Spalted birch kuksa (Picture Heavy)
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Mike, you'll do brilliantly I'm sure. I must say that I've learnt a lot just by cracking on, and having a go. I think the first one was a bit of a fluke in how it turned out, and if you could hold it in your hands, you'd see its by no means perfect, not by a long shot. My cutting with the spoon and carving knife have improved over the past month, plus the length of time I can carve before my hands ache has increased. I did expect this to some extent, and I'm chuffed with the results. I keep saying to myself, after I've been at it a couple hours, that I need to fashion a leather thumb pad for my left hand. I find that using it to add to the pressure of certain cuts is a must, but it stings a bit after a while and a leather pad would allow me continue longer. I do tend to work through the pain though, which normally causes me to have to rest the thumb for a day or so.
Anyway, keep at it. I can't explain the feeling of satisfaction on using one I've made from scratch, you'll see yourself soon.
Thanks for all the support and kind words guys. I really appreciate it.
Fantastic mate! The one with the leather lanyard is superb!
Thanks, that's my favourite too. Also, my kupilka is not getting much use these days, so I think I'll take it work and use it instead of my usual china mug.
Great Kuksa quietone. How long was the Birch on your log pile before you started carving, I am looking to produce some spalting of my own and am looking for a rough estimate on time, also what part of Wales are you from?
Those look amazing mate, really good work! I have a big old birch burl in my back yard which came down in a storm last year. Just wondering if its carvable...
Hey. I've no experience with burls, there are folk on here that have though. I would imagine that the grain on a burl would be all over the place, and might prove a bugger to carve. But that would also make them very interesting to carve, and I think they would be less prone to splitting. I've only had one split so far, on the ones I've carved from the spalted stuff, and that was just a little one on the handle. If your burl is very dry, it will be hard to carve. How long has it been in your yard?
Hey chaps, I wondered if using spalted wood for a drinking vessel is safe? Yes, this is something I should have considered before I made them, and drunk from them 
I understand that the effect is caused by certain fungus, and a moisture levels etc, but are these fungi a danger to human health? I've looked around the interwebby, but there is conflicting talk regarding how safe spalted wood is. I can find no mention of spalted wood drinking vessels. ?
I understand that the effect is caused by certain fungus, and a moisture levels etc, but are these fungi a danger to human health? I've looked around the interwebby, but there is conflicting talk regarding how safe spalted wood is. I can find no mention of spalted wood drinking vessels. ?
Hey chaps, I wondered if using spalted wood for a drinking vessel is safe? Yes, this is something I should have considered before I made them, and drunk from them
I understand that the effect is caused by certain fungus, and a moisture levels etc, but are these fungi a danger to human health? I've looked around the interwebby, but there is conflicting talk regarding how safe spalted wood is. I can find no mention of spalted wood drinking vessels. ?
I think the answer strictly is no, spalted wood is not regarded as food-safe, which is to say it would not pass a food industry standard. However I also think that the risk is low, especially if you finish the piece with a finish that seals the wood, such as walnut oil or a lacquer. I'm going to do mine with hot walnut oil when I finish hacking at it, and I'm intending to use it thereafter.
Thanks, after reading what little there is regarding spalted wood, I also came to that conclusion. I just didn't want to take a chance with health. I made one for my other half too, but I won't let her take the risk.
What brand of oil, and method will you use?
I heat ordinary food-grade walnut oil from a supermarket in a jug, until hot but not boiling (about 3 minutes in a microwave) and then either sit small items in it for 5-10 minutes, or pour it over larger items. It does darken the wood a little, particularly if you leave it in for a soak, but walnut oil dries to a seal, unlike most oils. Just beware of nut allergies.
As my pseudo-kuksa looks like it has a split in it I may also go for a melamine lacquer on the inside of the cup.
An alternative approach is to buy a specified food-safe finishing oil from a woodwork supplier (available easily on ebay etc).
Basically, if you seal the wood, there is nowhere for the spores to get out, so the wood should be safe. I like the hot oil treatment as it should also sterilise things with the heat. In any case, I would say that the risk to health is very small to start with.
As my pseudo-kuksa looks like it has a split in it I may also go for a melamine lacquer on the inside of the cup.
An alternative approach is to buy a specified food-safe finishing oil from a woodwork supplier (available easily on ebay etc).
Basically, if you seal the wood, there is nowhere for the spores to get out, so the wood should be safe. I like the hot oil treatment as it should also sterilise things with the heat. In any case, I would say that the risk to health is very small to start with.
That sounds a more thorough method of sealing than what I did to my first one. I merely wiped it on a few times with a cotton cloth. Would you say that immersing the cup in the hot oil for a longer period would make any difference?
I read a little about salad bowl finish, not sure I want to give the cup a varnish-like surface though. Walnut oil is the way to go I think.
Sorry to hear that your block is split, my last one has a split half inch or so on the handle but it has not got any worse. So I'll leave it be. Thanks again.
I read a little about salad bowl finish, not sure I want to give the cup a varnish-like surface though. Walnut oil is the way to go I think.
Sorry to hear that your block is split, my last one has a split half inch or so on the handle but it has not got any worse. So I'll leave it be. Thanks again.
No point in giving a long soak really, as that can just make it greasy. The oil cools quickly, so the initial heat is anti-fungal, and some of the air and water in the wood is replaced by oil, giving a better seal, but after a few minutes you are not really achieving much.
Be aware also that if the oil is really hot there is a risk that the wood will split from the shock. I've only had that happen once, but on a thicker piece like kuksa the risk is there. Apart from which, you will need a lot of oil to immerse a kuksa, so I would just go for pouring hot oil over/into it. Hot oil isn't necessary though. A simple wipe over with walnut oil will also seal it. I just like the hot oil effect.
I also wondered if hot coffee and tea would reduce the coating of oil on the inside? I guess subsequent applications would be good thing to do also?
keep it refreshed now and then. The hot liquids won't affect it really, but the scouring causied by cleaning will.
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