AAW Glaser bowl gouges

[Marc Ruby]

I have the two glaser gouges that the AAW sold about 10 years ago. I stopped turning due to heart trouble but I decided to start again. I made the mistake of putting an Ellsworth grind on the smaller gouge with poor results. Any suggestions about what grind to use would be welcome. So far my guess would be a traditional on the smaller and a bottom hugger on the larger. Help!

 

[Bill Boehme]

I don't know if there is a good grind, but the grind that it came with is junk in my opinion. I have the ½" gouge, but I don't use it. The flute is rather narrow and the grind that Is on the wings is way overground making the wings steep and thin. I guess that I could take a picture if that would help you. It also doesn't have the right flute shape for the Ellsworth grind. Maybe just put it in the Wolverine arm. I'm sure that it could be ground with wings that aren't so thin, but first you might need to turn the tool upside down on the grindstone and remove a lot of steel to get rid of the thin wings before putting a reasonable shape on it. I don't really need mine so it is mostly a collectors item.

 

[john lucas]

Design your own grind. In the AAW sharpening video John Jordan shows how to grind a bowl gouge from scratch by hand. Hard to describe in words but you draw on the side of the gouge the angle you want the wings to go. The you put the gouge flute toward the grindstone and grind to this mark. You will now have 2 blunt edges at the angle you want your wings. Then you flip the gouge over and grind each wing separately until you have a sharp edge. Then you grind the nose to the angle you want. After that it's a simple matter to blend the nose into the wings. If you choose to use the wolverine jig you simply put the gouge into the jig and adjust the V arm to get the nose angle. Then adjust the long arm until it matches the wing grind.

 

[Bill T Tucker]

Got to admit, Glaser gouges are tough to grind but that's what I prefer. Rule of thumb is to grind the wing back 1.5 times the thickness of the gouge. Since these are mostly (not all) V shape flutes, the trick is to get the transition right at the point where the bottom curve meets the straight sides. Sometimes a thin red line drawn down the flute at each of the transitions will help you see it at the grinder. John L is one of the best and his advise is spot on, look up his vids on Utube. But once you have the basic shape that you want, the next few sharpenings will tend to leave a "dip" in the edge between the nose and side at that transition point (bird's beak), hence the red lines. If you will sharpen each wing separately to the red line, then blend the nose, that may help. If you get too frustrated, send them to me and I'll be happy to fix 'em For an Ellsworth grind, you may need a parabolic flute.

Bill, if you get tired of storing those nasty old Glasers, I would be happy to store them for you

 

[Marc Ruby]

Thanks guys. It looks like I’ll have to experiment!

 

[robo hippy]

I have one of the V gouges with the black handle. I never use it because the V is too deep and pointy, and would clog a lot. I had a short swept back profile on it. I did like the metal, but not the flute shape...

robo hippy

 

[Bill T Tucker]

Hey Reed, just stick that worthless old thing back in a drawer someplace until I can get out there again. I'll gladly take it off of your hands....what would you like in trade??
bill

 

[robo hippy]

Oh, probably wood, as if I don't have enough..... Just gave away a truck load during the move.... I have one of the red ones too with the open flute... The lead shot filled handles are just too heavy for a day's worth of turning.... I will send a PM...

robo hippy

 

[Bill Boehme]

I figure my Glaser gouge will surface a century or two from now when somebody on "Antiques Roadshow" will say they found this strange tool in the attic of the old Boehme homestead and wanted to find out what it was used for.

 

[Steven Forrest]

I'm not sure if this is what you folks are talking about or not. I recently purchased a used gouge that was a commemorative, limited edition piece from the 20th AAW anniversary. Tool steel is Glaser (3/8" if I remember correctly, that dull sort of grainy looking grey), handle is cocobolo. Engraved, #112 of 500. Rumor had it one of the Battys turned the handle. It's a beautiful thing. Anybody know the story behind those? What were the Glaser tools made of back then? Thanks for any clues!

 

[Bill Boehme]

There were the real Glaser gouges made by Jerry Glaser using A11 steel. I think that aluminum handles. The AAW commemorative gouges are supposed to be the same except for the cocobolo handles. I believe that Paulo Marin claimed that he turned all of the handles.

