one of many ways to skin a spoon

I figured i would do a start to semi-finished spoon. We’ll stop at drying on this one. maybe i’ll show it later when it gets it’s wings. This is also helpful to show that i don’t use router jigs or magic wands to get a spoon from a tree.

 

step one: I’ll cut a length suitable for something. Here i’m going for a serving spoon. Note: this is a straight chunk of branch, crooks will make an appearance soon.

You’ll see that there’s a branch interrupting the party so i cut just before it.

 

So here’s our piece. Next is to drive a wedge shaped object through it to split it in half. My weapon of choice is an old blacksmithed froe.

both of these will be spoons eventually. next i flattened any high spots to give me a square blank with even, parallel planes. Next is a step i don’t always do: drawing shapes. I have been trying to chop shapes without a guide recently to get better at seeing the spoon in the material.

Another step i skip sometimes is sawing relief cuts. for the sake of being thorough i’ll do it here. in the photo the dotted lines are the guide for said saw cuts.

Next up is to cleave the waste off the handle to the relief cut to give us more of a spoon shape.

A little bit of axe work here and there to make the form come out.

Next is knife work. Occasionally i will go to the hook but on this one the straight knife told the story first.

Here’s a side shot to show the profile and relation between handle, stem and bowl.

All that’s left before drying is to carve the bowl with the hook which i didn’t capture by itself so it’ll be joined with it’s siblings from todays session. (second from the top)

those spoons will dry in my bag for a few days then i will finish cut, engrave and oil them.

 

That’s all for today, not too exciting for those experienced or those who don’t give a crap about carving spoons!

 

bk