Spoons in Iraq (pic heavy)

[TomBartlett]

Here's a selection of what I've managed to carve while in Iraq. Hope you enjoy!

Pine

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus spork (my first!)

Not entirely sure what wood this is. It's pretty light and porous.

Pine root, has a richer yellow colour to it.

Eucalyptus

I like the end of the handle on this one. The bowl is a little elongated however.

Eucalyptus

Pine Kuksa

I'm fairly happy with the shape of this, except the front of this began to split. After soaking it in coffee I think I let it dry too quick. I had it in a plastic bag covered in wood-chips but I think desert conditions warrant a slightly different approach!

 

[Biker]

Ummm shouldn't you be like shooting people, not busy carving? LOL!

Seriously though I really like that batch, the end of the handle on the one you mentioned particularly. I think you may have invented a whole new genre of carving with that spork. I bet even John Fenna (founder and president of the "I hate sporks" society) will have a crack at doing one of those.

 

[Retired Member southey]

There ace matey! really like the second single pic, brilliant!

 

[TomBartlett]

Erm, since I'm teaching English to kids here, shooting them is generally frowned upon (not that it hasn't crossed my mind).

 

[Biker]

Erm, since I'm teaching English to kids here, shooting them is generally frowned upon (not that it hasn't crossed my mind).

Ah yes that would sorta mess the day up wouldn't it. Just assumed you were in the army or something.

My best mate's a teacher at college level (16-19) in the UK. He feels the same way about his students sometimes, but shooting them through the head might not make much of a difference, there's little chance of hitting a vital organ if he did.

 

[Itzal]

Ummm shouldn't you be like shooting people, not busy carving? LOL!

We don't shoot people in Iraq, we win hearts and minds...

 

[Biker]

We don't shoot people in Iraq, we win hearts and minds...

Well if they recover from the gunshots you can try that method I suppose LOL!

Yeah, I know, too controversial in this PC world we live. I'll shut up.

 

[Itzal]

Well if they recover from the gunshots you can try that method I suppose LOL!

Yeah, I know, too controversial in this PC world we live. I'll shut up.

Ha ha, no, they are brown bread if thats what it takes to survive.

 

[John Fenna]

Ummm shouldn't you be like shooting people, not busy carving? LOL!

Seriously though I really like that batch, the end of the handle on the one you mentioned particularly. I think you may have invented a whole new genre of carving with that spork. I bet even John Fenna (founder and president of the "I hate sporks" society) will have a crack at doing one of those.

I only hate plastic or Ti Sporks - I have carved a couple of double ended Sporks out of Oak and ...something else...
I prefer double enders to "spike your mouth while eating soup" Sporks as the only injury you will get is a fistful of whatever you were last eating with the other end...

nowt wrong with a carved Spork!

 

[TomBartlett]

Ooh, I like the double ended spoon/fork combination.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Ah yes that would sorta mess the day up wouldn't it. Just assumed you were in the army or something.

My best mate's a teacher at college level (16-19) in the UK. He feels the same way about his students sometimes, but shooting them through the head might not make much of a difference, there's little chance of hitting a vital organ if he did.

Many "pupils" need a brain, like a hole in the head !............say what you like Biker & to hell with PC.

 

[hog]

Good work on those spoons.

 

[Lou]

Very nice carving! Love the last two pics.......how long did it take to carve?

 

[EdS]

Erm, since I'm teaching English to kids here, shooting them is generally frowned upon (not that it hasn't crossed my mind).

So they are not Tactical spoons just normal ones.

Still nice though.

 

[beenn]

All look nice but i really like the kuksa

 

[PaulSanderson]

some great work mate thanks for sharing...what eucalyptus like to work with??

 

[TomBartlett]

Thanks for the kind words!

@lune, I carved the kuksa in a day, not entirely how long I was at it for, several hours I think.

@Paul, this was the first time I've used eucalyptus, this one was quite a dense wood which split fairly easily. Interestingly the wood in this species seems to have a gluey smell to it. Mind you there are (I think) about 700 species of eucalyptus, so I'm sure the qualities vary.