Curved carving without curved knife

[Paul_B]

Whilst reading the carving link in DB's build it on thread I saw nice spoons. Got me wondering how to carve one with only straight blade knives.

Is it possible? Any advice?

I don't want to buy a crook knife as I don't know if I'll take to carving. I want to make a spoon as it's useful. Unless there's something better to make with a straight blade that's just as useful of course.

 

[Shewie]

You could use a gouge or just go at it with sandpaper. You can take slices out with a straight blade but it gets trickier as you get deeper into the bowl.

Burning out with an ember is another option, never tried it though

 

[Tiley]

You could use a gouge or just go at it with sandpaper. You can take slices out with a straight blade but it gets trickier as you get deeper into the bowl.

Burning out with an ember is another option, never tried it though

Burning it out with an ember works but really only works well with seasoned, dry wood. I found it quite tricky to get an even depression with the burning but I'm sure it's possible. You won't need to burn ii in too much either as the bowl is usually pretty shallow and I would imagine you'll be sanding it clean afterwards which will take out a fair amount of material.

 

[Teepee]

If you buy a pack of Irwin bimetal blades for the stanley knife for £2.50, they can be bent into a curve very easily.

Being bimetal, they will bend into a nice curve without snapping. Super sharp too and hold a very good edge. Normal blades will just snap.

Its the best way I can think of to cut a bowl with a straight blade, but probably not useful for the pack.

 

[John Fenna]

On page 207 of his "Outdoor Survival Handbook" RM shows how to carve the depression of a spoonbowl using just his ordinary knife...
Divide the area you want to carve out into 4 quarters and with the point of the knife in the centre carve each 1/4 out against the grain, using the curve of the blade to get the bowl shape.
You do not get the deepest of bowls this way - but you do get a spoon!

 

[mrcharly]

You say you have a 'straight' knife? Does it have a curved section towards the tipe like a bushcraft-type of knife?

If so, you can hollow using that. Take slices out using the curved part of the blade. It's not as easy as using a hook knife but it is possible.

 

[Paul_B]

By straight knife I mean a flat blade not a crook knife or similar.

I thought you could get a small bowl with a normal knife but didn't think it would be sufficient. Might have to try it. Could do DB's build at least.

 

[crucible]

If you had a curved chisel, that would work too...