#1 Flat Gouge

[mdelgado]

I just purchased a #1 flat gouge.  The #1 indicates that it does not have any sweep, so it's a gouge, but it's essentially a wide chisel.  It is somewhat sharp out of the box, but I need it to be very sharp.  Should I treat it like a chisel and sharpen it as such?  Should I treat it like a gouge with a bit of sweep and sharpen it using the SVS-50?  Or should I leave it alone and hone it with a strop?  Thanks.

[Ken S]

I would try using the leather honing wheel and treating it as a chisel. Start with the most gentle method and check the sharpness. Only get less gentle if needed.

Ken

[RichColvin]

Treat it as a chisel.