An apology to Muddy Paws (and Kepis)

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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
This is why I cannot have nice things :eek:

Stained Spoon by British Red, on Flickr

I was cooking up 25 litres of "mush" to make sloe jelly today and this is what happened to a muddy paws "jumbo spoon" :(

I have deeply warped one of yours too Mark - stirring boiling vinegar seems to do odd things to ash :eek:

I am officially a bad man
 

Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,690
2,106
Sussex
You are not a bad man Hugh, they are there to be used, the warp just adds character and makes for a better stirring action :)
 

Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
25
Cumbria
Make them the same colour all over and say they're meant to be like that ;). I think it's a nice colour actually - wouldn't want my bedroom decorated in it but it's nice enough on a spoon :).
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
You are not a bad man Hugh, they are there to be used, the warp just adds character and makes for a better stirring action :)

This one stirs very well indeed then :eek:

Bent spoon by British Red, on Flickr

Seriously, of course they are still in use - three times today in fact - but I do feel guilty when I mess them up :(

Mind you the one shown here has started a small split. If it goes any further I will bawl!

Canning set up by British Red, on Flickr
 

Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,690
2,106
Sussex
Just heat it up and bend it the other way again :rolleyes:, or i can make you another as im taking some Hornbeam down soon :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Not at all Mark - I'll bend it back ( I would stir with my left hand but I am "favouring" it since I de-gloved my middle finger - the flesh has healed but the scar is spectacularly thick :))

I am seriously noticing that 18" plus spoons do take on a "cast" due to stirring hot liquids - who knew?
 

Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,690
2,106
Sussex
Will have to make a new one for you, i have an idea that i think you will like, just look out for a parcel from a Teddy Bear at some point ;)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
You have been more than generous mate - no need for more.

I confess though I love cooking with your spoons - its an extra pleasure to have something not "mundane" to work with.

Is there not a market for "proper" spoons? I have yours in "medium" 9" and XXL (18"). There really ought to be a market for a set in 9", 12", 14" and 18" sizes.

People pay a fortune for good knives - why not good spoons?
 

Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,690
2,106
Sussex
Is there not a market for "proper" spoons? I have yours in "medium" 9" and XXL (18"). There really ought to be a market for a set in 9", 12", 14" and 18" sizes.

People pay a fortune for good knives - why not good spoons?

You would think they would, but they dont or wont, a good example was at a recent event i participated at, a lady said to me "i can buy four spoons at the pound shop for 99p", so i told her to go to the pound shop, unfortunately we are in a throw away world, but i have noticed the tide is turning and more and more people are starting to appreciate locally made products as well as produce and are willing to pay the going rate and genuinely seem to especially appreciate it when you can show the provenance of the wood used to make a spoon, bowl etc.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Breaks my heart that Mark.

My daughter runs a food blog and regularly gets asked to review "gadgets" but she won't endorse stuff beyond the simple, functional, well made items.

Those, you will not be surprised to hear, are few and far between.
 

Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,690
2,106
Sussex
Yup, sometimes i wonder why i bother, especially when you get people who say "ooh that's gorgeous/lovely" but im not paying that for a spoon, but then on the flip side you get people who love the product, because it's hand made, and appreciate the work involved and want to support the local economy, craftspeople & trades and would rather pay the going rate than contribute towards mass production and destruction of the forests just so they can buy four factory produced spoons for 99p.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
She would adore your work Mark - but you have already been far too generous to my family - so that will be a "No" (but thank you) :)
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
British Red,

I am envious of your big spoons. I am still searching for a spoon big enough to stir my mash tun when brewing. The plastic ones that the home brew shops sell keep bending or snapping. Also searching for a spoon for stirring the jam vats But can't seem to find anything suitable in the shops :(

J
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Thats exactly the problems I have had Julia

Kepis and Muddy Paws both helped me out - and I think they should sell their tools to brewers and small holders, because, as you say, such tools are simply not out there

Kepis' spoons have a more "paddle" end

Boiling Water by British Red, on Flickr

I find these are the best for the mash tun. The more spoony end of the Muddy Paws version comes out more with gloopy stews and jams - although to be honest either would work for all my large stirring needs. Both have a flat bottom - and you know how important that is!

I do wish that we saw more proper, cooks designed, usable wooden kitchen tools sold. They are invaluable and hard to find in a quality make.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
Thats exactly the problems I have had Julia

Kepis and Muddy Paws both helped me out - and I think they should sell their tools to brewers and small holders, because, as you say, such tools are simply not out there

Aye. Have even considered seeing how much it would cost to make a Stainless steel spoon to do what I want.

Kepis' spoons have a more "paddle" end

I find these are the best for the mash tun. The more spoony end of the Muddy Paws version comes out more with gloopy stews and jams - although to be honest either would work for all my large stirring needs. Both have a flat bottom - and you know how important that is!

That is about ideal. I am always apprehensive about a spoon having the strength to stir a thick mash.

OOI, what sort of brew plant have you got? I have 3 brews in the fermenter currently, including my first green hop beer, using hops I grew in my garden.

What is boiling in that vat?

I do wish that we saw more proper, cooks designed, usable wooden kitchen tools sold. They are invaluable and hard to find in a quality make.

Aye. I've even taken to having a potter make things like pie dishes to the specs I want.

J
 

Joonsy

Native
Jul 24, 2008
1,483
3
UK
I am envious of your big spoons. I am still searching for a spoon big enough to stir my mash tun when brewing. The plastic ones that the home brew shops sell keep bending or snapping. Also searching for a spoon for stirring the jam vats But can't seem to find anything suitable in the shops :(

Thats exactly the problems I have had Julia
Both have a flat bottom - and you know how important that is!

Aye. Have even considered seeing how much it would cost to make a Stainless steel spoon to do what I want.

Google ‘’Stainless Steel Mixing Paddle’’, there are a number of stainless steel long handled (up to and over one metre in length) paddle-ended cooking/stirring paddles made for large cooking establishments etc where large quantities of food are cooked. They cost from approx £20 to over £100 depending on which item. Google ‘mixing paddle’ and you will find various suppliers and varieties to choose from.

One Example
shopping


I have found that those Indian/Asian shops in inner cities sell a good interesting variety of cooking utensils of all descriptions many you can’t find anywhere else, particularly those selling to the restaurant trade where large quantities of food are cooked such as large curry dishes etc etc. ATB.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE