Earlier this year, I got out on an unexpected and unplanned overnighter. After hurriedly chucking a few things in a drybag, I grabbed my paddling gear and headed off to one of the places I know where I'm almost certain of not being disturbed. After setting up my hammock and tarp,
collecting wood, lighting the fire
and having a few scoops, my mind turned to food. I dug my burgers out, and then, after much searching, I realised that I hadn't brought any eating irons, cooking utensils or my grill.
The easiest thing to sort out was the grill. I found a flat rock that had obviously been heated in the past, put it in the fire and covered it in coals to heat up. Having seen that Mears fella swiftly make a spoon using his axe and knife, I thought that I'd have a go. I searched through my wood pile for a well seasoned log about as thick as my wrist and as long as my forearm and quickly chopped a blank with my axe. I decided that it would be better to try and carve the bowl while it was in this state, so I started scraping away. It turned out that I'm not as good at this spoon making lark that I thought I would be, as I quickly tired of not getting anywhere with the bowl, so I decided to turn it into a spatula, since I'd brought burgers rather than soup. This turned out to be much easier than spoon making, although the least critical thing that you could call it is "primitive". It proved to be very good for flipping burgers though.
When I got home, I told the above story to my wife, and showed her the spatula. I must admit that I found her laughter disheartening. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't dream of showing it off on this forum, due to the high standard of craftsmanship shown by almost everyone else, but then I had the idea of putting it up as a booby prize for the stupidest question asked, or answer given, by someone who should know better, because after all, what's the point in giving someone a wooden spoon on this site? They'd only like it, use it or modify it in some way.
Unfortunately though, this won't be happening, as the woman who scoffed at it now classes it as one of her favourite utensils, and won't let me give it away.
collecting wood, lighting the fire
and having a few scoops, my mind turned to food. I dug my burgers out, and then, after much searching, I realised that I hadn't brought any eating irons, cooking utensils or my grill.
The easiest thing to sort out was the grill. I found a flat rock that had obviously been heated in the past, put it in the fire and covered it in coals to heat up. Having seen that Mears fella swiftly make a spoon using his axe and knife, I thought that I'd have a go. I searched through my wood pile for a well seasoned log about as thick as my wrist and as long as my forearm and quickly chopped a blank with my axe. I decided that it would be better to try and carve the bowl while it was in this state, so I started scraping away. It turned out that I'm not as good at this spoon making lark that I thought I would be, as I quickly tired of not getting anywhere with the bowl, so I decided to turn it into a spatula, since I'd brought burgers rather than soup. This turned out to be much easier than spoon making, although the least critical thing that you could call it is "primitive". It proved to be very good for flipping burgers though.
When I got home, I told the above story to my wife, and showed her the spatula. I must admit that I found her laughter disheartening. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't dream of showing it off on this forum, due to the high standard of craftsmanship shown by almost everyone else, but then I had the idea of putting it up as a booby prize for the stupidest question asked, or answer given, by someone who should know better, because after all, what's the point in giving someone a wooden spoon on this site? They'd only like it, use it or modify it in some way.
Unfortunately though, this won't be happening, as the woman who scoffed at it now classes it as one of her favourite utensils, and won't let me give it away.
