something a little different ...

[DoctorSpoon]

Well ok, it's another spoon, but a different one! I went out in the woods on Saturday with Robin and whilst he was logging I scrambled around amongst the heaps of tops with a folding saw gathering crooks to make spoons from...

I just carved my first one from this bit which was covered in stunningly beautiful lichens

It's the first one I've ever carved in this way from scratch and I was quite pleased with it. The bowl comes from the main branch and the handle from the side branch like this...

They are amazingly simple because there is no complicated axe work. All you have to do is split the main branch down the centre then the basic shape is there

 

[Eric_Methven]

That's nice. Is the little bit bark left on for aesthetic reasons?

Eric

 

[DoctorSpoon]

I left it there as I thought it'd be fun to show where it came from in the tree, but it'll probably fall off!!

 

[Cobweb]

I like it , does it work well?

 

[DoctorSpoon]

It's not really finished yet. It needs to dry then have a quick once over with fine knife cuts before oiling. It's also tiny ... only big enough to be a mustard spoon ... so not very functional. The next one's being made from a larger piece of wood so it'll be useful too!

 

[Tadpole]

I am in the process of doing something similar, unfortunately, where the branch divided, and found only when I was half way through my rough carving, I found a place where the branch had cracked and sealed itself. Now in the middle of my as yet unfinished ladle bowl, there is a thin line of bark and a knot. As the dead standing ‘seasoned’ cherry wood is quite hard, and as I’ve already put in some not inconsiderable effort so far, I am loath to chuck it away and start again, so I will finish my ladle, knot bark and all.

 

[DoctorSpoon]

I had the same problem. Mine has a bark inclusion in the other side to the one I photographed! I'll probably stabilise it with a little superglue before I oil it and it'll be fine.

 

[Tadpole]

I'll probably stabilise it with a little superglue before I oil it and it'll be fine.

can you do that and still use it for food? (please say yes) I'd really like to be able to use it.

 

[DoctorSpoon]

Why not? I'm not aware of any adverse health implications for superglue. We've various aged bowls and plates that we've superglued after they've split and they're fine, go through the washing up water and everything...

 

[w00dsmoke]

I had this lump of birch and an old bit pine out in the garden and decided to carve
a different spoon out of the birch shaped like the head of a swan and burned the marks
in and a classic t spoon out of the pine... (no comments about the quality of pics my
cam is not good at close ups! )Anyway it's something a bit different and I'm not too
keen on prissy spoons!

Just out of interest both were carved only with a sharp knife and spoon knife with a little sanding.