veiners

I am having problems with the v tools or veiners, I don't know what it is, but they seem to plow on me and chip more than cut, even new out of the box, I have stropped until they shine like a mirror...but still the same, I must be doing something wrong...the round bottom palm carvers cut just fine??

[Nancy_G]

From Nancy -- the big expert *: on veiners LOL LOL LOL........... run your fingernail along the edge. *I bet you feel a wee,tiny 'hook' or barb on the very tip of the V. *You'll have to take that off with a stone or diamond stone and then strop again. *Take my advice - I'm not using it *.

In 14 years of carving I've successfully sharpened maybe 4 V tools.

[AlArchie]

I've found 'V' tools a little difficult to get used to, but once ya get the hang of them, they work fine. One quirk, that I'v found is that MOST v tools are beveled on the outside edge, and therefore need to be applied a little steeper than is comfortable. There are some Japanese 'v's' that are beveled on the inside, and would allow a shallower approach to your cut. I'm going to order one or twp of those and try them out.

Nancy may have a point there, too about the hook on the tip of the 'V'. A couple other things to check are that the ends are square with the shank, and don't taper either forward or to the rear (handle end), and that the bevels meet at exactly the point of the V. It may be off to one side and thus cause you to have to push the gouge around the cut instead of through it. (hope that made sense to you; it did to me, but I was writing what I meant and you have to figure out if I meant what I wrote?????!!!!!)

Al

Hi Ho,
If it has a V shape, it is called a V-parting tool, if it has a U shape, it is called a Veiner.
Originally, veiners were used to add veins to carved foliage, and may have been V or U shaped.

Most likely the problem with your tool is the 'heel' of the V needs to be taken down slightly. It is the rounded part on the underside of the tool. Another problem I see often is a double bevel on V-parting tools. Usually factory applied to create a sharp edge while avoiding problems such as a point or gap in the apex of the V.

I can give you two pieces of advice that will improve your success in sharpening V-parting tools.
First, is to use good magnification when sharpening them.
Second and most important, when you feel you have a good sharp tool, jab it into a board a couple times (cross grain), then look at it again under magnification. This will show the actual profile of the cutting edge; good or bad.
Oh, one last thing, when it looks sharp and has a good cutting edge, buff it lightly. It can make all the difference in the world.
Best of luck, Rick

[ibrewalot]

For me, the only way I'm going to get a v-tool or a small gouge/veiner sharp enough to slice is to power strop. I've certainly messed up the bevel on several trying to sharpen them with a stone and all I've ever done is shorten both my tool and my patience. I recently went to a club that had a power strop (grinder with just buffing wheels, no grinding disk) and one of the guys there showed me how easy it was to get them to slice smoothly again. I ordered my grinder today (Christmas gift certificates to Woodcraft have begun to make their way to my mailbox!) so hopefully my dull v-tool and veiner days are over. You might try borrowing a turn on someone's first before you fork out the bucks, just to make sure that's the problem, but I used to have the same wood-crushing luck with 'em and power stropping fixed it for me.

Good luck,
Brian

[FatEddy]

This is not the 'right' way to do it, but it works for me on small tools. Do as Rick advises and get good light and magnification (I use one of those flourescents with a mag. glass) then hold the tool steady and move the stone. Easy does it. Patience.

OK thanks folks, I will try some of these ideas and see what happens.....

Well I listened to everyone and then proceeded to run the tools on an 8000 stone and strop and on one, there was a point on the tip of the v, on the other, one side was different, so just sat there and 'patiently' honed and stropped...they do work much much better tho....thanks folks!

First, I have 'lost' more edges on v-tools than I have 'won.' *Just haven't seen the light yet, but keep trying. *I always keep the address of a good sharpener guy to clean up my v-tools when they get 'beyond' my ability--like Richard Belcher in Tiff City, Ohio; *he has a carving shop, gives lessons, and sharpens tools for a tool supplier. *It saves me more than it costs.

Now, veiners are something else. *I can do them on power. *However, I've found you can ruin the metal if you're heavy handed on the sharpener wheel. *I've gone to a paper wheel system with a cloth buffer and really do fairly well. *I only go to a stone wheel when I've nicked a blade or need to reshape it--then I have about as much luck with a slow moving belt sander with a very soft and nearly worn out belt--have an easier time in getting the bevel long and flat with it. *Still use a stone or diamond stone to do my knives; can't keep from rounding them when using a power sharpener system.

Seems like everyone just has to try it all and then settle on what works for them. *Still, we keep trying new stuff to see if there is something better. *Guess that's human nature.

[move]good luck![/move]
Donna T

[jimmo2]

I know this is not the correct way to do it but most of the time I cut a goove with a beveled straight gouge first. You could use a knife but the gouge is thicker and helps a lot when you redo with your v tool. I know there are times when this is not practical but it has saved me several times. Especially if it is a long groove. But by all means the v-tool should be as sharp as possible. It also helps me keep a straigh line if necessary. Anyway it sometimes works for me.