there is no substitute for a good instruction.
Good sense?
Look at the two negative responses above. Where's the good sense? Can you get a catch when the flute is angled outward? Of course not. Note that
any gouge used with flute up is a disaster waiting to happen. Moreover, use of the rest over center outside means all cutting is done where there is a considerable vector pushing the entire tool immediately out of harm's way if there's a sudden loss of control. Good sense.
Good cutting, too. As you see it, it should make you realize that what is happening is really another demonstration of what is universal when working wood with an edge. You bring your jackknife in at a high angle and present only the very edge as you start the cut, decreasing to a minimum clearance angle to peel. You don't bring it broadside and try to cut the grain crosswise. You don't start whittling in the middle of the stick, either. You might rip a big splinter if you did. Same goes for rough turning, where the tool is carried off the end with the initial stroke, repositioned a bit further back, cutting new territory and downhill into old. You carve the same way. Why should turning be any different? You skew your knife, carving tool or plane and the peeling gets easier because of it, as it does with the gouge. Universals. The gouge used as you see in the videos has an additional advantage, in that tilting the tool into the cut and skewing aft allows the area removed initially to support the edge that follows as it deepen the cut while removing an even thickness shaving until such point as the natural curvature of gouge and work allow it to feather its way out almost effortlessly. A broad bite leaves a surface a deep one never could, while removing as much wood.
If those who have gone before knew and used this, what happened back in the 70's? Has something changed in the nature of wood or the condition of an edge which makes things unsafe, or are we just dealing with people who haven't a clue and don't care to get one? Invocation of famous names as objection in lieu of information indicates someone without a clue of what's going on. Why is something unfamiliar to them wrong? Most likely because they've neither tried the motions nor put the mental effort in to understand what's going on. Remember it was exploited by famous turners of an earlier day before today's crop of famous folks was a gleam....
Here is a picture of a sidegrind and a large radius gouge as the wood sees them. Naysayers, please, what's the difference? As it see it the one on the left is properly supported on the rest so that it does not load the hand that holds it. The operator is also at the far end, well behind the rest and out of the throw zone. The shavings don't hide the cut from him, nor are they thrown back into his face as he tries to draw the tool. It's a one-hand possible cut which is enhanced by the second providing the fixed pivot point for entry.
Broad curves and constant bevels make for nearly effortless shaving. They have to, because the turner's left leg is lucky to produce 1/3 HP. The old folks had to figure what removed wood with the least effort, because all the effort came from them, not the wall. Worked pretty rapidly on piecework, as well. Those who cite famous turners turning at mach speed with this tool or that should check Robin Wood's race with a "real" turner one more time.
