Fire Wood Kuksa

[Mang]

Thought I'd sling some pictures up of a kuksa I've recently completed. It's spalted Birch and I spotted it, rather fortuitously, in a big of Big K firewood. It is kiln dried and was hard in parts and fragile on the peripheries and several bits did come off during it's making. I've left the odd minor pock mark and scratch as I was worried that I may overwork the wood and lose some pattern/ have another bit break. The oil used on it was walnut and the thong is a strip of salmon skin leather.

 

[Broch]

Very nice indeed. Nice wood and nice work!

 

[Bionic]

Wow. That’s superb, I’ve been meaning to have a go at a kuksa ever since I bought a touristy special in Stavanger about 10 years ago. One day I will get around to it, maybe I need to scrutinise my fire wood more closely in future

 

[crosslandkelly]

That's a lovely kuksa, nice work.

 

[Robson Valley]

Excellent. Your thinkings are good lessons in working spalted wood. I failed for those reasons.
First Nations here use spalted birch for the water ladles used in sweat lodge and smudging ceremonies.

 

[Muddypaws]

That's lovely spalting, and a very tidy finished Kuksa.

 

[Toddy]

I like that
Sometimes spalting just detracts from the shape, but it seems to make this one richer somehow.

I hope it's always full when you need it

 

[Hodge]

When the Kuksa has been used what do you advise I use to treat the wood where it gets damp?

 

[greencloud]

Very nice work. The finish is really smooth, is is carved or sanded? Amazing that the timber was otherwise firewood!

 

[Janne]

When the Kuksa has been used what do you advise I use to treat the wood where it gets damp?

Nothing. Let it dry.

The best way to treat is to drink lots of coffee and tea, that will infuse into the wood and make it 'preserved'

The kasa carvers in Scandiland boil the roughly cut wood first in salt watewr, or sugar water, before they carve it.
Prevents splitting of the thin walls they make, when it dries.

You can lightly oil the outside with an edible oil, like LO

 

[forginhill]

Gorgeous! It'll be the envy of camp....