A very special spoon

[spandit]

Carved this from a sweet chestnut blank I'd roughed out at the Sussex meet last month, finished with tung oil

Why is it special? Firstly, it's being sent to my niece in Australia & secondly, it's the first spoon I've carved with the hook knife I made myself. It's not terribly sharp (hoping the FGYT one I'm getting for Christmas will be sharper!) but it is all mine. Steel came from an old brake pad!

It's not easy to see but the end of the handle is carved into a heart shape

 

[Retired Member southey]

Nice spoon dude Spandit! Do they allow foreign woods to enter the country, always thought Aus to be super tight on wood\plant\animal imports?

 

[spandit]

I think as long as there is no bark on it, it's OK

 

[Kepis]

superb, you should be ok sending it to Aus, i sent a couple of spoons down under and there was no issue with them going through, the only time ive ever heard of them getting snagged is if there are seeds or nuts in the package as well.

 

[spandit]

superb

That means a lot, thanks!

 

[Kepis]

That means a lot, thanks!

No prob, it's been really nice to see and follow the progress you have been making since that first one you carved at Broadstone, addictive this spoon carving isnt it?

 

[Mesquite]

That's a really nice bit of work there, your neice will really appreciate it

 

[PaulSanderson]

some great work...thanks for sharing

 

[Hoodoo]

Well-carved and a very nice grain pattern.

 

[lannyman8]

really nice wood, wonderful grain, would make great knife scales....

awesome work dude, keep em coming...

 

[spandit]

I was lucky with the way the grain pattern turned out. Took a lot of sanding but I'm learning!

 

[paul atkin]

Nice effort spandit, and so much better when you have made your own tools.

 

[monkey boy]

very nice indeed, good work mate, love the patten on the back

 

[Whittler Kev]

.....Steel came from an old brake pad!....

I hadn't thought of using those. Is it from the backing?
Did you forge it or grind the excess away?
Nice spoon btw

 

[spandit]

I hadn't thought of using those. Is it from the backing?
Did you forge it or grind the excess away?
Nice spoon btw

Yes, it was a conveniently thick piece of steel. Not terribly long but I'm not planning on batoning with it!

Cut it to shape with angle grinder & then ground edge. Heated, quenched & tempered. It's very crude & needs way more sharpening but it's not totally useless as you can see!

 

[Whittler Kev]

You can always stretch it by forging it

 

[Hugo]

Nice grain on it Spandit.
AS for shipping it to OZ, from what I have heard they don't like wooden things at all, never mind the bark thing.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Australian directions for importing wooden items

 

[Retired Member southey]

I am not trying to detract from the special feeling it is to make something from a natural material for someone you care for, But I do belive we should repect the directives of a country trying very hard to protect its native species from foreign infestations and infections.

 

[Stanleythecat]

A lovely sentiment... but doesn't tung oil smell strong!! I put some on a bowl I made and it is still honking! I now use some flax oil I picked up in sainsbury's for £5.

Leo