Fishtail chisels and fishtail gouges feature a straight narrow shank or shaft that flares out into
the fan shape of a fish’s tail. The advantage of the fishtail profile is that its
flared outer edges allow the carver to negotiate the gouge blade into tight
spaces. By comparison, the shape and bulk of a straight gouge may not allow the carver
to get into these spaces. The sharp point on the corner of the fan shape makes a fishtail gouge very useful in cutting
away excess wood inside corners and when undercutting.
Both
straight gouges and fishtail gouges are useful wood carving tools. Neither type of gouge is a substitute for the other. A straight
gouge possesses the heft necessary to withstand a beating when roughing out a design. After the
project is roughed out, a fishtail gouge is often desired for detail work.
sign carving, fishtail gouges with a flatter sweep are often preferred for
carving incised letters. The downside, if there is any, of a fishtail gouge is that over many years, as the blade is sharpened, its width gradually decreases. The fact is that a fishtail chisel or gouge generally loses very little from periodic sharpening and should outlast the life of the carver, if that is a concern.
profile which is similar to the fishtail is the allongee design. What’s
different with the allongee profile is that the blade begins to flare out from
the handle to its ultimate width. (In the above photo note how the blade of the gouge on the right flares out from the handle.) Both fishtail gouges and allongee chisels are
excellent additions to your collection of woodcarving tools.
The Pfeil chisels and Pfeil gouges are very popular among woodcarvers. Other popular professional wood carving tools include Dastra, Auriou, Hirsch and Stubai.
RELATED WOODCARVING ARTICLES
Woodcarving Tool Care
Thinning Paste Wax for Easier Application
Applying a Wiping Varnish to Your Carving
Using Epoxy Clay to Correct Woodcarving Mistakes
Safety Rules for Angle Grinders
Lowering the Cutting Angle of Woodcarving Gouges
Undercutting to Create Drama in Relief Carving
