I know this will be controversial.....but, here goes....

[Hutch Hutchinson]

When some one mentions the "traditional" grind, I think of one where the bevel runs straight across the bottom of the gouge, pretty much no sweep to the bevel at all. Other than that, I don't know. I can't think of how that could be done with the Wolverine set up. As for swept back gouges, not sure how far back they go, but a long time. I haven't used one since I learned platform sharpening, and that may go back 15 years or so. The swept back design is kind of a jack of all trades, but also, a master of none. I use the 40/40 and a variety of BOB tools.

robo hippy

I’m new - what’s a BOB tool?

 

[robo hippy]

BOB tools are specialized for "bottom of bowl". I may have coined the phrase. There are several "bottom feeders: which I thought was a signature tool, and BOB is easier to write out....

As for the 40/40 grind, I prefer it for my finish cuts. On the outside of the bowl, it is all I ever use. On the inside, I use a smaller gouge, but the same grind, and one of a number of BOB tool grinds, but my favorite is a spindle detail gouge which is excellent for rolling on its side for a very high shear angle which makes for a cleaner cut. I am not sure what is meant by "classic grind". I guess it is kind of like "fingernail" grind, and I have short stubby fingernails, and some have long fingernails..... Will we ever get "standardized"? Do we need to?

robo hippy

 

[Jon Rista]

BOB tools are specialized for "bottom of bowl". I may have coined the phrase. There are several "bottom feeders: which I thought was a signature tool, and BOB is easier to write out....

As for the 40/40 grind, I prefer it for my finish cuts. On the outside of the bowl, it is all I ever use. On the inside, I use a smaller gouge, but the same grind, and one of a number of BOB tool grinds, but my favorite is a spindle detail gouge which is excellent for rolling on its side for a very high shear angle which makes for a cleaner cut. I am not sure what is meant by "classic grind". I guess it is kind of like "fingernail" grind, and I have short stubby fingernails, and some have long fingernails..... Will we ever get "standardized"? Do we need to?

robo hippy

The "Bottom Feeder" is Mahoney's term, I think. I have his Carter & Son "Bottom Feeder" gouge that I use on the inside bottom of my bowls. I'd heard them called BBGs or just "Bottom Bowl Gouges" in the past too, but I like BOB!

 

[hockenbery]

what’s a BOB tool?

When hollowing a bowl with a bevel riding cut some grinds will be limited to a depth when the tool hits the rim.
On bowls much deeper than wide most bowl gouges regardless of grind will hit the rim before hollowing to the bottom ( Bob will hit tge rim on many of these bowls.

The bevel angle limits and bowl shape limit how far down the internal curve a gouge can go before hitting the rim with the tool.

An Ellsworth grind with the heel ground off can hollow rim to bottom center of most open bowls that are wider than deep.
I like using a 40/40 on platters. Here I want to do a push cut.
On bowls I prefer the Ellsworth. A pull cut on the outside gives a better surface than the 40/40. Hollowing the Ellsworth gives as nice a surf as the 40/40. On NE bowls the Ellsworth is a much better choice for me than the 40/40.

 

[robo hippy]

Mike Mahoney does have a "signature" line of tools that are made by Carter and Son tools.

robo hippy

 

[Lennart Delin]

Why don´t you use a ring tool or what I like to call an angled gouge? Shop made from a ball bearing ring. I have never understood the bottom feeder or bottom bowl gouge. Why make a particularly blunt tool, high cutting angle, when there is no need to?

 

[Jon Rista]

Why don´t you use a ring tool or what I like to call an angled gouge? Shop made from a ball bearing ring. I have never understood the bottom feeder or bottom bowl gouge. Why make a particularly blunt tool, high cutting angle, when there is no need to?

View attachment 86274

Have you used one? In my experience, using the bottom feeder is far easier and produces cleaner cuts on the bottom range of the inside of a bowl than any other gouge.

 

[Lennart Delin]

Have you used one? In my experience, using the bottom feeder is far easier and produces cleaner cuts on the bottom range of the inside of a bowl than any other gouge.standard

Yes, my standard in all deep bowls.