We are often asked how to deal with chips in curved carving gouges, or how to bring an edge back when it has gone well beyond the point where a quick touch-up on a waterstone will do the job.
Curved tools present a particular sharpening problem. Unlike a straight chisel or plane blade, the edge cannot simply be worked flat across a conventional stone without constantly changing the way the tool meets the abrasive.
For heavier repair work, we use a very simple sharpening jig that makes the process much more controlled.
In this video, Christian builds the jig we use in the workshop and shows how it can become the starting point for restoring a damaged or badly dulled gouge before moving on to finer sharpening.
Where the Idea Came From
Our jig is based on a design used by Japanese carving-tool maker Michihamono.
As with many good workshop solutions, the idea is refreshingly straightforward. Rather than reaching immediately for complicated machinery, the jig gives us a controlled way to use abrasive material on the curved profiles found on carving tools.
We make ours using Atoma diamond sheets, which we particularly like for their longevity and consistent cutting action.
Once the jig is made, it becomes a very useful thing to keep around for those occasions when a gouge has suffered a chip, a damaged edge or simply needs more correction than routine sharpening can comfortably provide.
Choosing the Abrasive
In the video, Christian uses a #600 Atoma diamond sheet.
We have also had excellent results with #1200.
For this particular jig, we recommend staying with those finer options rather than reaching for something substantially coarser.
The objective is controlled edge restoration, not aggressive metal removal.
A coarse abrasive may appear to speed things up, but once too much steel has been removed from a curved profile, restoring the original shape can become considerably more work than simply taking a little longer in the first place.
When to Use the Jig
This is not necessarily the tool we reach for every time a gouge needs sharpening.
If the edge is already in good condition and simply needs refining, normal sharpening and polishing may be all that is required.
The jig becomes particularly useful when:
- The cutting edge has developed a noticeable chip.
- The edge has become badly dulled or rounded.
- The profile needs more correction than a normal sharpening session can comfortably provide.
- You need a controlled way to re-establish the edge before moving to finer abrasives.
Think of it as a repair and preparation stage rather than the entire sharpening process.
Work Gradually
Curved gouges reward patience.
The profile of the edge is part of what makes the tool useful, so the aim is not simply to remove the chip as quickly as possible. We also want to preserve the shape of the tool while bringing the whole cutting edge back into good condition.
Work steadily, inspect the edge regularly and avoid concentrating all of your effort in one small area.
As with most sharpening jobs, it is much easier to remove a little more steel later than it is to put it back.
Finish on Waterstones
One of the biggest advantages of this approach is that the jig does not dictate the final quality of the edge.
Once the damaged edge has been corrected and the basic geometry restored, you can move back to waterstones and continue sharpening through whatever progression suits the tool.
That means there is effectively no upper limit imposed by the jig on how refined the finished edge can become.
The diamond abrasive does the corrective work.
The waterstones do the refining and polishing.
A Simple Solution to an Awkward Problem
Curved carving tools can seem intimidating to sharpen because they do not behave like the flat blades most woodworkers learn on first.
But the answer does not always need to be complicated.
A simple jig, a suitable diamond abrasive and a little patience can give you a controlled way to bring a damaged gouge back into shape before returning to your normal sharpening routine.
And once the edge is restored, the best strategy is the usual one: sharpen little and often so you do not have to do the heavy repair work again any time soon.
