The Virgin Spoon

[Blades]

My first go at a spoon. One of the most enjoyable things I've done Loved the hewing bit's off with the axe part. No idea what kind of wood it is I'm afraid something from a tree would be my closest guess.

 

[Ruvio]

cracking first effort, well done

 

[malente]

looks good! congrats and welcome to the guilt of spooners, beware it's addictive.

the wood looks like pine, but I could be wrong. was it relatively soft, not hard like ash or oak?

Mike

 

[Blades]

I've no idea if it felt hard or soft I'm afraid I've nothing to compare it to ! Didn't feel very soft but that was probably me being wimpy on my first go.

 

[malente]

no worries, take your time.

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

Great first try, especially using an axe.

 

[brancho]

Good job
Was the wood green of seaoned?

 

[Blades]

What's the way to tell and I'll try to let you know I found a branch on the ground so..

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

What's the way to tell and I'll try to let you know I found a branch on the ground so..

Wood is "Seasoned" when it has dried out as opposed to "Green" wood which is fresh and still has a high moisture content.

if wood is seasoned it will feel dry (put it you your lip as this is more sensitive), it will be quite light compared to fresh wood, also the "cambium" which is the inner bark will be completely brown and dry.

there is also a difference between "green" wood and wet wood (as in left in the rain), "Green" and "Seasoned" refer to the moisture content within the cells of the wood, wood can be seasoned and wet because the cell moisture content is low but there is water on the outside of the cells. if you get what I mean without getting complex

 

[weaver]

That's a Nice Ax!

 

[Blades]

I'm glad you didn't get complex ...... (!)

I'm not sure if it's the cambium you mean, but there was a 2/3mm shaft down the centre of the wood which was brown and dry... ? I thought that was the dry sap.

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

I'm glad you didn't get complex ...... (!)

I'm not sure if it's the cambium you mean, but there was a 2/3mm shaft down the centre of the wood which was brown and dry... ? I thought that was the dry sap.

yer that will be the Cambium or inner bark, it's what carries all of the nutrients, sugars and water around the tree; the sap.

Like you say its normally a 2-3 mm thick layer between the bark and the wood.

 

[Blades]

Hm.. No sorry I meant once split the log in half there was a dark brown line running down the middle inside the wood at the very centre ...

 

[Blades]

I googled and I think I meant the pith? according to one image I looked at.

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

yep that thin line down the middle is the pith,