A gouge is a woodworking chisel with a hollow, curved cutting edge instead of a flat blade. As a result the gouge cuts a curved or hollow groove in the wood rather than a flat one. The tool is used to hollow out, model and carve wood, and is indispensable for wood carving and turning.
Form and types
A gouge consists of a curved steel blade with a wooden handle. The main features are the curve and the width:
- Sweep (curve) — given by a number; a lower number is flatter, a higher number is more deeply hollow (from almost flat to almost U-shaped)
- Width — from a few millimetres to several centimetres
- Straight or bent — for surface work or for reaching deeper spots
Special variants are the V-tool (with a V-shaped profile for sharp lines) and the turning gouges for the lathe.
Application
Gouges are used for:
- Wood carving — hollowing and modelling figures, ornaments and relief
- Sculpture — rough and fine shaping of carvings
- Woodturning — shaping work on the lathe
- Restoration — repairing carved mouldings and ornaments
A gouge must be razor-sharp to cut cleanly, so it is regularly ground and stropped on leather. Always work away from your body and keep both hands behind the cutting edge.
Related terms
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