"David Wade" wrote in message
...
John, "Riding the bevel" is a convenient concept that helps beginners
gently move the tool into a cutting orientation. Many seem to think they
are riding the heel of the bevel at the same time as the cutting edge. You
have just figured out that it doesn't make sense. Congratulations.


He speaks the truth. You guide parallel to the edge, allowing the wood to
slide down and separate the shaving by skewing the tool.

SNIP

Essentially, with a gouge you want to cut with the lower edge on a tangent
to the circle. Starting by riding the bevel and increasing the angle until
shavings start to appear is the safest and surest way to accomplish that.


Get the tool firm to the rest, use a steep entry angle and/or the pointy
portion of your grind to poke into the cut, laying the tool back on enough
bevel to guide as the shaving begins. "Riding" the bevel, as in the type of
prying action the term implies, will get bruised wood in the fresh cut
areas.