Richard Raffan shapes and sharpens two new gouges, preparing them for use.

As a thank you for publishing these videos for free, a very generous New Zealander gave me two new Hamlet gouges. Here's how I shaped and sharpened each and prevent each gouge slipping in its handle.

[johnnyb]

Sir, you are an excellent teacher and I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge. This is more than a simple how to, but also you explain the why, which always helps me a lot. Thank you!

[tallerpinocho]

This information about the profiles and why you think are convenients, is very interesting, thanks . Also I have been able to see in recent times that other youtubers who had many followers are now following your methods, and leaving unnecessary fashions aside, which is very good for the sector. That New Zealander has been able to show his gratitude and I hope you receive the gratitude of all of us who show it to you with words because all these free videos are a huge and gigantic help to the community. Your books were already a pillar of the building, but now with these videos, you are definitely the best teacher. I always recommend your videos to my students or apprentices in Spain and despite the language, everyone used to seeing "commercial" videos is amazed and their minds change.

[ShevillMathers]

Excellent demonstration to view during my lunch break from another pastime-hydroponic growing in a large home built poly greenhouse-tomatoes, strawberries, capsicum etc. then on to emptying a shed of some junk, to make space for a larger lathe, which arrives in about ten days. I have a load of rough sawn cross grain Huon Pine slabs-8’’ to 12” in diameter, hard as nails, but the price was too good to pass up. Your tool shaping video along with one from Tomislav Tomasiv, is very timely as I have some new gouge’s to shape and sharpen. I might just as well learn from the master, I am used to sharpening metal lathe tool bits the past 60 years, but wood turning gouges are another quite different tools. Kind Regards from Tasmania Australia 😁🛠👍🇦🇺 PS, a very kind gesture from a grateful viewer, donating new tool bits to the cause.👏👍

[johnlavarine]

Thank you for taking the time to pass on your knowledge and expertise, you are wealth of information. I love the ease at which you turn your beautiful creations.

[talltimberswoodshop]

Richard, you make it look so easy to sharpen without all the fancy jigs.

[MikePeaceWoodturning]

Love the sharpened handle point to avoid having to use epoxy!

[bradbyers]

Shaping and sharpening are my two biggest challenges. Thank you for demonstrating a proper technique.

[oz-ska-fest]

Thank you for your wonderful knowledge

[Laikeen]

Very interesting vidéo about sharpening gauges

[petergledhill]

Another informative video thank you. And the comments are of interest also. They always seem very timely to what I’m doing ( spooky music playing in background). I’ve just tried sharpening my homemade HSS fingernail bowl gouge by hand following your tips and Wow. Great results seems sharper than normal.
Here’s my tip to you as a thanks. I’ve always had complaints from the wife about the wood chips entering the house so have started wearing an old wind breaker and absolutely nothing sticks. Still wear the leather apron though.

[TheDistur]

Hadn't seen that compound grind before. Thanks!

[philbutcher]

Your videos are superb, Richard, thank you. In particular, you do things that make sense, rather than what everyone else does or are expected to do. 

I'd love to hear you describe in detail the finessing of the inside of bowls if you haven't already? I have a batch of lime (6 months drying). The outside is going like a dream, but my technique inside is requiring a lot of sanding.

[Svendus]

❤That was a nice Diamond grinding wheel you have got on your bench grinder i wonder where to get one off these Regards Svendus 👍

[chrislusbytaylor]

My method copies Stuart Batty and Cindy Drozda and ensures that the bevel angle is the same all the way round, even if the wings are asymmetrical. Set the rest to the desired bevel angle (45 degrees in your case), then put the gouge flat on the rest. Being careful to keep the spot on the cutting edge that is being ground exactly horizontal (parallel to the top edge of the rest) turn the gouge from wing to wing while twisting to keep the edge level. Unlike any jig I've seen, this ensures a constant bevel angle.
However, I haven't seen any proof that a constant bevel angle is actually desirable. For instance, near your left wing-tip I imagine you will often be using a scraping pull cut. A higher bevel angle might be better here.

[fern]

Hello and thank you for showing on sharpening… I asume I get no answer, but I need such a CBN wheel for my grinder also 2850 rpm… I cannot find in Europe, thank you for your work

[tricolorturners]

The jigs exist and I use them regularly. The tool makers don’t get the concept and think the average turner will not either. It is true that you kind of have to know what you are doing. The asymmetric is not
for the inexperienced.

[jansteinaryjord]

The blackend end is because its held with a chuck when its polished out. The factory dont bother to turn it around to do the other end😊

[charlesisrael]

Too bad the asymmetric jig didn’t take flight. There is now another sharpening video to reference. A big thanks to the anonymous donor!

[MylesFenske]

Thanks for a great video as usual. What grit is your CBN wheel? Thanks, Myles

[lukehall]

What is the fine wheel called. Thank you