What are gouges and what are they used for.

Gouges are tools used for carving wood. They come in various shapes and sizes, and they typically feature a U-shape or V-shaped cutting edge. The cutting edge can range from flat, typically featured in chisels, to edges with sallow or deep sweeps. In spoon carving, gouges are used for hollowing out the bowl of the spoon, serving as the most common alternative to the hook knife.

Straight Gouges

These gouges have a straight cutting edge and are essential tools in woodcarving for making straight cuts. They are versatile and can be used for various carving tasks.

Bent Gouges

Also known as spoon gouges or bent chisels, these gouges have a bent shaft and usually a U-shaped edge. This design enables carvers to reach areas that might be challenging to access with straight gouges. They are particularly useful for hollowing out concave shapes or working in tight spaces, such as when carving a spoon or a bowl.

Dogleg Gouges

These gouges have a distinctive “dogleg” or cranked shaft, allowing the cutting edge to be set at a right angle or slightly off from the handle. The dogleg shaft helps reach into deep recesses or corners while maintaining a straight angle between the handle and the cutting edge.

U-Gouges or Spoon Gouges

A spoon gouge features a U-shaped blade and is commonly used for carving concave shapes and hollows in the bowl of a spoon. The shape of this tool resembles a spoon.

V-Gouges

A V-gouge features a V-shaped blade and is commonly used for carving V-grooves.

It’s important to note that terminology might vary among woodworkers and regions. The distinctions between gouges can sometimes overlap or be named differently.

Sources

We found some very useful information on these two articles which you may want to have a look.

https://www.thesculpturestudio.com/woodCarvingTools.html

[https://woodcarvingillustrated.com/blog/2017/04/18/all-about-chisels-gouges-and-v-tools-part-1/]