Made it from Birch, all with hand tools. Still not quite finished as I have to wait for a large round chisel
My first kuksa
- Thread starter Sundowner
- Start date
Not bad. Fully usable as it is!
A time saver for you: No need to make the finger hole under the handle. Kaasas traditionally id not have them!
A time saver for you: No need to make the finger hole under the handle. Kaasas traditionally id not have them!
Thanks guys, but the next one will be from a dried log. This one still had all the juice in it. I cut it with my self made bucksaw from a just cut down tree on the estate. Took me an hour was about 10" thick
Get a Mora 162 or 163 for the inside of the bowl.
(I think those are te model numbers)
Dried wood is usually more difficult to carve they say, but I personally only work with Birch that is dry. ,
(I think those are te model numbers)
Dried wood is usually more difficult to carve they say, but I personally only work with Birch that is dry. ,
What a thrill to see a new carving so well done in progress. Makes me smile to admire it.
Give a second thought to carving dry birch. That will go from cheese to bone as it dries.
However, the tradional birch burls for kuksa are bullet-proof-tough wood.
True, a Mora #162, #163 and #164 are meant for carving the void insides of bowls and kuksa.
I don't think that the steel in the Mora is worth the money.
They are a bitch to keep carving sharp because people tend to pry out chips and bust the bevels.
Have you got a local farrier? Go see them and ask about their used/worn down crooked hoof trimming knives.
I pay $5.00 each, about 3BPS, to pick through the box of dead knives. Maybe buy 5-6 at a time.
There's a lifetime of good carving steel in them, just need to be tuned up.
http://www.hallknifeandforge.com/
Tell you what, Sundowner. PM your snail mail address and I'll send you a Canadian Hall farrier's knife, very well worn down.
I cut the bevels from 25* down to 12* and it will be "carving sharp". You learn to keep it that way.
Give a second thought to carving dry birch. That will go from cheese to bone as it dries.
However, the tradional birch burls for kuksa are bullet-proof-tough wood.
True, a Mora #162, #163 and #164 are meant for carving the void insides of bowls and kuksa.
I don't think that the steel in the Mora is worth the money.
They are a bitch to keep carving sharp because people tend to pry out chips and bust the bevels.
Have you got a local farrier? Go see them and ask about their used/worn down crooked hoof trimming knives.
I pay $5.00 each, about 3BPS, to pick through the box of dead knives. Maybe buy 5-6 at a time.
There's a lifetime of good carving steel in them, just need to be tuned up.
http://www.hallknifeandforge.com/
Tell you what, Sundowner. PM your snail mail address and I'll send you a Canadian Hall farrier's knife, very well worn down.
I cut the bevels from 25* down to 12* and it will be "carving sharp". You learn to keep it that way.
If made from straight grain green wood you have to do something to prevent it from splitting. With a burl that is not a problem. I think that salt was used but I am not quite certain how,, from what I have read some buried it in fine grain salt some dunk it in salt water. Have no experience there.
I'm a west coast carver. In many cases, we just carve right through the cracks. Lots of totem poles get finished that way.
I do have a couple of 64" story poles started, I think they will hold up, no cracks, but time will tell.
The twisted and interlocked grain in a burl is an awful thing to carve through if your edges are not carving sharp.
Even so, you have to take such shallow cuts. If you gut the block with 3/4" Forstner bit cuts, the queen will never notice.
The hook on the tip of a farrier's knife is meant to clean out the frog on a horse's hoof.
It works like a dream when you get down to the bottom of the side of a kuksa.
I do have a couple of 64" story poles started, I think they will hold up, no cracks, but time will tell.
The twisted and interlocked grain in a burl is an awful thing to carve through if your edges are not carving sharp.
Even so, you have to take such shallow cuts. If you gut the block with 3/4" Forstner bit cuts, the queen will never notice.
The hook on the tip of a farrier's knife is meant to clean out the frog on a horse's hoof.
It works like a dream when you get down to the bottom of the side of a kuksa.
Have a look at this video by Zed Outdoors starring Addo of this parish. Green (wet) wood is by far the easiest to carve. Some swear by boiling the kuk in salt water. Not sure it's necessary and it makes your coffee salty!
Mora have fundamentally improved their spoon knife recently: new design and different steel.
Z
Mora have fundamentally improved their spoon knife recently: new design and different steel.
Z
I've just posted seperatly about sourcing a long handled type . Any idea where I could source one of those?
Great kuksa btw. I'll be happy if my first one ends up anything like that. Also am really keen to use birch, sounds like I should find fresh birch though and not buy it in.
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Onelifeoverland: Are you looking for a long-handled crooked knife?
I start with blades I buy and build up the handles for traditional surface mounting.
Here are some of the best and typical Pacific Northwest bladesmiths.
There's no reason at all why a UK bladesmith could not do much the same.
Study the geometry, there's much more to it than meets the eye.
Two with established reputations:
http://kestreltool.com/index.html
http://www.northbayforge.com/index.htm
These guys are newer:
http://www.caribooblades.com/
https://www.jamie-sharp.com/
Another plan is to buy or search out farrier's crooked hoof-trimming knives.
Bash off the scales, change the bevel to 12 degrees and haft the blade yourself.
I've made a couple dozen, not difficult.
I start with blades I buy and build up the handles for traditional surface mounting.
Here are some of the best and typical Pacific Northwest bladesmiths.
There's no reason at all why a UK bladesmith could not do much the same.
Study the geometry, there's much more to it than meets the eye.
Two with established reputations:
http://kestreltool.com/index.html
http://www.northbayforge.com/index.htm
These guys are newer:
http://www.caribooblades.com/
https://www.jamie-sharp.com/
Another plan is to buy or search out farrier's crooked hoof-trimming knives.
Bash off the scales, change the bevel to 12 degrees and haft the blade yourself.
I've made a couple dozen, not difficult.
I think the best way to get a long handled spoon knife is to buy a blade and put your own handle on.
I bought one off this bloke and I am very happy with it.
http://www.davebudd.com/Tools-for-the-Craftsman.html#anchor_46
I bought one off this bloke and I am very happy with it.
http://www.davebudd.com/Tools-for-the-Craftsman.html#anchor_46
