removes the temper if it gets hot. Is that something you are concerned about or no. I do not have a jig yet. This will help me a lot thanks
CHRIS You bring up a good point. I believe that with the tool steel we have today that losing the temper is not a great problem. Perhaps I am making excuses. I did see the color change. But I was doing a lot of grinding on this tool and it may not be THE best tool steel out there. I do have a can of water I use. But honestly, it is more about not getting burned. I don't know much about the chemistry of tool steel. I think that if the tool stays cooler-it is better steel. I have also heard that quenching a tool in water develop hairline cracks in the edge. I am not convinced of that either. Well I have hit every side of this topic, sounds like a politician. (I must be right in there someplace) Thanks Sam
. I always try to dunk it every 5-10 secs of grinding.It is a good practice to go by or you mite be back at the grinder more often. I think you would only get hair line cracks it the steel got really hot. When you quench in water the steel cools very fast. That is why blacksmiths quench in warm oil .Unless it is a steel that calls for water. The oil cools it slower so no cracks form. Temper is what makes the tool hard or soft when you heat up steel and it discolors you are bringing the temper down and so you are making the cutting edge softer and will dull faster. Once the temper is gone you can not bring it back without heating the steel to a none magnetic state witch is red hot and quenching it. Well that is from what I have learned from doing some knife making in the past. Thanks for the reply
Great video, but I'm coming across a bit of a problem. After a few sharpenings I start to get wing tips near the tip of my tool coming back. Am I doing something wrong?
what are the angles that you have marked on your oneway platform...they look like 45 degrees...what are they and do those lines play any significance with this swept back
@@WYOMINGWOODTURNER thanks so much...i went by my first name, Michael, for over 20 years and then had a prophetic words. The words were that my name was Isaac, means laughter as Sarah laughed at her becoming pregnant. i encourage you to read Psalm 91 often...blessings
Thank you, I was literally going to start trying to sharpen a few tools with the irish grind. I was also wondering what kind of grind do you good turners use to finish the bottom of the bowl? I know it is a flatter bevel but I don't think there has ever been a video on the finishing bowl gouge. Thanks again.
Great vid. You make it look easy! I have been free hand grinding most of my stuff...there is definitely a learning curve. Any ideas on making a skew from an old chisel. I just bought an antique chisel I would like to profile into a skew. It's a real monster. Thanks. P.S. You are a patient guy I would have bought a cow bell for Cocoa.
The bell is so I can find her outside when I let her run around. Mostly she is tied up. Yea I think you could make a skew out of an old chisel. I assume it is a woodworking bench chisel. I do have a video on sharpening a skew chisel but am thinking of doing another one. I often use a sanding disc when reshaping a tool. I use maybe a 60 grit wheel to remove steel quickly. Let me know how you do. Sam
WYOMINGWOODTURNER Thanks! I will let you know how it turns out. It is a woodworking chisel, bought it from a dealer outside Bar Harbor, Maine. Thanks for the info and the vids.
Jay, that is a skill you will pick up with experience. Usually right after you sharpen a tool you'll notice the difference. If your tool is not cutting as well as you think it should, sharpen it and then see how it is doing. Sam
80 grit on the left and 46 grit on the right, from Craft Supply. This is a variable speed grinder. 1750-3500. I always sharpen at the slowest speed. Sam
The slower the speed the less chance of burning the steel. Always good to have a small bowl of water to dip the point in after every few passes to avoid heating it up too much.
Hi there, I'm a fairly new turner and I'm not too sure which kind of bowl gouges I have as a bought them all 2nd hand. I have one that looks similar to the one you demonstrated with but can I use that grind on a chisel that is slightly different to the one featured? Thanks Kieran P.S- I really enjoy your videos because you explain what you are doing very well and it gives me a very clear instruction whereas some other wood workers and turners don't do that well at all.
Yes you can. You can use that basic grind on many gouges, both spindle and bowl.... One big difference is how far you want the wings swept back. With the longer wing it makes the nose angle sharper (or can) and it is better to shear scrape with. Sam
Finally someone explains how to do this with enough detail to be understandable. Just sharpened a gouge using this method and it worked like a charm . . peeled off chips perfectly leaving a fine finish. Thanks so much.
Finally, someone fully explained the swept-back process.....without all the special tooling needed. GOOD JOB!!!!!
Thanks very much for the supportive comments. It is good to hear that.
