But, Leo, something you just can't seem to comprehend is that it DOESN'T get
caught because it has no wood over it to catch it, save the minimum required
to start a shaving;

Over it is irrelevant, the rotation, torque, force is down. Once
again, you need to draw it George. Once the catch starts the tip
follows a downward arc with the rotational point at the tool rest.
Functionally this makes the gouge longer, pushing the tip ever deeper
into the wood - unless of course you are holding the gouge SO loose
that it flys back at you.