The Way I Grind Gouges

This post has been simmering for a while. Grinding gouges is a simple enough topic, but I’ve been hesitant to write it because the way I do it isn’t in line with the way I normally break down techniques for teaching. As usual, while putting the this together, I learned something that I think is worth sharing.

I freehand grind my gouges by presenting them sideways on the grinding wheel, no jig or even tool rest involved. I don’t want to hollow grind them because the blade is already thin and I want more steel left behind the cutting edge. I grind them mostly to flatten the bevel, so a sideways approach to the wheel gives the result I want, but doesn’t lend itself to using a tool rest. It wouldn’t be too tough to rig up a jig for this, but I have always just stepped up to the wheel and done the job. I was concerned that demonstrating this wouldn’t be helpful and might seem like showing off, or perhaps, just a plain old bad idea. There’s a big difference between showing how one does something and teaching someone else to do it, and until now, I’ve never pushed this technique into the teachable space. Considering how I might teach this brought up some ways of practicing using the grinder that I think are well worth sharing.

In true “don’t try this at home” mode, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend my gouge grinding technique. At first glance, it might seem like just a neat party trick, but it isn’t actually that difficult to learn to feel the bevel bearing on the surface of the wheel. I dusted off my trusty ol’ hand crank grinder to show how I had learned to do it. As I took a moment to practice, it dawned on me that my time with the slow and controllable hand crank grinder might have been key to my gaining comfort with this technique and grinding in general. Being the driving force behind the wheel helped me develop sensitivity to the cutting action. If you force the tool too hard against the wheel, it slows it down and becomes tiring to crank, so a light touch becomes essential. If you want experience this, set up to grind a chisel as you normally would and turn the grinder on until it reaches full speed. Then turn it off and present the tool as it winds down. Notice the effect of your pressure against the wheel. The toolrest actually deadens the vibration of the wheel and makes it harder to sense the cutting action, so use light pressure on the toolrest as well. I think most folks step up to the grinder full of tension, most of which is sensory dulling, wasted energy.

When I made the switch to motorized grinders, it was an easy transition and my light touch was second nature. The key is to stabilize your body by keeping your elbows pinned to your sides and barely touch the tool to the wheel with the cutting edge slightly pitched downward. Try it with your grinder off, using just enough pressure to feel the gouge registering on the wheel like it was a flat stone, then keep that position as you roll the tool to follow the sweep. In the video below, notice how when I am grinding, I am looking straight down from above to see the relationship between the wheel and the the blade.

I’ll film other options for grinding and honing gouges that follow more conventional techniques soon. Mostly, what I hope you take away from this that becoming close friends with your grinder is possible and time well spent.