Sam
Sam
Thanks for this video on gouge sharpening. I have been wood turning for only 10 months but have watched numerous videos on sharpening and have even bought a jig to no avail. Yours is the only one that has shown closeup shots and explained the affects we should be aiming for. I always enjoy all your other clips so thanks once again from windy Lincolnshire.
Charles
Thank you so much for that lesson. It was much needed by this newbie once from Wyoming. Spent 6 years there and still miss it to this very day. What a beautiful state.
Thanks Again
Hello from Winnipeg. Thank you kindly Sir! You made a terrific video here. I followed your instructions and my bowl gouge works better than expected. I appreciate your teaching.
Really appreciate the free-hand demonstration. Close-up camera angels are super helpful, too.
I found this video only now, my 5 cents about it are that even if I agree that to learn to sharpen free hand is an invaluable skill, and I did learn how to do it long ago, for this particular kind of sharpening is better to use a jig, a commercial one or something you build by yourself, there are plenty of examples of them in the net. Using a jig in a clever way is almost as fast as doing it free hand, gets a better result, unless you are a full time turner whose free hand movements are almost automatic and perfect and your tool will last longer as every time you sharpen you need only a very light pass on the wheel removing only very little expensive steel, while doing it free hand unless you are perfect doing it you have every time some little inconsistency, so you have to grind away more steel. This is particularly true for the beginners or even intermediate wood turners, for the beginners is even more important as they have to learn both how to sharpen and use properly the tool and is very likely that a tool not properly sharpened is one of the causes of their failure learning how to use it. So I will suggest to buy or build a jig, get a feeling of how to use the gouge then eventually try to learn how to sharpen it free hand. This is true only for the Irish grind, skew chisels, detail gouges and traditionally sharpened bowl gouges can be sharpened free hand by everyone, it is way less difficult to learn how to do it.
@UCRZxyT3UUS8spkIZDAsaFnA I agree about that and after all sharpening is riding the bevel on the grinding wheel instead of the wood, we all know that to properly ride the bevel is the true key to the successful wood turning. I just would suggest to a beginner to have a fellow more advanced wood turner shape the irish grind for him the first time, or shape it himself following one of the many good instructional videos and a jig, so he can get a feeling of what a properly ground tool feels, then after some sharpening with the jig to start to learn how to do it free hand. And when the free hand process is perfected I would suggest him to use the jig again as it is more gentle on the tool steel, this is what i had done many years ago. By the way to be able to sharpen free hand had been also useful in situations when I was at some friend's shop as I could sharpen my and his tools even if I did not had my jig with me, a jig is something that you can use, but is something that you should never depend on other way every time you have to do without it you are completely lost, the turner's skills are the ultimate jig, the one that will never fail and that you have every time with you...
Great video Sam. All the turning techniques in the world won't work without sharp tools. Really good demonstration. I know I need to set the jig aside and practice free hand a little more. Thanks for sharing. Fred
Great lectures! Thank you so much for sharing the great details! I always believe despite the availability of all the convenient jigs, a real machinist or wood turner has to be able to grind his cutters or gouges by hand.
I totally agree....by sharpening by hand, you learn how to sharpen. Sam
Thanks for the up close shots. Helps a lot.
What a great video Sam! I will be watching this while I try to master what you make look so easy. Thanks so much for your time and guidance.
Thanks
Just do it. But it is not easy.....Sam
Best explanation I've seen so far - well done and thanks.
A thorough demonstration Sam, freehand sharpening is something I need to get more comfortable with, as I use my jig all the time. This video will be my mentor. Thanks.
Take care
Mike
Mike you may be able to transfer this technique to your knitting needles. You can never be to sharp!
Tom Wilcox Great idea Tom, I'll go into the shop now and try it out! And they say the Welsh are mad! ;)
Thank you for this lesson. I have only been turning for about a year now and I'm learning more and more as time progresses. I don't have a sharpening system yet but am looking to get one in the near future however, this lesson will help me until then thanks.
Stan
Thank you for making this video! It really helped me understand sharpening better!
Thank you for this video! I am a little strapped for cash right now, so I can't afford a one way jig so my only option is free hand sharpening. I can't wait to try this technique!
Thanks for showing how to do it without a big I'm just starting and don't really want to invest a lot of money if im not going to like it but so far im loving it but couldn't find anyone that did it without a jig im now a new subscriber to your channel
Thank you I really needed this lesson. I just got a gouge, have no jig, and my sharpening efforts made things worse. I think I understand now.
Excellent tutorial, thank you for sharing. Most of the videos on sharpening are useless.
