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If we have lowered the background well, cleaning it up to a finish will be surprisingly quick. This is an example of how one stage of the carving process underpins the next.
Again, pulling out the technique will let you see one of those golden moves that you'll need again and again.
| 12 February 2022 08:13
Sue - My guess is that you are rotating the handle of the flat gouge as you might a deeper one.. But as you found, there is no leeway to rotate; the corners dig in straight away. And you really don't want to remove those corners; they are very useful for getting into recesses and when you use the gouge in a high-angle grip, rather like a knife, for setting in.
Think more about 'drifting the flat gouge, to left of right, without rotating the handle at all, and using the centre section only. Take small shavings until you get (literally) into the swing of it...
| 10 February 2022 12:54
I'm making good progress with most of this, but struggling with the flat gouge to level. Would it be an idea to remove the edges of the gouge a fraction to prevent digging in. I bought a larger gouge thinking that might help which is does a bit.
Thanks
Sue
| 29 December 2020 09:55
Jeff - You wouldn't be the first! The difference between dead flat, which defines 'chisel', and the flattest sweep of gouge (by definition having some curve), is small and often not obvious but, as you noticed, can be crucial...
| 29 December 2020 06:21
I think that’s where I messed up. I should have taken better note of the # of the gouge you suggested. I now see that the #2 is not completely flat, where the #1 fish tail I own is completely flat. Thanks for your help!
| 28 December 2020 10:19
Jeff - The sweep of Pfeil's flattest gouge is designated Cut #2; this is equivalent to the flattest gouge in the Sheffield List: #3. These are the sweeps to use for levelling.
It doesn't, or rather shouldn't, matter whether the blade is a regular, parallel-sided gouge or a fishtail; the levelling/slicing action of the cutting edge is the same. If you rotate the handle you'll bury a corner in the wood and tear it, either tool. Having said that, I would suppose that a fishtail will give the more impressive tear...
BTW Fishtails are quite specialist tools and using them for general carving will wear them down quickly; the regular gouge is the one of choice for this sort of work if you have it.
| 27 December 2020 18:01
Well I’m using a fishtail flat gouge from pfeil. Are those ok to level with?
| 27 December 2020 16:59
Jeff - Without actually seeing your technique, it's hard for me to say. However, my experience with students would make me suggest you are rotating the tool at the handle. The #3 gouge is so flat, such a big arc, that you only need to 'drift' the edge from side to side as you move forward, keeping both corners clear at all times. It's more-or-less a slicing cut and you are only taking a very thin shaving!
It's very easy to dig a corner in! I'll do it if I'm not mindful enough. What you must then do is immediately go over the tear with a proper slicing cut, so you keep the surface clean as you go along.
Hope this helps!
| 26 December 2020 21:30
Why am I having such a hard time getting this down? It seems like I’m just making a bigger mess of everything. Either the gouge digs to deep or one corner or another sinks in.
| 18 August 2020 12:55
Thanks Chris. Yes, I have made few changes; better lighting, remembering to turn the work piece around and shallower cuts which have all helped.
| 16 August 2020 11:13
Sean - If you have made really deep lowering cuts then levelling off is a bit of a rocky ride. You could try running the deep (lowering) gouge along the ridges and reduce their height, or do the same thing with a medium (#6) gouge - so they look something like the picture above. It's early days for you but as you progress as a carver you'll be pre-empting the next stage: lowering the background in a way that prepares for the levelling.
This levelling - smoothing a surface with finely facetted cuts - is a skill that you'll use over and over again, so do experiment; you'll soon get the hang of it.
| 15 August 2020 15:20
Hi Chris, my first attempt at leveling had mixed results. I will retry with pencil marks at the lower points as a point of reference. Another thing I considered and will try is smaller(shallower) lowering cuts rather than the deeper cuts with higher ridges. In your experience, does this help? Thanks Sean.
| 12 February 2019 13:15
Gregor - I don't have a set rule for stropping; so much depends on the hardness of the wood, the temper of the steel, the way one is using it and so on. More, I just have a sense that it might be going a little dull, perhaps a little harder work, perhaps the facet isn't so shinily cut, that sort of thing. Note that I said, 'might be'. I don't wait until it IS dull. It's a little like musician thinking their guitar might be a little out of tune.
On the other hand, I have been backed against a wall and made to give a rule, any old rule, to help a beginner and I came with the 20/20: 20 strokes on the strop after 20 minutes of normal carving. You could start there?
| 10 February 2019 01:11
Seeing what happens to the grain as we slice, coupled with the cutting sound of the tool leads me to wonder how often do we strop the tool. Is there a set rule of visual, sound & feel of cut? Your demonstrated techniques make perfect sense. Thanx Chris.
| 25 January 2019 15:50
Victor - This flattening off of the surface (levelling) is always done with the flattest gouge, a #3 as you suggest.
The thing about a chisel is that it's almost impossible not to dig in the corners. The flat gouge produces a very lightly facetted surface, which is the hand-carved look we want; we are not after a dead smooth surface.
| 04 October 2016 22:02
Thank you very much Chris!
I was speaking for the levelling, indeed.
But I just noticed that in the video above you were using a "sweep 3" tool. The one that I was trying to use was in fact the 1#40 pfeil chisel.
Obviously, I misunderstood the difference between chisels and and flat gouges!
Anyway, you were totally right with the "turning of the handle" which I was doing also all that time.
Started drifting the blade and the problems disappeared!
Thank you sincerely for the help!
All the material that you have here inside is a real legacy for anyone who loves the art of wood carving!
Best regards!
| 03 October 2016 16:30
Angeles - All my flat gouges have an inside bevel. Along with a long (low cutting angle) outside bevel. It won't be the tool!
Do you mean 'lowering', for which you should be using a deeper gouge with running cuts.
If you mean 'levelling' - finishing off the background to a final flattish surface after you've lowered it - my guess is that you are turning the handle and slightly rotating the flat blade as you push the tool along; in which case, yes, the corners will dig in.
For levelling, you just need to 'drift' the tool to the side and NOT rotate the handle. This way the corners are always kept above the wood surface as you make your sideways slice and don't dig in.
| 02 October 2016 20:53
Hello Chris!
I wanted to ask you if this flat gouge that you are using here is double or single beveled.
It seems impossible for me to use my double beveled flat gouge for such a task as lowering, it always digs into the wood.
What may I do wrong?
Thanks in advance!
