Sharp tools are your best friends in carving.
It’s not just about having sharp gouges; it’s about keeping them that way. Sure, you could send them off to be sharpened professionally, but where’s the fun in that? Sharpening your tools is an art in itself.
Think of it like a ritual before diving into your next carving project. A quick check, a few strokes on your favourite strop, and your tools are ready to create magic.
It’s all about consistency – a little maintenance goes a long way. Plus, let’s face it, a sharp gouge not only gives you better control over your cuts but also keeps your fingers safer. Blunt tools? Now, those are accidents waiting to happen.
So, why not use this extra time we all seem to have these days to hone your sharpening skills? Trust me, it’s worth the effort. And hey, there are many ways to approach this task, but the end result is always the same: crisp, clean carvings that speak volumes about your craftsmanship.
So, what exactly constitutes a correctly sharpened gouge?
Well, let’s start with the basics: the cutting edge should boast a ‘zero radius’—in other words, a perfectly sharp angle where both sides of the tool’s edge meet flawlessly. Achieving and maintaining this precise angle is key to efficient sharpening.
Firstly, it’s crucial that the sharp cutting edge meets the work surface effectively and comfortably. If the angle is too steep, you’ll struggle with awkward handling and potential digging or slipping. Conversely, if it’s too shallow, sharpening becomes difficult and the edge tends to slip out of cuts.
Take a close look at a new lino tool, like those from Pfeil. You’ll notice two distinct angles at the cutting edge: a shallow grinding angle, typically around 15-20°, and a slightly steeper cutting edge angle of 25-30° on the outside. Importantly, this edge meets a flat, smooth surface on the inside of the gouge. The junction between these edges is uniform, sharp, and devoid of any visible radius catching the light.
It’s this 25-30° edge that you want to maintain consistently sharp. With regular upkeep—frequent stropping and occasional light sharpening with a fine stone—there’s no need to worry about major reshaping or grinding for a long while.
Over the years, I’ve collected various sharpening tools, but really, you only need a few key items to keep that razor-sharp edge on your quality gouges:
A fine grit sharpening stone with a decent flat surface
When it comes to sharpening stones, the key factor to understand is the grit number, which indicates the coarseness or fineness of the stone’s surface.
Higher grit numbers mean finer surfaces. The finest stones are often natural Arkansas stones, while synthetic options offer controlled grit sizes. Some stones work best with a little oil for lubrication, while others, known as water stones, are designed to be soaked before use—I personally prefer using a light oil across all my stones.
Now, don’t be misled by the term ‘whet’ stone (with an ‘h’). Whetting simply means sharpening, and while water or oil is recommended as a lubricant, it doesn’t necessarily mean the stone needs to be dripping wet.
For smaller tools like lino gouges, you don’t typically need a large, expansive flat surface. However, with repeated use in the same area, softer stones can develop depressions. This isn’t much of an issue for U gouges but can affect the flat edges of V gouges adversely.
Another essential item for your sharpening kit
One or two ‘slip’ stones with V and U edge profiles
As mentioned earlier, the inside face of a gouge remains flat and isn’t sharpened at an angle. When you sharpen the angled face of the cutting edge, it raises a burr.
Slip stones are designed to delicately remove this burr along the flat inside surface, ensuring that we achieve our desired ‘zero radius’ edge.
Having slip stones with V and U edge profiles allows you to precisely maintain and refine the edges of different gouge shapes, ensuring they’re always ready for precise carving work.
Ensuring the slip stone profiles match your lino tool gouges’ curves or angles is crucial, especially for different U gouge sizes.
Let’s talk about stropping equipment:
Discovering the long-term benefits of stropping your lino tools offers both immediate and long-term advantages in your carving routine.
Stropping serves a crucial role in maintaining and perfecting your already sharp tools. By meticulously polishing away microscopic imperfections left by sharpening stones, it ensures your cutting edge remains impeccably sharp and precise. This process also helps to blend the transition between the grinding and sharpening angles, resulting in a seamlessly smooth profile on the underside of your lino tools.
You could set up your own stropping kit, and gather essentials like unpolished leather and softwood crafted into appropriate V and U profiles, along with polishing compound or cream.
Or you could be like me, seeking convenience without compromise, consider investing in the Flexcut Slip Strop. This comprehensive tool kit provides everything you need in a compact and user-friendly package, ensuring your tools are always ready for precision carving tasks.
