Following an excellent discussion regarding children and knives here:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=17759
I promised to do some drawings of the spoon carving jigs both I and my grandson Cameron use to make carving spoon bowls easier and safer.
I've drawn two types, one large permanent one and a small portable that can easily be carried in a backpack.
Here's Cameron using the big one:
You can see Cameron has both hands free to use the spoon knife to work the bowl.
Here's the drawing to make it clearer.
You can use any type of wood for this. I happened to use half a log and some other green wood I'd recently felled, but if you don't have access to raw timber, you can certainly use a plank and a round fence post from B&Q. The legs can be made from anything strong enough to take your weight.
The principle of it works like this. You sit on the bench facing the upright log. You put your roughed out spoon under the leather strap and you stand on the pole which is attached to the strap. This pressure holds the spoon firmly in place so you have both hands free to carve out the bowl. In Cameron's case he's keeping his left hand well clear, but he also uses his thumb behind the knife to give greater purchase in his cuts.
The upright piece is attached to the base with a length of broom shank. I fitted mine while the upright log was still green, so it shrunk around the broomshank and held it tight. If you are using seasoned wood, you might need to glue or wedge it in place.
The other end of the broomshank piece goes through a hole in the bench. I have drilled a small hole in the shank and have fitted a small peg through it just so the top doesn't fall out when I transport it from show to show.
It's worth mentioning here about the holes that the leather goes through. When drilling these holes from the top out to the sides, try to go for an angle of about 45 deg. Also drill from the top out to the sides and not from the sides in to the top. You want the maximum amount of leather strap in contact with the spoon to give the greatest grip. So drill just inside of where you have carved the spoon blank shape out so the leather strap has to wrap itself round the handle rather than having them too far apart and the leather just rests on the top of the spoon handle.
Here's the portable version:
This one is self explanitory in the making.
To use it, you sit somewhere comfey so your thigh is parallel to the ground. You put the jig over your thigh, close to your knee. Keeping your toes on the floor, raise your heel and place the cord under your heel. Place the spoon blank under the leather strap and lower your heel. You'll feel the strap tighten. If it doesn't, shorten the cord. If it's too tight and your heel is still raised, loosen it a bit.
I hope these are of some use. If they are, you can download the full size (A4) PDF files I've made from here:
http://www.btinternet.com/~e_methven/images/cam/spoon-jig-1.pdf
http://www.btinternet.com/~e_methven/images/cam/spoon-jig-2.pdf
Either right click and "Save file As" to a folder of your choice, or click directly on the link and the file will open Adobe Acrobat Reader within your web browser.
Enjoy,
Eric
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=17759
I promised to do some drawings of the spoon carving jigs both I and my grandson Cameron use to make carving spoon bowls easier and safer.
I've drawn two types, one large permanent one and a small portable that can easily be carried in a backpack.
Here's Cameron using the big one:
You can see Cameron has both hands free to use the spoon knife to work the bowl.
Here's the drawing to make it clearer.
You can use any type of wood for this. I happened to use half a log and some other green wood I'd recently felled, but if you don't have access to raw timber, you can certainly use a plank and a round fence post from B&Q. The legs can be made from anything strong enough to take your weight.
The principle of it works like this. You sit on the bench facing the upright log. You put your roughed out spoon under the leather strap and you stand on the pole which is attached to the strap. This pressure holds the spoon firmly in place so you have both hands free to carve out the bowl. In Cameron's case he's keeping his left hand well clear, but he also uses his thumb behind the knife to give greater purchase in his cuts.
The upright piece is attached to the base with a length of broom shank. I fitted mine while the upright log was still green, so it shrunk around the broomshank and held it tight. If you are using seasoned wood, you might need to glue or wedge it in place.
The other end of the broomshank piece goes through a hole in the bench. I have drilled a small hole in the shank and have fitted a small peg through it just so the top doesn't fall out when I transport it from show to show.
It's worth mentioning here about the holes that the leather goes through. When drilling these holes from the top out to the sides, try to go for an angle of about 45 deg. Also drill from the top out to the sides and not from the sides in to the top. You want the maximum amount of leather strap in contact with the spoon to give the greatest grip. So drill just inside of where you have carved the spoon blank shape out so the leather strap has to wrap itself round the handle rather than having them too far apart and the leather just rests on the top of the spoon handle.
Here's the portable version:
This one is self explanitory in the making.
To use it, you sit somewhere comfey so your thigh is parallel to the ground. You put the jig over your thigh, close to your knee. Keeping your toes on the floor, raise your heel and place the cord under your heel. Place the spoon blank under the leather strap and lower your heel. You'll feel the strap tighten. If it doesn't, shorten the cord. If it's too tight and your heel is still raised, loosen it a bit.
I hope these are of some use. If they are, you can download the full size (A4) PDF files I've made from here:
http://www.btinternet.com/~e_methven/images/cam/spoon-jig-1.pdf
http://www.btinternet.com/~e_methven/images/cam/spoon-jig-2.pdf
Either right click and "Save file As" to a folder of your choice, or click directly on the link and the file will open Adobe Acrobat Reader within your web browser.
Enjoy,
Eric
