Carving gouge, sweep 3

A woodcarving gouge of sweep no. 3, meaning a very slightly hollow, almost flat blade. It is the tool you pick up after roughing out to flatten backgrounds, smooth surfaces and soften curves, without leaving the furrows of a deeper gouge.

Steel blade, beech handle. Made in Switzerland by a manufacturer specialising in carving tools. The sweep number indicates the curvature of the cutting edge: 1 for a flat blade, 3 for a barely marked hollow, then hollows that get progressively deeper.

Push it by hand for finishing work, or with a mallet to remove more material, always along the grain. Keep the edge in shape on a leather strop loaded with polishing compound between two sharpenings on a fine stone. A little oil on the blade before storing it for a long time.