Making my first ever Kuksa

[Dean]

Looking really good so far, can not wait to see it finished.

 

[Fraxinus]

Not surprised your hands are sore mate, Iroko is tough on tools and you but holds up well to the elements. I have made science lab benches and kitchen worktops from it, doors and windows and even a monster pair of gates but never been tempted to carve it! Kudos to you for going for it and making such good progress.

Rob.

 

[GGTBod]

That explains a lot, before starting the iroko i was thinking my hands had toughened up quite a bit, also explains why i am having such difficulty with the crook knives (on top of the sore hands), sounds like it is gonna be worth it as an iroko kuksa will stand up to a lifetime of use based on your description of it's properties.

Thanks for the info i now feel much less shame about not doing any more work on it today, i've been chopping and changing between doing the iroko kuksa and a seasoned zebrano spoon (for a rest lol) the zebrano is so hard i have had to sharpen my mora 120 three times with a dc4 starting on the sapphire side each time to remove the blade imperfections caused by pushing through the wood


The zebrano spoon so far

just need to hollow out the bowl and do some refined shaping with cloth abrasives

 

[Monikieman]

Looks really nice. That wood just looks really hard!! best of luck with the hands, perhaps a softer bit green wood next time?

 

[GGTBod]

Good plan, need to grab myself a nice green willow branch or two for my next few projects or maybe go right back to some thick pine bark like what you'd give a child to learn to carve on

 

[Coldfeet]

Great pics If you are finding it tough getting the last bit of depth in to the bowl, could you consider burning it out with embers? Would also save your hands...

 

[GGTBod]

One day i'll use that technique for something, i reckon once my hands recover i'll be spot on with a crook knife for finishing this off

 

[Fraxinus]

You should feel no shame at all, doing what you are doing. Your hands will work better once rested so that aids completion of the project so its a win win situation.
Zebrano is a great material to turn, that's where its hardness is a plus.
The one on the left is Zebrano, other one Yew..... rings were easier on left one. Rings on both made with a sharpened up masonry nail stuck in a stick.

Rob.

 

[GGTBod]

Very cool, once my hand tool skills increase tenfold i will be buying a woodworking lathe