Ash 'kuksa'

[SimonMast]

Just my most recent piece. It's basically a kuksa, at least in a broad sense. I started this one at a Scout event in May and wanted to get it done by the close of the year. The wood is ash. Originally it was going to be a fairly conventional kuksa design, but it had a very large crack which necessitated lowering the walls substantially (in retrospect at original size it would have been very large) and hollowing into the handle area as you can see. After that I let it be what it seemed to want to be. It started to remind me of a seashell, which influenced the curves and the fine sanding. So far for finish I've gone for multiple doses of walnut on the outside; it has obviously soaked through, but as per my previous thread, I'm thinking about finishing the inside in beeswax as I'm a whisky drinker.

The top pictures are during oiling and the bottom ones are iPhone. Since curing it's obviously much duller, but still has a nice sheen to it.











Thanks for looking.

 

[Harvestman]

Very nice work. No point in arguing with a piece of wood. let it be what it wants to be.

 

[Monikieman]

That looks good. Like the shape, something different. I feel the whole point about making your own is the memories attached to them.

It also makes the whisky taste better.

I've got a silver thrupenny that I use (wife had it her shoe on wedding day) and cover in black coffee until you can't see it. Then top up with whisky until you can see the coin again.

Drink = seasoned.(probably more aptly commisioned)

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Looks like a shell. Nice.

 

[Macaroon]

I love it, I reckon it looks a treat.

 

[quietone]

That's a corker that, really organic shape. Beautiful colour too, got to love ash. Well done.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Nice... I keep meaning to make one

 

[Dean]

Nice shape to that I like it.

 

[Dreadhead]

beautiful work

 

[Clouston98]

Great work! I really like it!

 

[crosslandkelly]

Very unusual, I like that a lot. Good work.

 

[SimonMast]

Firstly, thanks so much for the kind words. They mean a lot, especially given the standard of many around here!

Secondly, I had a go at a milk treatment this evening. I didn't immerse it and boil for two hours (though I did do this with one of my spoons a few days ago, and it seems to have come out OK); instead I heated some milk (full fat, from the milkman; my favourite) to boiling point, poured it in and let it sit until cooled, before tipping out and giving it a quick rub around, and leaving to dry. Done my best to illustrate before and after below. Like John's, the wood is definitely a bit darker. When it's dry I'll have a dram from it.







The only negative I've experienced so far is that a couple of surface cracks have opened up, but they're tiny. Superglue should do the trick. Above where I fill generally fill to anyway.

 

[Clouston98]

Great stuff mate! I find the milk treating really interesting! Well done!

 

[SimonMast]

Thanks! Was curious to see how it would turn out. There's obviously so much heritage to the method, but having skim (no pun intended) read some rather intimidating scientific papers on casein that Google turned up (science never was my strong point), it would appear that it is resistant to alcohol, which is what I wanted. Will report back on what it tastes like.

 

[craeg]

Cracking job there, like it

 

[ozzy1977]

Cracking job, well done.

 

[Goatboy]

That's lovely Simon, with the form and the grain it reminds me of an oyster/clam shell. Lovely curves.

 

[SimonMast]

Cheers once again.

I applied a bit of superglue to the cracks yesterday and sanded. A few cups of hot winter cider later and not a peep out of them - which I'm delighted with. Just had a drop of Aberlour from it. Fantastic.

Seems to be seasoning well - still a little oil visible on the top of anything I put in it, but no aftertaste to speak of now.