Thank you Sam i have one that i need to put a new grind on and i am going to do that that way .
Thank you Sam, this is EXACTLY the information I was looking for
pallet.tv you have this game to
Great review on gouge sharpening.
Thank you.
Alan
Great video Sam, i used a jig for about 3 months,although you get repeatability,it is limited to what you can do on freehand sharpening
Cozy workshop. Useful video. Like!
+Аleksey Bek
Cozy? That implies smallish. I will tell my wife I need to add on. Thanks
and thanks for watching. Sam
Sam, cozy, when it's warm, light and spacious. Thanks again for the video.
thanks for the demonstration! grtngs!
Cheers Sam 🤘
A very good instructional video, thank you so much!
Very good and informative thanks
Excellent series of videos on freehand sharpening. I'm slowly switching from using my Tormek system to freehand sharpening and like how quickly I can touch up the edge if my diamond hone doesn't give me the results I want.
Rik
Yes I do the same for a touch-up. But my edges start to look a bit terrible so back to the jig.
Sam
Great video! Thank you very much.
Hubert - Germany
A useful video, thanks
Sam, Thanks for another lesson. I was looking for a video on reshaping from standard grind to fingernail/swept back/ellsworth or whatever ya call it.
JimE
I have always had a problem getting a clean cut in the area where the side of the bowl transitions into the bottom. I think the secondary bevel you mention will help alleviate the problem. Thanks.
David
It helps when your gouge already has a 55 or 60 degree bevel. The angle may be good enough. But if you start with a gouge of 50 degrees or less then you can always go to the grinder and quickly grind a secondary bevel on it. You don't need it on the outside of a bowl.....Thanks for watching
Sam
Great video. May I ask do you do this extended wing grind for both bowl gouges and normal gouges?
Are they all done at 45degs?
What is your main reason for doing this ? Is it to prevent catches? Thanks from a newbie.
My bowl gouges and spindle gouges are usually done with a 40º grind. The swept back grind is somewhat a result of the Oneway sharpening system I use. But the long wing and the 40º grind help with entering the wood. And also it helps with scraping the wood with the wing. Sam
Are jigs required for some tools compared to others? I used jigs in high school but notice you are doing it free hand . I guess freehand come with experience ?
I am sure you can sharpen most any tool without a jig. But yes that takes practice and experience. But some tools like scrapers really can't be sharpened with a jig-but they are easy to sharpen. I like to sharpen freehand but after a while the bevel is really ugly.....I like to go back to the jig to make it pretty and perfect once again. Sam
Sam
Great video. I have a problem with my sharpening. I have an Ellsworth jig and the Woverine jig and I am now getting an asymmetrial grind. The left wing is good and true but the right wing seems to be less so, creating a concave cutting edge. Any ides why this should happen??? Thanks.
I am going to respond to this comment in my November Notes' video.
Short answer is you may be spending too much time on one area of your cutting edge creating a concave spot. Sam
Is that 45 degrees
Sam,
Thank you for the great tips! I am a beginning turner and my bowl gouge is getting dull. I hear everyone talking about the different grinds and I had no idea how to sharpen a bowl gouge. Very nice demonstration! Do you think these grinds will be ok for someone starting out? I have made about 15 to 20 bowls and I learn something on every one! I have made a LOT of mistakes! Thanks for the great videos! I watched almost all of your stuff and have learned so much but this is the first one I have commented on. I appreciate your free education to all of us who enjoy this craft!! Take care!
Mike
+Michael Quinn Yes, the grind I have one these is pretty much standard and should work. There are different angles and such but that is your call and how and what you turn. Sam
Good video Sam. I did not see you cooling it in water as you went or was that off camera. I saw a little heat marks on the wing. I know that it removes the temper if it gets hot. Is that something you are concerned about or no. I do not have a jig yet. This will help me a lot thanks
CHRIS
You bring up a good point. I believe that with the tool steel we have today that losing the temper is not a great problem.
Perhaps I am making excuses. I did see the color change. But I was doing a lot of grinding on this tool and it may not be THE best tool steel out there. I do have a can of water I use. But honestly, it is more about not getting burned.
I don't know much about the chemistry of tool steel. I think that if the tool stays cooler-it is better steel. I have also heard that quenching a tool in water develop hairline cracks in the edge. I am not convinced of that either. Well I have hit every side of this topic, sounds like a politician. (I must be right in there someplace) Thanks
Sam
. I always try to dunk it every 5-10 secs of grinding.It is a good practice to go by or you mite be back at the grinder more often. I think you would only get hair line cracks it the steel got really hot. When you quench in water the steel cools very fast. That is why blacksmiths quench in warm oil .Unless it is a steel that calls for water. The oil cools it slower so no cracks form. Temper is what makes the tool hard or soft when you heat up steel and it discolors you are bringing the temper down and so you are making the cutting edge softer and will dull faster. Once the temper is gone you can not bring it back without heating the steel to a none magnetic state witch is red hot and quenching it. Well that is from what I have learned from doing some knife making in the past.
Thanks for the reply
Great video, but I'm coming across a bit of a problem. After a few sharpenings I start to get wing tips near the tip of my tool coming back. Am I doing something wrong?
what are the angles that you have marked on your oneway platform...they look like 45 degrees...what are they and do those lines play any significance with this swept back
Yes 45º (I might have 2 40º angles also marked). Isaac....a little off topic-my grandparents last name. I name my younger son's middle name Isaac. Sam
@@WYOMINGWOODTURNER thanks so much...i went by my first name, Michael, for over 20 years and then had a prophetic words. The words were that my name was Isaac, means laughter as Sarah laughed at her becoming pregnant. i encourage you to read Psalm 91 often...blessings
That’s very interesting I shall read that Psalm. Thanks Sam
@@michaelisaacgrant2174 Read the Psalm....thanks Sam
Thank you, I was literally going to start trying to sharpen a few tools with the irish grind. I was also wondering what kind of grind do you good turners use to finish the bottom of the bowl? I know it is a flatter bevel but I don't think there has ever been a video on the finishing bowl gouge. Thanks again.
chipped some pieces off of my fine wheel. Looks I will be using the regular grinds I did before trying the fancy stuff until I get a new wheel.
James Templeton I made another video on the traditional grind. It should be out in a few hours.
Sam
WYOMINGWOODTURNER Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us!
Hey mate what grit would you recomend using to sharpen your gouge?
I usually use my 80 grit CBN wheel. Sam
Oh, I just noticed in this video I still had the stone wheels. But i like a coarser wheel....Sam
Great vid. You make it look easy! I have been free hand grinding most of my stuff...there is definitely a learning curve. Any ideas on making a skew from an old chisel. I just bought an antique chisel I would like to profile into a skew. It's a real monster. Thanks. P.S. You are a patient guy I would have bought a cow bell for Cocoa.
The bell is so I can find her outside when I let her run around. Mostly she is tied up.
Yea I think you could make a skew out of an old chisel. I assume it is a woodworking bench chisel. I do have a video on sharpening a skew chisel but am thinking of doing another one. I often use a sanding disc when reshaping a tool. I use maybe a 60 grit wheel to remove steel quickly. Let me know how you do.
Sam
WYOMINGWOODTURNER Thanks! I will let you know how it turns out. It is a woodworking chisel, bought it from a dealer outside Bar Harbor, Maine. Thanks for the info and the vids.
New to your videos how can I tell if my tool is sharp without testing it?
Jay, that is a skill you will pick up with experience. Usually right after you sharpen a tool you'll notice the difference. If your tool is not cutting as well as you think it should, sharpen it and then see how it is doing. Sam
Hey Sam, what kind of wheel are using, what grit is it? and also do you know what speed you sharpen at? is that a full speed bench grinder?
80 grit on the left and 46 grit on the right, from Craft Supply. This is a variable speed grinder. 1750-3500. I always sharpen at the slowest speed.
Sam
what speed on your grinder does it matter at all thanks
The slower the speed the less chance of burning the steel. Always good to have a small bowl of water to dip the point in after every few passes to avoid heating it up too much.
Thanks for the upload, but let that dog back in, would you? :-)
Paul
OK, I will go get her. She actually loves the snow. She looks cute and all but she is a bad dawg.....
Sam
Hi there, I'm a fairly new turner and I'm not too sure which kind of bowl gouges I have as a bought them all 2nd hand. I have one that looks similar to the one you demonstrated with but can I use that grind on a chisel that is slightly different to the one featured?
Thanks
Kieran
P.S- I really enjoy your videos because you explain what you are doing very well and it gives me a very clear instruction whereas some other wood workers and turners don't do that well at all.
Yes you can. You can use that basic grind on many gouges, both spindle and bowl....
One big difference is how far you want the wings swept back. With the longer wing it makes the nose angle sharper (or can) and it is better to shear scrape with.
Sam
WYOMINGWOODTURNER Oh and thanks for the kind comments.