First tooled finish

[Harvestman]

Okay, here's my latest spoon, complete with my first ever tooled finish. I added a hot walnut oil soak (the wood was very dry) and a rub down with a walnut oil and beeswax mix.

I'm pretty pleased overall. The finish on the back of the bowl is quite reasonable. Not so good elsewhere, but this is the first one that I haven't given up on and sanded, so I call that progress. I got the bowl thickness much better too.

Not so good is the handle shape, which I wanted thinner, but the spalted wood was tearing out because my tools were not sharp enough (another of my regular faults) so I left it. It isn't too bad. The bowl is a bit deeper than it needs to be for an eating spoon, but again it is not as bad as my usual efforts.

Overall, I am happy with this. It will go in my kit as an eating spoon and will certainly see use.

The wood is beech, from a branch that had fallen but whose shape kept this section well clear of the ground. I roughed it out over a pleasant evening around a fire with DavidPingu from here about 2 weeks ago. The rest was done in increments after work.

 

[HillBill]

Nice one

 

[GGTBod]

Very nice work, i fought with a piece of maple last week until i had whittled it away to nothing, made toothpicks

 

[Clouston98]

That's lovely- great work! I like the grain and tooled finishes are the best!

 

[Mesquite]

I like that, the wood has real character

 

[CallsignSam]

Great spoon Harvestman, i love that grain, truly beautiful.

It reminds me, I have some spoons to photograph and post.

 

[Pete11]

Really liking that , great grain and colour.

Pete

 

[Macaroon]

Now that really is a spoon................Very nice, Mike, I like that a lot

 

[Dreadhead]

that's a braw spoon

 

[Fatbob]

Good work mate, love the pattern in the wood.

 

[copper_head]

Very nice

 

[Harvestman]

Thank all. I really need to sharpen my knives though. When I can get a decent tooled finish on the inside of the bowl, then I will be happy.

 

[GGTBod]

I bought my first crook knife the other day but the curve is huge, maybe good for making a ladle, any recommendations on a good one for spoons?

 

[Harvestman]

I bought my first crook knife the other day but the curve is huge, maybe good for making a ladle, any recommendations on a good one for spoons?

I;m still using the mora crook knife, which anyone who is a serious carver seems to hate. At my level of skill it is enough.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Very nice work HM, a fine looking spoon. The Mora ,spoon knife is as good a starting point as any, if you can do that with a Mora, then do you need another

 

[GGTBod]

I stupidly bought the double edged one, nearly took my finger tips a few times going to brace against the 'back' of the blade to cut, thankfully so far each time i have just remembered as i press on, gonna grab a left edged one next time i am buying bits n bobs.

So what do the pro's use instead of our scabby Mora blades? I love my mora knives so cheap and cheerful

 

[Macaroon]

I stupidly bought the double edged one, nearly took my finger tips a few times going to brace against the 'back' of the blade to cut, thankfully so far each time i have just remembered as i press on, gonna grab a left edged one next time i am buying bits n bobs.

So what do the pro's use instead of our scabby Mora blades? I love my mora knives so cheap and cheerful

There's not much wrong with the Mora hook knives that a little grinding and polishing won't fix; I reckon you need to be a good carver before you go spendy on the pro stuff. Grind the tip way back, then thin and polish the spine...................Makes a huge difference to 'em.

 

[GGTBod]

Thanks i'll look into that, i haven't spent over 20 quid on a knife in well over a decade and all the ones i had before then i have never even used once after seeing the state i have gotten some of my mora's into as i have been learning, in over a decade of playing with knives and i have only carved 2 things i have kept, too bloody heavy handed and often go too far, aim for soup ladle and end up with a small teaspoon kinda carryon

 

[Harvestman]

There's not much wrong with the Mora hook knives that a little grinding and polishing won't fix; I reckon you need to be a good carver before you go spendy on the pro stuff. Grind the tip way back, then thin and polish the spine...................Makes a huge difference to 'em.

All I've done to mine is snap the annoying poity tip off. Nothing else. the tool doesn't carve the wood, the person holding the tool does that. You soon work out what you can do with the tools that you have.

Most of the carving was with a cheap hultafors blade off Amazon.

 

[GGTBod]

The two things i have carved which are keepers were both done with a standard cheap Mora, i find i am the same trimming my side burns, a little off that side, not happy, a little that side and then it is all about a fight to even them up and next thing i know i have given myself a skinhead