HI, Robo Hippy.. Not to hijack the thread, but I wanted to say "Thanks" for taking the time to make that video on the thompson fluteless gouge.. Soon as I saw it, I knew that was just what I had been wanting.. went and bought one right away (Thanks, Doug for the Tools!.. Might end up being another bottomless pit where my *cough*Toy*cough* tool money goes..) Tried it out today for the first time, after a couple catches (trying to start in a cut with no bevel support like a bowl gouge, and other one by not paying attention to where my edge was.. then re-viewed the video and figured out where I went wrong) .. and I could not be happier! Works beautifully, and does as nice a job as my skew (which I haven't mastered, but have done pretty good with it).. Just got to figure out what grind I'll be happy with - I been using it at first with the factory grind , but more I use it, more I will see where I will want my angles to be at.. (I don't think I will want it at the same 50 degree as my bowl gouge, probably not your 70 degree either... but maybe somewhere in between.. time will tell)......talking about the fluteless gouge, which is a Doug Thompson tool. It is half round bar stock. I sharpen it with a ) shaped nose, and a 70 degree nose. I like it for the ability to stand up for a very high shear/slicing angle cut. It isn't made for removing lots of stock, just light finish cuts. It makes it easier, for me, to get those very dainty cuts across the bottom of a bowl, and near interrupted edges. Generally, I can get a cleaner cut than I can with a standard gouge. Some of the BOB (bottom of bowl) tools can be rolled up to that high angle. I do have a couple of spindle detail gouges ground to the same shape as my fluteless gouge.
robo hippy