Carving Gouge Calculator — Select the Right Gouge

Gouge sweeps are numbered from #1 (flat chisel) to #11 (deep U-gouge). Lower numbers have flatter curves, higher numbers have deeper (more curved) cross-sections. #3 is almost flat, #5 is shallow, #7 is medium (about a quarter-circle, roughly a 90-degree arc), #9 is semicircular (a half-circle, a 180-degree arc), and #11 is a veiner — a tall, narrow U-gouge that is deeper than a semicircle. The Sheffield List numbering system is standard in the UK; the Pfeil/Swiss system uses the same numbers.

A good starter set includes: a #5 sweep 14mm gouge (general purpose), a #7 sweep 10mm gouge (medium curves), a #3 sweep 20mm gouge (nearly flat for smoothing), a 60-degree V-tool for outlining, and a flat chisel 12-16mm. Start with these five and add as needed.

Match the gouge width to the detail size. For fine details (5mm), use 3-6mm gouges. For medium work (10-20mm), use 8-14mm gouges. For roughing and large areas, use 16-25mm gouges. Having a range of widths in the same sweep is more useful than many different sweeps.

The V-tool (or parting tool) is essential for outlining designs, incising lettering, creating fine lines, and separating areas of a relief carving. A 60-degree V-tool is the most versatile, and this calculator recommends 60 degrees by default (45 degrees for chip carving). A narrow 45-degree V-tool cuts crisp chip-carving notches, while a wide 90-degree V-tool opens broad, shallow decorative lines — set the default angle in advanced options to choose these manually.