 

[hockenbery]

I was on the board When AAW Commissioned the Gouges.
The idea was to have a numbered set of limited edition gouges that members could use to remember the anniversary. In addition it recognized Jerry Glaser who was awarded AAW life member in 2007.
There was also an aniversay book that was quite popular. We had a book signing at the symposium that lasted forever.

I do know that Stewart Batty signed the handles on the prototypes.
So he designed and turned the first ones.
Who turned the others? I do not know for sure.

 

[Bob Sheppard]

There were the real Glaser gouges made by Jerry Glaser using A11 steel. I think that aluminum handles. The AAW commemorative gouges are supposed to be the same except for the cocobolo handles. I believe that Paulo Marin claimed that he turned all of the handles.

I still have the Glaser gouge I bought from Jerry at the Philadelphia symposium in 1988. I don't turn a lot of bowls, so its still got a lot of life left.

 

[Don O. Jr.]

I have and use one of the commemorative gouges and it is one of my absolute favorites. I use a fairly standard/basic side grind with great success. The handle is a little thin for my taste but the tool works very well. I did make a mistake when they were offered originally. I bought a single gouge instead of a pair because I am cheap. Then they offered the leftovers for a discount and I got a pair and used 1 of those instead of using the first 1 and keeping the matched pair intact. I also have some of the original Glaser gouges that I use and enjoy very much. All have the same basic side grind I have been using for years, which is derived from seeing many demonstrations and turners-nothing special but it works for me.

 

[Steven Forrest]

Thanks, folks.

 

[n7bsn]

Ellen was at a Turners estate sale some time back and picked up this red handled small (3/16) gouge of a couple bucks.
Took it with her to a class from Molly Winton and Molly told her it was one of Jerry's early gouges....

Neither the turners helping with the estate sale, nor Ellen knew what it was.

 

[Lance Mirrer]

Does anyone remember what the set sold for originally and what a set is worth today? I would like one if anyone has one to part with.
Thanks!

 

[Finn Posner]

I have an opportunity to purchase two of the red handled Glaser bowl gouges 3/8" I think, but am curious as to whether the steel can be removed from the handle

 

[Lance Mirrer]

I have an opportunity to purchase two of the red handled Glaser bowl gouges 3/8" I think, but am curious as to whether the steel can be removed from the handle

Yes they can. I believe Doug Thompson makes a new insert for it.

 

[hockenbery]

I have an opportunity to purchase two of the red handled Glaser bowl gouges 3/8" I think, but am curious as to whether the steel can be removed from the handle

My red handled 3/8 dia Glaser had set screws. Put in a Thompson that is a great replacement.

Our black handle we replaced a gouge by heating it a little with a torch until the glue let loose.
Handle in a vice vertical (shot is kept in the handle by the gouge). Vice-grip on the old gouge to twist and lift as the heat releases it.

Then glued in the replacement with thick CA.

 

[Bill Boehme]

There were the real Glaser gouges made by Jerry Glaser using A11 steel. I think that aluminum handles. The AAW commemorative gouges are supposed to be the same except for the cocobolo handles. I believe that Paulo Marin claimed that he turned all of the handles.

I was on the board When AAW Commissioned the Gouges.
The idea was to have a numbered set of limited edition gouges that members could use to remember the anniversary. In addition it recognized Jerry Glaser who was awarded AAW life member in 2007.
There was also an aniversay book that was quite popular. We had a book signing at the symposium that lasted forever.

I do know that Stewart Batty signed the handles on the prototypes.
So he designed and turned the first ones.
Who turned the others? I do not know for sure.

It would be plausible that Paulo Marin turned the handles because he and Stu Batty had a business arrangement to revive production of the Glaser gouges. Regarding the business venture, things got off to a really bad start and went downhill from there. I won't mention any of the bad karma, but if interested you can find out more than you ever wanted to know by clicking on Search > Advanced Search > Search Threads > Posted by: Paulo Marin. Start at the bottom of the list if you want to read things in chronological order.