I've sharpened my gouges with success in the past, but recently I was given a gouge that defies sharpening. The gouge body is of black metal and the word England is stamped on the shank. Other than that, I don't know the manufacturer. Today I tried to sharpen it. I put a 20 degree bevel on it, honed it until I coundn't see light reflecting on the edge and then stroped it. When I stroped it, the edge crumbled into a jagged edge. I thougt that perhaps the gouge was made for a larger bevel, so I rebeveled it with a 30 degree angle, honed and stroped it until it shaved the hair on my wrist. However, it wouldn't even cut across the grain of white pine at all. What am I doing wrong? I guess I'll just shave my wrists until I get some answers.

Also, does anyone know where I can get some aluminum oxide strope abrasive?

Crubling sounds like it's just some poor quality metal. I was givin a set of gouges that a friend picked up at a flea market. They had no manufacturing mark at all. I gave them a good sharpening and on the first cut (also Pine) my edge looked like a shark bite.