I will take this opportunity Odie to humbly ask maybe you could share your insights into the advantages of the conventional grind! As a novice turner it would be great to learn about it, and I would bet I am not alone. You could write "Odie's Ode to the bygone days of the conventionally ground gouge"
As a newbie, I started turning with a conventional grind, and I used it for a time, before I bought the Wolverine jig. This was around 1990+/-, when most turners were converting to the swept back grinds that Ellsworth was pioneering. Back then, I was not experienced enough to realize how to take full advantage of the different shape of the ground gouge.....conventional vs swept back. After I converted to the swept back grinds via the Wolverine + the vari-grind jig, it took me awhile to realize there were certain transitional cuts I was having difficulty with.....especially for the interiors of extreme inward slanted walls on bowls.....the traditional grind made those transitional interior cuts easier. Not only that, but as my experience developed, I began creating exterior details that were easier to accomplish with the traditional grind. My experience was gaining, and because of that, the realization that I could do some things with the traditional grind that I couldn't do with the swept back grinds was coming into focus. At that point, I began a gradual transition back to the traditional grind.....and, I've never looked back!
With a word of caution......the most cleanly made cut (assuming sharp tools and good presentation) is a cut that sometimes takes place very close to having a catch. New turners should stay away from that "danger zone" until they learn good tool control. Experienced turners can negotiate that danger zone with the knowledge that only comes with time in the saddle.....
My advice would be for a new turner to experiment with both types of grinds, and as you gain experience, the difference between these two basic types of grinds may have better focus.....and if that happens, you may gain a greater understanding. Most turners never really advance beyond a simple shaped bowl that is easily power sanded, and for those, there may never be the kind of realization I feel I was lucky enough to have.
For those who don't know what a traditional grind is, it's by using the v-arm of the Wolverine. Instead of swinging the gouge from side to side like with the vari-grind jig.....you rotate the gouge on it's longitudinal axis to create the grind shape you want. There is a technique to it, and having nice curved wings that smoothly transition to the nose is what you're looking to get.
-----odie-----