Help me with edgers

[rccolt45]

Can any one explain the different types of edgers?

I have seen the following 

straight edgers

round edgers

cowboy edgers 

bisonet edgers 

common edgers 

French edgers 

I need an edger that will work with 7/8 and 6/7 that will cut tight curves and make my edges round. 
any advice ?

 

[bruce johnson]

3 hours ago, rccolt45 said:

Can any one explain the different types of edgers?

I have seen the following 

straight edgers

round edgers

cowboy edgers 

bisonet edgers 

common edgers 

French edgers 

I need an edger that will work with 7/8 and 6/7 that will cut tight curves and make my edges round. 
any advice ?

 

I just answered your email and came here to see this. I can expand a bit on what I didn't cover in my reply there. 

Straight edgers - generally flat bottom and cut a flat profile. I mostly sell them to makers of English horse tack.  

Round edgers - several styles that cut a rounded profile, concave bottom surface, some have a convex shape to the top edge and some are flat on top. usually a longer life with they are a blade style edger and easiest to maintain. My favorites. 

Cowboy edgers? - may be referring to Western edgers aka bent-toe edger - fairly easy to maintain, curved profile from the side. As they sharpen back the cutting edge goes back further and further around that corner and the angle you hold them at lowers. 

Bisonette edgers - hole in a flat blade and can theoretically cut on a push or pull stroke. How often do most people need to pull? Pretty rare. Harder to maintain and sharpen without widening the cutting edge. My wife likes them a lot. I sort of do but never saw any huge advantage. 

Finest edger, fine edger, Gomph Common edger - these have a V shaped fork in the tip. rounded profile, fairly easy to maintain, can trim linings close to a stitch line, sharp tips and are sometimes called "finger stabber edgers". 

Common edgers - lots of versions and several edgers get lumped as common edgers. Some of the vintage unmarked ones from Osborne were referred to as common edgers. rounded profile, easy to maintain, easy to widen out sharpening unless you are careful. Gomph called their "fine edgers" as "common edgers". 

French edgers - flat profile, can be used for edging, skiving edges, and if they have the right profile will gouge channels too. 

You asked in your email about tight inside curves - the turnback edgers will do that - short lifespan and tricky to sharpen. A round edger with short toes and narrow sides will do inside curves too.