A first attempt at carving a Kuksa

[Stringmaker]

I've wanted to have a go at one of these for quite a while but have not had a decent chunk of birch until now.

It's work in progress and I am not sure yet how it will turn out but for now, this is where I've got to.

I split the log then roughed out the shape using my GB Hand Hatchet and some simple stop cuts:

Then working with my SAK I have tidied up the front part of the bowl a bit:

In order, the sequence for the rest of it will be to tidy up the rest of the bowl, hollow it out, then work on the handle. I am in two minds as to whether or not to try and get this piece good enough to leave unfinished or to get the sandpaper out.

More pics to come as it progresses. I have a technique in mind to do the bowl which is new to me but I deduced it from looking at a similar piece I bought from a charity shop.

Comments welcome from all you expert carvers out there.

 

[Biker]

Comments welcome from all you expert carvers out there.

Did you hear the thunder of feet running in the opposite direction at the mention of the word Expert?

Good start mate. Not sure if I would have started the outside curve first though knowing that it'll be difficult to hold it steady later when it comes to working on the inside of the bowl once the outside is round. But if this method you've sussed out works then go for it.

I carved a bowl using handtools only before Christmas from spalted birch and doing the outside part looked temptingly like the easiest to do but I opted for the difficult part first, this allowed me to clamp (or screw) the block securely to something solid to hollow it out. No chance of stabbing yourself in the leg if the bowl suddenly gets loose.

By no means an expert but I like to have a go.

Here's the bowl I carved, yes it's supposed to be rustic like that

https://sites.google.com/site/projectchallenges/entry-b/Challenge_04-003.jpg

 

[Stringmaker]

Did you hear the thunder of feet running in the opposite direction at the mention of the word Expert?

Good start mate. Not sure if I would have started the outside curve first though knowing that it'll be difficult to hold it steady later when it comes to working on the inside of the bowl once the outside is round. But if this method you've sussed out works then go for it.

I carved a bowl using handtools only before Christmas from spalted birch and doing the outside part looked temptingly like the easiest to do but I opted for the difficult part first, this allowed me to clamp (or screw) the block securely to something solid to hollow it out. No chance of stabbing yourself in the leg if the bowl suddenly gets loose.

By no means an expert but I like to have a go.

Here's the bowl I carved, yes it's supposed to be rustic like that

https://sites.google.com/site/projectchallenges/entry-b/Challenge_04-003.jpg

Ha!

I used the term as a mark of respect; I am not worthy when looking at some of the work on here.

I have to fess up and say that I am working to the sequence that Jon Ridgeon uses:

http://www.jonsbushcraft.com/Kuksa tutorial.htm

I think some of you know him and he posts on here sometimes.

It works out okay so far to do the outside of the bowl as it is big enough to hide my fingers behind as I cut; I also work on a block when taking some bigger cuts. The technique I will use for the hollowing out is kind of like stop cutting; I will gouge a deep channel across the middle then gouge towards the cut to define the bowl. Once I get to an equal level then I'll repeat the process and then finish it with my spoon knife.

I like the piece you did; there is an honesty in leaving the tool marks so you can see how it was made; a bit like historic buildings with differing rooflines or bricks.

Each to their own really.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Looking great matey!

 

[Stringmaker]

Thanks!

Hopefully I won't make a lash of it and ruin the proportions...

 

[Retired Member southey]

HA! i know, i tend to make the transition from bowl to handle to thin and off to the left(if looking from above)

 

[Stringmaker]

It just goes to show how good the good carvers are doesn't it?

I do actually have a couple of spoons with a slight horizontal twist on them; I liked the fact that the wood grew that way so tried to preserve it in the finished piece.

 

[Barn Owl]

you're doing fine there.

i find the handle harder than the bowl to shape.

 

[Stringmaker]

I worked on the bowl a little more last night. You can just see the beginnings of the curve on the back half starting to appear:

I've decided that I will finish this by progressively finer sanding and oiling; it has a spectacular concentric grain from where I split it, plus an interesting coloured stripe on top of the handle. You can really understand how tresaured one of these is when you've made one and invested so much of yourself in it.

 

[Stringmaker]

Work continues...

The back of the bowl is going to taper in two planes; from the back and the sides, hopefully ending up in a triangular section for the handle. So far it looks like this:

I've also started roughing out the inside of the bowl. Just because I've not used it in anger before I began by working with my cheapie straight gouge:

This was actually an eaiser option of tool for me as I could define the initial edge boundary with more control. Once that was done then out came the spoon knife:

I've also decided to leave the slight longitudinal twist in the piece as it is how the wood presented itself to me and makes it more interesting.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Biker]

Looking good mate, looking good. Nice looking grain in the first pic of the latest batch.

