Menu
Newcomers to carving usually just use their new gouges main-bevel-down, for digging out wood. I mean, that's the shape, right?
Well, that's only half the shape. In the same way 'heads' is only half the coin...
Related Video:
| 29 January 2021 17:21
David - Have you got one of those kitchen knives with a bevel on one side? Cut through a block of cheese with it and you'll see that the bevel on one side directs the blade towards the other. Really, have a go!) It's not that easy to cut in a straight line.
So, moving on to single bevel gouges: when you use the tool 'upside down', the wedge of the outside bevel will push the cutting edge into the wood. This is great when you want very sharp curves, like pea moulding for example, but I find it annoying for more general carving and prefer the control that the inner bevel gives me (along with all the other benefits).
But, as I always say, the whole inside bevel schtick is how I learned, and have never improved on, but you should absolutely test it out yourself and see if you find it the same as me.
| 28 January 2021 18:24
Chris
A question re. using the tools ‘upside down’: Is it a prerequisite that the tool should have an an inside bevel? I’ve got some tools that haven’t (yet!) but there doesn’t seem to be any correlation between having or not having an inside bevel and being able to effectively use the tool either way up - it could of course be a case of ‘bad workman blaming his tools ‘ !!
Kind regards
David
