[Woodcarver] V-tool sharpening

[Joe Dillett]

Hi Irwin,

The V-tool is not easy to sharpen. The best way, if you get the tool out of
wack or a large chip and have to remove a lot of metal, is to grind the end
of the tool so it has a flat all arround the cutting edge and perpendicular
with the end of the chisel. Remove the inside burr and grind the outside so
the flat is reduced in a uniform process. Don't take the flat off one side
and not the other. Grind the whole tool uniform. Treat the two sides like
straight chisels. Treat the bottom like a small gouge that has the same
center of radius as the small radius inside the tool. Blend the straight
sides with the rounded bottom. Bringing the whole flat down uniform, until
it disappears, is the key to sharpening the V-tool. Do it slowly so as not
to overheat the tool.

This takes lots of practice.

Joe Dillett
The Carving Shop
645 E. LaSalle St. Suite 3
Somonauk, IL. 60552
(815) 498-9290 phone
(815) 498-9249 fax
http://www.thecarvingshop.com
jdillett at thecarvingshop.com
http://www.carvingmagazine.com Carving Magazine web site and Readers Forum
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> re: follow up; in regard to sharpening problems, my main problem is in
> sharpening v gouges, i seem to make them worse after i sharpen then does
any one
> have a good and easy method for sharpening them..............Irwin
>