Refining The Bowl

Use a round scraper to remove any high spots and discrepancies made with the gouge. You can use the scraper by pulling the cutting edge towards you or pushing away with your thumbs. Work down to the bottom from the ends or the sides, always feeling for a smooth, clean cut.

Once all visible high spots are gone, use some 120 grit sandpaper to further refine the bowl. Folding the sheet in half stiffens the sandpaper and stops it from tearing or crumpling. Work around the whole surface, pressing in with your fingers to follow the contour of the bowl and moving to a fresh spot on the sandpaper once it wears or clogs. Avoid sanding across the grain as this will leave rough marks that are hard to remove.

Lastly, go over the whole surface again using 240 grit sandpaper. This will create a smoother finish than that left with the coarse grit.