Stubai gouges for making a kuksa

[Keith_Beef]

I've been wanting to make one of these for a long time, and I'm looking at gouges suitable for making kuksat in a few different sizes. Ideally, I'd get a tool that can also make ladles, spoons and bowls, as well.

I don't want to go all out on really expensive tools straight away, so just two or maybe three reasonably good quality tools to complement what I already have (chip carving knives, flat chisels and mortice chisels, saws and planes).

So I stumbled upon Stubai tools this morning, and wondered if type 5232 in 16mm and 30mm would be a good start. These have a very deep U shape, that I imagine is useful to avoid the outer tips from digging into the wood as I carve out the inner shape of the bowl.

For shallower bowls, I imaging that I could still use the 5232, but that a shallower gouge would make it easier to keep a nice smooth shape, so something like type 5236 would be better, and probably a wider size, too, like & 30mm and a 60mm...

 

[Robson Valley]

You need a high sweep to rough out the void of the spoon = the bowl part. Even #8 or #9 is plenty deep
Then you need a shallow sweep to smooth away the ridges that the deep sweep always leaves behind.
Youwon't need more than a 15mm width as you never push the entire edge into the wood anyway.
At the end, you might do a bit of smoothing with a piece of 220 then 320 grit sandpapers before finishing.

The option might be to buy a spoon knife such as the Mora #162 or #163.
Pull on a skewed stroke to peel off spiral shavings.

I've always done OK with a straight 9/15 (Pfeil), not bent, for roughouts followed by some sort of a crooked knife with a J-shape sweep.
You carve sideways with those as you would with the Mora .

 

[Janne]

Kåsas are cut using a knife by tradition. Morakniv make some decent ones.

As you apply a more gentle pressure using your hands, (with a knife) you have a better feel, control and can get the walls thinner.

 

[Robson Valley]

Bent "spoon gouges" extend the roughing out to any hollow forms and relief carvings better than a knife.
Both hands on a gouge with the wood in a fixed position works well.
BUT,
If you want to do spoons and kuksa, take a good look at the Mora #162, #163 and #164, instead of any gouges.
I'll use a farrier's hoof knife revised to 12 degrees, but that's just me. They all look a lot like the Mora #171.

Half the job is keeping your edges "carving sharp." Not shaving sharp, that's for skinny hair proteins.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Thanks for the advice. I already have two Mora knives in the box with my chip carving knives; I think they are #162 and #164.