Differing uses of different gouge types.

[Andy Kev.]

I've been meaning to ask this for a while but have never got round to it.

The fact that there are in-cannel and out-cannel gouges implies that the types have different purposes. Can anybody explain what they are?

I also presume that they are principally carvers' tools but are there also general woodworking applications?

 

[Trevanion]

So, out-cannel gouges have the bevel on the outside of the chisel are typically used for carving, when you use them it's the inside profile of the gouge that is transferred to the work.

In-cannel gouges have the bevel on the inside of the chisel, and it's the outside profile of the gouge that is transferred to the work, when you use them they aren't really much good for carving but what they are exceptional for is paring cuts where you need a curved profile on a small piece of timber (you could get very long in-cannel gouges which were termed "Patternmaker's gouges", which were for paring across wide patterns very accurately). An in-cannel gouge is also used in scribing work in joinery, so if you have a moulding on a stile that you want to scribe into the end of a tenon on a rail, you can do that very easily with in-cannel gouges.

 

[Andy Kev.]

Thank you. That is fascinating. I'll see if I can find a few clips of it being done on YouTube.

 

[Trevanion]

[youtubessl]c7MRA4q3zGE[/youtubessl]

From about 33:00 onward.