im not a quitter

[one arm Rodge]

hey all, one arm rodge here. so far everyting i read is of course relating to two handed folks, i get that.

my approach so far to carving is what ever works, what ever it takes but i do get frustated, i think the hardest thing is understanding how to sharpen gouges, v tools etc, i seem to be able to get my whitting knife pretty sharp. I swear every author has a different way of sharpening and different termenolgy ?

ANYWAYS, HELLO TO ALL AND ILL GLADLY ACCEPT ANY TIPS ON ANYTHING FROM A TO Z IF IT MAKES IT EASIER ON ME.

THANKS, ONE ARM RODGE

PS IM LEFT WITH MY NON DOMINATE HAND, WISH IT WAS THE OTHER WAY AROUND, BUT IM STILL GLAD TO BE ON THIS EARTH

[Just Carving]

Welcome One Arm Rodge!

You've come to the right place if you REALLY want to carve--regardless of your limitations! If ya got a question, ASK! If ya can't figure out somethin', ASK! If ya need some advice, ASK! If ya need money, FUHGEDABOUDIT!

Seriously, others have come, stayed, or moved on. Each one of us has our limitations, and our own ways of doing things. Sharpening is one them. I use sandpaper, others use stones, or machines. It depends on what works for you. But if we can help, we'll try! BTW--V-tools are a pin to sharpen, and take a long time to figure out. Some just choose to send them to Little Shavers--our resident Sharpening GURU!! Gouges take some practice, but their not really that much harder than sharpening a knife. What method ya using to sharpen--stones, sandpaper, machines, sidewalks (jest kiddin'), etc. Maybe one of us can set ya on the straight and narrow path--might be the first time we were successful--but like I said, we try!

Have fun, enjoy the banter (which you'll see quite a bit of Bouncing S), and above all, if ya got a question, ASK!!!

HEY ADMIN!!! What's this " class="inlineimg" /> stuff?!?!?

[Irish]

Hi Rodge and Welcome!

I have found that the biggest problem with sharpening for a beginner is that they don't stick with one technique long enough ...

To sharpen a round gouge try pulling it from the edge towards you while rolling the profile against the stone. If your tool was pre-sharpened, sharpened at the manufacturer's use a fine grit stone of 6000 to 8000 grit. Work that edge until you can definitely feel a ridge of metal inside the profile at the tool's edge. This ridge is called the tin edge.

Now take your gouge to a leather strop with compound. Roll the back side of the gouge across the strop just as you did the stone. Then turn the tool over to the inside or face and pull that face along the edge or side of the strop.

This strop the back, flip and strop the front will work that tin edge until it breaks free!
You know you have released the tin edge when you can not feel any ridge either on the face or back of your gouge.

Next, I take my gouges over a thick layer of newspaper. I strop on the newspaper exactly as on the leather strop. I can use the fold of the newspaper to strop the face of the gouge.

Most beginners will work up a good tin edge but not continue the sharpening steps to get rid of that tin edge.

Once you have worked the tool use it for a little while, 15 minutes, then go back and do the strop steps from leather to newspaper again. Each time you repeat the stroping the sharper your edge. Don't return to the coarse grits unless you have a major nick or dent in the edge. Returning to the coarse stone removes all the sharpening that you worked hard to create with the fine grit stone and strop.

Let me know how this works for you!!!!

Susan

[Kenny_S]

Welcome aboard the Carving Train. Next three town we stop at is called Practice, Practice and Practice, then on to learn to Sharpen Tools, A neat little town, then on to a big town called Research, where we will spend some time looking around. Then back on the train for the Wood depot, where you will begin to experienc the fun world of carving.
So relax, enjoy and come here to the Question and Answer depot often.

[Ashbys]

Hi Rodge,

The information you will find here is really A good asset. But I am going to ask a couple of questions.

How long have you been with only one arm?

And before everyone thinks I have gone more insane than I am, the reason I am asking is because once we start compensating for the loss of one arm, leg or what ever , our bodies really can make some unique adjustments. I am thinking about the strength of the arm which is left.

If I was single arm handicapped , I don't think I would consider chisel carving, but would be much more prone to doing power carving. There you would be much less handicapped for the work. And considering the cost involved your cost would be almost the same or perhaps even less with power carving.
You could clamp the work piece and using a rotating vise your ability to manuver the piece would be much faster and safer and much less frustrating as the need for pushing through the wood would be removed and you would only have to deal with presssure. Also there would be no need for the sharping of tools saving even more frustration, when you would be trying to get the correct angles and pressure. Working on sharpening a long chisel with controled pressure.

Just my opinion

Ash

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

You can get a real good bench vise and that would compensate some for the lack of the arm, as for sharpening, I seem to need both hands to hold the tool exactly where I want it if I am using power, so I would think the "scary sharp" would be better for you? do a google search, sticky back sandpaper on a heavy piece of glass, marble, manmade countertop, anything flat and smooth, no reason why you can't go from rough to mirror that way...you can get up to 2000 grit at Klingspor, I have also gotten some at superabrasive...umm think thats the name? Hammer

[squbrigg]

Welcome aboard Rodge.....you have come to the right place. No quitters here.

Ron is blind and carves, and I've had a brain, neck and spinal injury and am carving, and we have several others who are struggling with various disibilities and still whittle away. Never give up or stop trying!!!

Have you considered power carving? After my accident, I didn't have the strength or endurance to do the type of carving I had enjoyed before, and tried power carving. Now I hog out with power and finish off with edged tools. Sharpening, is a skill you will have to develope if you intend to continue with edged tools. Rick at Little Shavers has a great tutorial on sharpening, and if you like, he has a great sharpening service, very reasonable, and VERY good.

Think about a way to secure your work, a bench vice, or other method and see what works for ya. Knifes, gouges or power, just make chips and express yourself in wood. It's the Greatest therapy there is.

Bob

[rick-in-seattle]

Rodge,
If I were in your situation, I would try a reciprocating carver, such as Automach.

I would get a small sandbag for my elbow and attach the wood to a vise or support of some kind.

If you did go with a reciprocating carver, and bought the Flexcut blades from a company that would sharpen them free for life, the shipping should be minimal.

Well, that's what I would do anyway.

[one arm Rodge]

thanks bobo, i can see you are the class clown, thanks for your reply

[one arm Rodge]

thanks Susan, ill print that off and give it a try, rodge