Moderator Art Posted October 20, 2015 Moderator Report Posted October 20, 2015 If you have the time, go for it. If you end up with a tool that does what you want it to, then you are ahead, if not, you are out your time. Art Quote For heaven's sakes pilgrim, make yourself a strop!
Members BondoBobCustomSaddles Posted October 21, 2015 Members Report Posted October 21, 2015 Like Art, I too have one sitting on the shelf that never gets used because it doesn't work worth a tinkers damn. Unlike Art, I am older and learned quicker, so I only have one!!! You don't have to hit me in the head with a 2X4 to get me to learn!!!! Bob Quote
Moderator Art Posted October 21, 2015 Moderator Report Posted October 21, 2015 Like Art, I too have one sitting on the shelf that never gets used because it doesn't work worth a tinkers damn. Unlike Art, I am older and learned quicker, so I only have one!!! You don't have to hit me in the head with a 2X4 to get me to learn!!!! Bob Unfortunately Bob, you can't buy tool "collections" without one of those damned things being in there. When you buy collections (better to call them bunches) of tools you tend to get a few. So, if I have to buy a worthless gouge to get a set of Christensen Bulldogs, or really good set of Swedish Pattern Lasting Pliers, I'm on board for that. I just won't sell them on to some newby leatherworker, hence, I have a few. If you are even the average tool nut, these gouges really do seem to multiply like lemmings. Unlike Bob, It didn't take hitting me in the head with a 2x4 for me to realize that I never should ever buy one at a Tandy!!!!! Art Quote For heaven's sakes pilgrim, make yourself a strop!
Members LeatherNerd Posted October 22, 2015 Author Members Report Posted October 22, 2015 (edited) For those who have the time and/or the bloodymindedness, here's what I did to mine to make it mostly tolerable: First, I cut a shim/spacer out of 5oz leather. I fiddled with the length so it would fit all the way at the top of the swing, but also be long enough behind the post to "catch" and prevent it turning with the post (this isn't strictly necessary; I just didn't want it to work itself around to the keyhole and slipping off the notch in the blade). The keyhole is a 1/8" hole which I then cut a 90° notch in so it would slide over the post. Make sure it's not too wide to fit behind the post when the rig is assembled. Reassemble and you should basically be good to go. This took 95% of the play out of my blade. I have noticed that it simply will not cut a gouge starting from the edge, however. I have to place the blade on the surface and start along the line, and the blade will push itself down into the leather. Once done, turn the piece around and cut the edge you originally started from. Mine is VERY cheap, meaning the post and threads show lathe gouges, and then they plated chrome over the top of that. As a result, the post gets really hard to turn at the top of the swing (fulling extending the blade). I fixed this by putting a dab of Flitz metal polish on the threads and running it back and forth. It REALLY did not like turning with the polish on the threads, but after a few good hard twists the worst of the chromed bumpies polished out and it turns very freely now. In polishing the threads I removed some chrome which exposed the metal, which is probably not stainless steel. To prevent it from getting rusty (and to give it that last little bit of slickness) I put a drop of 3-in-1 oil on the threads to coat and protect. <soapbox>DO NOT USE WD-40, it's a rust penetrant and metal protector, but not a proper lubricant. It dries to a gummy wax.</soapbox> I've attached pics of the shim and how it looks in my gouge with the blade fully extended--you can see the shim has to bend a bit to get around the screw posts. Good luck, and enjoy! Or, perhaps in this case, suffer less! P.S. Is this worth posting as a separate thread called "How To Fix That Crappy V-Gouge" or similar? Most seasoned leatherworkers have already abandoned this tool. This might help some newbies get some extra life out of theirs, but maybe we should be discouraged from doing so so we can get on to using a proper gouging tool? Edited October 22, 2015 by LeatherNerd Quote Hi my name is Dave Brady. I'm new to leatherworking and eager to learn. I started making journals in the spring of 2015 and I've had the leather bug ever since. I have respect for traditional techniques, curiosity for heretical practices, and a deep and abiding love for pragmatism. Ideally I try to make things that work and are beautiful, but ugly things that work get used and loved while pretty things that don't work end up getting tossed in the "lessons learned" bin. Advice and critique on anything I post in any forum is always welcome, either in public or via PM. I'm having a great time here, don't be a stranger! :D
