Carving letters...

[Tiley]

I have carved a spoon for a friend's birthday and would like to adorn it with her initial. What is the best way to do it? Should I try chip carving or would a V-shaped gouge do the job just as well?

I have never done this sort of thing before, so any help or advice would be gratefully received!

Many thanks in advance,
Richard

 

[Stew]

Chip carve will work. V gouge is ok but depends on the look you want for the start and end of the 'pen stroke'.

I would advise some practice - direction changes in the grain can catch you by surprise!

 

[Stew]

and I hold the knife like I hold a pen to really control the tip.

 

[Buckshot]

what about burning it in?
my pyrography set is just a soldering iron really

 

[Tiley]

I suppose I could try burning it in but I'd be worried about going 'outside the lines' as it were, much like carving it in, really. I have got an offcut of the timber that I used for the spoon itself, so I will definitely practise on that first! I had hope to avoid curves in letters but sadly, there is one to wrestle with!

Oh, and the wood is wych elm. A bit of research seems to suggest that most folk use lime or basswood but I'm afraid I'm committed to this bit of hedgerow timber...