Incidently I had a similar set of carving chisels like that tiny wooden handled one you've got in the last pic. Don't know why I bought them, maybe they were just dirt cheap, they were less than useless, OK for working on leather but wood in the long run just killed 'em. So hit the bootfairs soon and rummage in the boxes of rust and try to get yourself a gouge, doesn't need to be pricey or huge, just something that will scoop out the wood better than what you've got there. I have tried and tried to use a spoon knife and I ALWAYS go back to my gouges. Just my personal preference mind.

Keep up the great work mate, she's looking sweeeet.

 

[Stringmaker]

Looking good mate, looking good. Nice looking grain in the first pic of the latest batch.

Incidently I had a similar set of carving chisels like that tiny wooden handled one you've got in the last pic. Don't know why I bought them, maybe they were just dirt cheap, they were less than useless, OK for working on leather but wood in the long run just killed 'em. So hit the bootfairs soon and rummage in the boxes of rust and try to get yourself a gouge, doesn't need to be pricey or huge, just something that will scoop out the wood better than what you've got there. I have tried and tried to use a spoon knife and I ALWAYS go back to my gouges. Just my personal preference mind.

Keep up the great work mate, she's looking sweeeet.

Thanks for the support; I appreciate it!

I'm hoping that when I've fine sanded and oiled it the grain will show up really well. It looks great as I work on it so fingers crossed. Good tip about getting a decent gouge too; working on this has made me realise that I need one. I'm keeping the kuksa green by wrapping it in plastic with all the shavings, and so far the cheapie gouge is nice and sharp and cuts well.

I reckon as a rough estimate I've spent about 6-7 hours on it with probably at least that still to go.

Watch this space...

 

[Biker]

... I reckon as a rough estimate I've spent about 6-7 hours on it with probably at least that still to go.

Watch this space...

Double, even triple that guestimate, finishing takes a LOT longer than the roughing out but I tell ya, the results of a patient creation are so worth the time invested in it, not to mention the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

Great idea about keeping the thing in a bag with the shavings. Top tip that. Not sure though for the long term seasoning time though. You're going to have to get advice from others about that. I've bookmarked this thread so I don't lose track of this now.

Keep those tools sharp and don't force the chisel when it gets blunt, pause and resharpen.

You're making me want to try my hand at making a kuska now!

 

[Stringmaker]

Double, even triple that guestimate, finishing takes a LOT longer than the roughing out but I tell ya, the results of a patient creation are so worth the time invested in it, not to mention the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

Great idea about keeping the thing in a bag with the shavings. Top tip that. Not sure though for the long term seasoning time though. You're going to have to get advice from others about that. I've bookmarked this thread so I don't lose track of this now.

Keep those tools sharp and don't force the chisel when it gets blunt, pause and resharpen.

You're making me want to try my hand at making a kuska now!

I think you could be right about the total time invested in this; 8 hours now and counting.

I got the tip about the placcy bag and shavings from guess where.............this forum. I can't claim credit for that one at all!

I worked on the bowl again last night and have got to the stage where I'm happy to leave it:

As there will be many sanding stages I want to leave plenty of meat to work with; from past experience with spoons, I do NOT want to see daylight through the bottom of the bowl...

I also finally worked out the"backhand cut" using the spoon knife. I always felt that I wasn't using the tool to its design potential when spoon carving, but with a bigger deeper bowl it all makes sense. Using the last part of the blade right up by the tip then cutting away is such a good stroke for shaping; all part of the fun is learning how the tool works!

I'm away on business for a bit soon so it will go quiet; more to come in due course (assuming anyone apart from Biker is folowing this!).

BFN.

 

[DaveBromley]

Looking good fella I'm def interested to see how this one turns out!

Dave

 

[Stringmaker]

Thanks!

There's nothing like getting stuck in and trying something like this to make you appreciate the skills of the guys who can really carve...

 

[Rockmonkey]

You are making a mighty fine job of that!
Keep up the good work!
You will cherish it forever!

This is going to be my next project, so thank's for the tutorial!

 

[bikebum1975]

WOW that is coming out really good Mate. Working on a beech one myself ad so far I'm guessing I got about a good dozen hours into it ad still got a to of sanding work to do on it still some trim work to. yours is going to be a stunning piece when done up look forward to it

 

[luckylee]

looking good mate, looking forward to seeing it finished.

 

[Stringmaker]

Just to report that I've finished the basic shape; no pics yet.

The back of the bowl now tapers down to the handle and the handle has the triangular section I was after. I have to make a confession actually that I'm a bit miffed with the handle; I meant to create the classic shape with the finger hole but when I was roughing out I was thinking of another shape and took out too much wood!

This is going to end up kind of like a small cereal bowl with a handle so it should be a multi-use item. I also had to carve a couple of small flats on the underside to stop it falling over when I put it down.

More to come when I've done a bit more; now the sandpaper comes out...