Members BondoBobCustomSaddles Posted October 23, 2015 Members Report Posted October 23, 2015 :head_hurts_kr:It only took me one hit to get the message! Bob Quote
Members LeatherNerd Posted October 23, 2015 Author Members Report Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) My Rampart Tools 3/32" gouge arrived today! It had a slight patina of rust in one spot but that polished right out. It was mostly sharp, two or three passes on the strop and it cut easily into a test piece. Used it to cut a deep channel near one edge of my strop, applied rouge and stropped it right good. Now it cuts smooth and clean, peeling up a long, unbroken curl in the first pass. This tool is MUCH easier to hold and work, and far and away easier to guide with a straightedge. Zero play in the tip even though it's adjustable. MADE IN U.S.A., back when that really meant something. There's just no comparison to quality workmanship! <3 <3 <3 The only reason my metal v-gouge isn't already in the trash is that the Rampart tool makes a round-bottomed groove. How the heck am I supposed to accidentally shear my leather clean in half with this round-nosed nonsense?!? Edited October 23, 2015 by LeatherNerd Quote Hi my name is Dave Brady. I'm new to leatherworking and eager to learn. I started making journals in the spring of 2015 and I've had the leather bug ever since. I have respect for traditional techniques, curiosity for heretical practices, and a deep and abiding love for pragmatism. Ideally I try to make things that work and are beautiful, but ugly things that work get used and loved while pretty things that don't work end up getting tossed in the "lessons learned" bin. Advice and critique on anything I post in any forum is always welcome, either in public or via PM. I'm having a great time here, don't be a stranger! :D
Boriqua Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 I have the same tool for years and yea the blade goes up and down at will. I have managed to get good uses out of it though when making boxes and such. What I do is start with the blade down just a bit. hold to ruler and pass .. then lower it some more and pass again and do that until I have the depth I want. Not pleasant, not as it should be but I dont need it that often. but now you have me thinking about pulling it apart and making it actually work the way it should. Quote
Members LeatherNerd Posted October 24, 2015 Author Members Report Posted October 24, 2015 ¡Weeeeepaaaaa Boriqua! (Pasé dos años en Borinquen hacen 25 años ya....) Now that my gouge is shimmed and honed, I can get a clean single cut if I have the depth dialed in right, but I often find that multipass is unavoidable. I went to Tandy's website and nearly laughed myself sick today. They have training videos for both types of gouge, so I watched them. George demonstrates the wood-handled gouge with authority and grace. His video with the metal gouge on the other hand, the camera always seems to cut away right before he tries to make a tricky cut (like turn a corner or turn the gouge around to clean up the start of the channel). It was highly amusing. Good luck! Quote Hi my name is Dave Brady. I'm new to leatherworking and eager to learn. I started making journals in the spring of 2015 and I've had the leather bug ever since. I have respect for traditional techniques, curiosity for heretical practices, and a deep and abiding love for pragmatism. Ideally I try to make things that work and are beautiful, but ugly things that work get used and loved while pretty things that don't work end up getting tossed in the "lessons learned" bin. Advice and critique on anything I post in any forum is always welcome, either in public or via PM. I'm having a great time here, don't be a stranger! :D
Contributing Member fredk Posted October 31, 2015 Contributing Member Report Posted October 31, 2015 I too have one of these awful V gouges. Its now somewhere in the bottom of my main tool box. Thanks for the info on the fix, I'll have to try that. I got this V gouge to replace the wood working carving chisels I was using. It never replaced them. Quote Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Members howie696 Posted October 31, 2015 Members Report Posted October 31, 2015 I must be missing something my V gouge hsa no play either sideways or up and down and cuts a clean groove which I then open with a french skive if needed Quote
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