Tried a different bevel angle on my gouge and it changed everything

I've been sharpening my gouges the same way for like 8 years, always going with the standard 25 degrees. Last month I figured I'd try 30 degrees on one of my older gouges that I use for tank heads. The difference was pretty wild - it held the edge way longer when I'm cutting through rusty boiler plate, and I didn't have to touch it up until I was done with the whole job. I'm thinking of switching all my gouges over now... anyone else mess with bevel angles and get weird results?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencerm4620d ago

Saw the same thing myself a few years back. Sticks with it.

paulw8719d ago

spencerm46 said he stuck with it, and that's kind of how it goes. In my experience, once you find something that really works, it's hard to go back. It's like when I switched from regular table salt to that coarse sea salt for cooking. It's a small change, but the way it hits the food is totally different. Same with my car mechanic buddy who always uses the same air pressure in his tires, then tried a higher one and said the ride got way more stable on the highway. Small adjustments can make a big difference if you just give them a shot.