Sharpening lathe chisels

cmccarter1 · Post by **cmccarter1** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:06 am

Don't want to start a war here, but can someone give me a rough idea of the angles i need to put on my lathe chisels. Or some place to go for reference. I know there are about as many opinions as there are members here but i need a starting point.

roughing gouge
spindle gouge
bowl gouge (is fingernail grind necessary?)

I am just getting started. I have a WS3000 to sharpen most things and a 6" grinder with a home made jig for the gouges.

thanks

chester

stockew · Post by **stockew** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:56 am

I just happened to bring my "The Complete Manual of Woodworking" book to the office today. (I read during lunch breaks, etc.)

Following are from page 196 of the book:

Roughing Gouge = 45 degs.
Spindle Gouge = 30 to 40 degs.
Bowl Gouge = 40 degs.

By the way this is a really good book!! (Not attempting to sell it...;-) )

Good luck.

cmccarter1 · Post by **cmccarter1** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:06 am

Tnx for the info. I think I may have that book somewhere.

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:37 am

cmccarter1 wrote:Don't want to start a war here, but can someone give me a rough idea of the angles i need to put on my lathe chisels. Or some place to go for reference. I know there are about as many opinions as there are members here but i need a starting point.

roughing gouge
spindle gouge
bowl gouge (is fingernail grind necessary?)

I am just getting started. I have a WS3000 to sharpen most things and a 6" grinder with a home made jig for the gouges.

thanks

chester

Here was one thread that talked about some suggested angles:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2275
(See especially post #5)

Other comments:
- You can likely get to a point where you do a good initial sharpening and thereafter do minimal touchups with finer sandpapers and stropping leathers.
- Some magazine turning articles note that a really fine hone will be gone after a few seconds of turning. No worries, a decent job can still be done for quite some minutes as the tool wears in.