Wednesday, February 5, 2014

The Sweet Smell of Success

After many broken spoons, and plenty of...explicit words, I finally finished my first spoon. The proportions are a little off, the whole thing twisted like a corkscrew when it dried, and the bowl is a tad bit lop sided, but I feel like the proud parent of an ugly baby.

I chickened out from adding chip carving to the handle.

This spoon is made from a piece of apple wood that was gifted to me from a visitor to the museum. Apple is wonderful to work with as long as it is wet. I treated the spoon with some Walnut Oil which really made the heartwood pop.

I left the knife marks on, I think it gives more character.

I learned a few key things in my quest for a wooden spoon:
1. These little buggers are WAY more complex than they first appear.
2. Don't try for perfection, that is what factories are for.
3. Wood selection is paramount. Fruit and Nut woods are preferred, any sort of ring porous wood is abismal.
4. Consider me addicted.

I really like the side profile.

Onwards and Upwards!

4 comments:

  1. Easy to catch the spoon fever I watched Peter on Roy's show bought some tools and have made over a dozen so far. Good relaxing work. I have learned the wood has to determine the spoon, not the other way.

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    1. Very true about the grain. Green woodworking is a whole different beast when it comes to material selection.

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  2. I was an ugly baby and never improved :) Spoon looks good. I like apple for spoon wood I have also carved choke cherry which I found very hard. I must admit I have carved dozens of spoons before getting any that were useful . The real test is if its comfortable eating with. By the way I got a hold of Before The Mast. Great book thanks for the info!

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    1. I am glad you liked the book...now I actually have to get to some posts about it, but don't worry, I have some doozies in store.

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