Proper use of bent/spoon gouges?

[FrederickH]

I'm currently working on carving a full shell pattern into a 8x8x3" block of white pine and am about to carve out the interior(concave) portion of the shell. When practicing with my bent gouges, it doesn't quite "feel" right, when pushing the gouge into the bowl of the shell. I want to "stand on my head" to push the tool. Should I be pulling it toward me to carve the interior???

 

[jim vojcek]

I push the spoon gouges.  Are you trying to remove too much wood at one time?  Or is your gouge not sharp enough?  Can you remove some of the material in a diferent  operation?  A  drill bit or a hand router or blasting powder! 

Jim Vojcek

 

[FrederickH]

Jim, I'm using razor-shape tools and not trying to remove too much material. When I'm trying to remove the "final" layer of wood, it seems as though the spoon gouges are at a rather steep. backward angle and I don't feel comfortable pushing on the tools and thought that maybe I was using the spoons in the incorrect fashion. This is my first real use of the spoon gouges and it might be my inexperience with them that feels awkward. Are there any videos out there that show the proper use of the spoon gouge?