Gouges & Gouge Blades

A gouge is the foot care and podiatry instrument for areas that neither a scalpel nor a plane can reach cleanly: it removes calluses in the nail fold and nail groove, enucleates corns (clavi) and loosens residue under the nail edge. Here you will find gouges with a fixed blade as well as blade holders with replaceable blades – from Excellent, RUCK and Aesculap.

Learn more: fixed or replaceable blade, blade width, use and reprocessing

Fixed blade or blade holder?

Gouge with fixed blade – an instrument made in one piece; the channel-shaped cutting edge is resharpened instead of replaced. It sits steadily in the hand and gives the best feedback when enucleating. The choice for practices with their own reprocessing and sharpening service.
Gouge blade holder – takes disposable gouge blades. After every treatment a fresh blade goes on the holder, so there is no need to resharpen. Hygienically the simplest solution, especially in mobile foot care.

Which blade width?

The width of the channel determines how much callus is removed per stroke. 1 mm is the fine version for the nail groove and the nail fold, 1.8 mm the stronger one for clavi and thicker calluses. If you only keep one instrument, the fine width takes you furthest – it can be guided with control even in tight spots. Models such as the Kuhnt gouge are ground particularly slim and intended for very fine work at the nail edge.

Use

Soften skin and nail beforehand, then work dry – on wet skin the cutting edge slips.
Place the channel flat and work away from the nail with short, pushing strokes, never towards the nail bed.
Remove in thin layers and assess the area in between. A corn is enucleated from the outside inwards until the core is exposed.
Not on cracks, wounds or inflamed skin; in the case of diabetes and circulatory disorders, treatment belongs in the hands of a podiatrist.

Reprocessing and resharpening

Gouges are made of stainless steel and, like all instruments, are placed in disinfectant solution directly after treatment, cleaned, rinsed, dried completely and sterilised. The channel is where residue is most likely to dry on. Fixed blades can be resharpened through our sharpening service; replaceable blades are disposed of after every treatment.