kuksa making instructions

[mmcniven]

Hi

I have already carved a Kuksa ( Finnish carved cup) but was wondering if there are any web sites that explain how it is done properly. I know that traditionally it is finished with paraffin and salt but how is this done. Any sources of info on this topic would be appreciated.

Michael :shock:

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

Pop off an email to ragnar@ragweedforge.com I believe he has a text on the subject and firsthand knowledge. Tell him I sent you.

 

[wolf]

can you buy these?

 

[redcollective]

Yes, have a look here: http://www.tregor.co.uk/nordic.html

 

[wolf]

thank you very useful

 

[Jared]

Some nice ones on Kellam Knives too.

Thought not quite sure why you'd want a knife in the handle of one.

 

[redcollective]

Also have a look at this post for more information and some good links - if you trawl Bushcraftuk enough you'll probably find what you are looking for.

You've got me interested now. I've just finished a spoon with a bowl so deep and useless for eating it may as well be a kuksa!

 

[match]

Just spent the weekend at the Scottish Meetup doing just this - from a piece of greenwood birch from the site.

Took a log, split off two edges with an axe to leave a central rectangular cuboid shape. Sawed this into two lengthways to make two square blocks of wood - enough for two kuksas.

Draw out a rough circle cup shape on top - make sure the grain runs in the same direction as the handle, not across it.

Carve out a cup shape hollow with a spoon gouge, chop out or saw out a thinner handle shape from the rest.

Keep carving into the cup until its deep enough, then turn over and shave off the outside to round it off underneath.

Drill or carve two holes for fingers into the handle piece, then carve these out.

I'll post some pics of my progress once I get them off my camera.

 

[match]

Finally got round to offloading my camera pictures - and found that only one of the kuksa-making ones is clear - still it shows enough to give the idea of how it is formed out of a split log:

The handle stem (eventually shortened a lot) was made with an axe, the bowl shape was worked with a rounded wood gouge and a spoon knife, the back of the bowl was worked at first with an axe, then with a small knife.

I'm now onto the coarse sanding stage (i.e its 'finished' but still has the odd nick or scratch here and there).

I'll post pictures of this and the fine sanding etc a bit later (hopefully less than two months time )

A few questions about the final finish. I've heard people recommend both the 'london finish' technique as well as boiling in salt water, followed by oiling.

Any advantages/disadvantages of london finish/salt boiling?

Which oil? Beeswax is presumably not heatproof, vegetable oil etc is probably not penetratinng enough, linseed might taint the flavour and take a long time to dry, and mineral oil probably isn't god for eating?

OK - http://www.yle.fi/matochfritid/hobby.php?id=121 suggests rough carving, then boiling in salt water (slows drying and prevents cracking) for 6-8 weeks, then sanding down, 'london finish' then fine sanding and oiling.

Jury is still out on the milk-boiling though...

 

[Hoodoo]

It's not a kuksa but I just finished carving this tankard. Pretty much the same process. Right now it has a couple coats of mineral oil on it. The wood is butternut. You can see how it darkened up from the before and after shots.

 

[BorderReiver]

Very nice Hoodoo.

 

[match]

Right, here is the finished article:

(Sorry for the soft glow - the camera I'm using didn't like me). It holds about 250ml of liquid - i.e one mugful

I'm now applying a London Finish (i.e dipping in water, leaving to dry and sanding of the 'fuzz' that raises 2 or 3 times).

After that a good application of oil (probably sunflower or similar) and that should be it finished. The wood is birch and so has a beautiful grain when wet which I'm hoping the oiling will show...

 

[Toddy]

Just seen the photo Match, now that is a lovely piece of work

Incidentally, historically boiling in milk was used to repair hairline fractures in porcelain cups. A croggie, a domestic hearth fired type of Scottish pottery that's been made for eons is sealed by pouring milk over it shortly after the pot is removed from the ashes and is still hot. The sealant works really well, hot or cold, and doesn't taint food.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[pierre girard]

Hi

I have already carved a Kuksa ( Finnish carved cup) but was wondering if there are any web sites that explain how it is done properly. I know that traditionally it is finished with paraffin and salt but how is this done. Any sources of info on this topic would be appreciated.

Michael :shock:

We have something similar - canoe cup, or naagan. Here are a couple I did a number of years ago. The one on the left is birch burl. It is an 18th century French Canadian engage pattern. The one on the right is maple burl. I made the bottom flat so I could set it down. They were carved with a crooked knife. for the flat bottom one I had to fire up the forge and bend a crooked knife to an angle close to 90 degrees.

PG

 

[wolf]

We have something similar - canoe cup, or naagan. Here are a couple I did a number of years ago. The one on the left is birch burl. It is an 18th century French Canadian engage pattern. The one on the right is maple burl. I made the bottom flat so I could set it down. They were carved with a crooked knife. for the flat bottom one I had to fire up the forge and bend a crooked knife to an angle close to 90 degrees.

PG

nice work.. do you use them still?for coffee?

 

[martin]

Here's one I've been carving, as you can see I'm not finished yet. I'm going to leave the bit of bark on just to make it look different.

 

[Kiamyr]

What wood is that Martin?

 

[martin]

It's Silver Birch. It was a lump of fire wood I had with me the last time I went fishing. The pike didn't want to come out to play and I was getting a bit bored. I had my carving gear with me so I set to and made it while lent against my Landy watching my floats.
Great way to spend your 40th birthday

 

[match]

Finished!

Having completed the london finish (repeated 3 times until there was no 'fuzz' rising to sand off) I then boiled the kuksa in vegetable oil for about 45 minutes, til it stopped bubbling (water and air escaping from the grain). This has darkened the wood a lot, but really made the birch grain look beautiful. Its happily stood up to both hot and cold liquids with no staining, and will hopefully serve me well with no more than an occasional oiling every now and then.

So here it is:

My only advice to anyone repeating this process - if you boil it inside your house will smell like roasted peanuts for about a week afterwards

Now off to finish off my first attempt at making a whip...

 

[pierre girard]

nice work.. do you use them still?for coffee?

Every trip - for everything I drink. We hang them off the belt or sash. Each one is made to hold exactly one cup - liquid measure. I have a very nice round bottomed one - in the same shape as the one at the left in the previous photo. The bottom is carved to look like a turtle. Wife has it stuck away somewhere and we couldn't find it.

My first really good burl cup (much nicer than either of those shown) had very thin walls to the cup. You can guess the rest. Very cold weather - very hot coffee - split right in half. I've made the walls thicker since.

I make a lot of them in aspen or basswood (very easy to carve) for re-sale, and when I used to guide - I would make one for each client - out on the trail.

I really like the looks of the kuksa's you-all have made - kind of a different style. Have never seen one before. Odd - with the number of Suomi around here. The only thing they make like that are birch sauna ladles.

I was intrigued by the link which said they were boiled a long time in salt water - to cure them. I've never done anything with them except wash them with warm water, dry them, and swish a little bear oil or olive oil around inside - and wipe off the excess. The flat-bottomed cup has a little crack in the lip. It was in the original piece of burl and has not cracked any more in 15 years of use.

PG