Using and cleaning spoons and other questions

[Dave Budd]

the oil will keep the dye in the cuts when ever I do any scrimshaw (wood, bone or antler), I mix powdered ink or charcoal with oil and rub it into the cuts. I've had the lines fade a little with eating utensils, but I put that down to the frequent (soapy) washing and the fact that the oil I use doesn't set very fast (flax oil). When I use danish oil it sets fast and so locks the dye in place nicely.

The easiest way to avoid the furry spoon is to do away with sandpaper completely! Learn to carve to a finish and you'l never have a raised fibre again

 

[Mesquite]

This might sound rather silly, but I was eating with one of my spoons, the special kolrosed one, and I cleaned it in soapy water. Then I took out and realised that I has washed away or faded a great deal of the kolrosing! I'm saddened by this as I thought the powder would somehow stay inside the cuts, but it's just faded now as some of the powder was washed away. How do you prevent this?

How did you wash it Russell?

It may well be if you used a wash brush or a scour pad you actually scraped the kolrosing out. If I wash anything wooden I've carved or kolrosed it's dunked in the water, rubbed by my fingers and then dunked again and then dried immediately.

I've got a spatula I did over 5 years ago and the kolrosing is still there albeit it harder to see due to the spatula absorbing oil during it's use.

The other possibility is you didn't carve deep enough for the kolrosing to 'stick'

 

[THOaken]

How did you wash it Russell?

It may well be if you used a wash brush or a scour pad you actually scraped the kolrosing out. If I wash anything wooden I've carved or kolrosed it's dunked in the water, rubbed by my fingers and then dunked again and then dried immediately.

I've got a spatula I did over 5 years ago and the kolrosing is still there albeit it harder to see due to the spatula absorbing oil during it's use.

The other possibility is you didn't carve deep enough for the kolrosing to 'stick'

I simply dipped it in warm soapy water and the lines faded. It's strange because it seemed fairly set but maybe I didn't carve deep enough as you say.

My name's Taylor, by the way, friend

 

[Macaroon]

In one of your other posts you asked why do some people use six or more coats of oil on their carving; well, you've just discovered part of the reason with your recent experience. When you coat an article with oil, it has to be an oil that drys and hardens; that's why it's a very bad idea to use olive oil, vegetable oil etc., they don't dry, they just go rancid and provide no protective coating at all. But just because you've used a drying oil, it doesn't mean you can apply a few coats and then you're done for the long term. If you want to do this properly, the old tried and tested way to protect wood with oil is: Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year thereafter. Cabinetmakers and carriage and coachbuilders have been doing this for many many years, and that's because that's the way it works properly. If you carve a spoon or a kuksa for display you can give it a couple of coats of walnut oil, put it on display and bob's yer uncle; If however, like your spoon, you have something kolrosed and it's to be used and washed on a regular basis, the process requires more effort and time to make your work durable. Search the net and do some research into oil finishes on wood, and learn all the rules from the ground up and apply what you learn to your projects

You'll read lots of stuff about how everybody does it their own way, but generally they are people who know and have worked to the old rules and then adapted to their own requirements.

You can't successfully break the rules 'till you've learned and practised them, and none of this is instant; it takes time to learn skills and techniques, otherwise we'd all be top-class craftsmen, artisans and artists..........

 

[Stew]

This might sound rather silly, but I was eating with one of my spoons, the special kolrosed one, and I cleaned it in soapy water. Then I took out and realised that I has washed away or faded a great deal of the kolrosing! I'm saddened by this as I thought the powder would somehow stay inside the cuts, but it's just faded now as some of the powder was washed away. How do you prevent this?

What did you use for the colouring? Perhaps that is the problem.

 

[John Fenna]

I use, wash and wash and use my kolrosed spoon - the design has faded a bit but not much.
I used cinnamon and walnut oil...

 

[Two Socks]

It takes time for an oil to harden out and protect your kolrosing as well. Months, really. For kolrosing to last: cut deep enough, oil a lot and wait for the oil to actually set. Before the oil has dried you can wash it away with soap and water.

 

[2trapper]

I'd like to answer about linseed oil, I use it raw, obviously. It smells quite strong for a bit, but even if you soak the kitchenware in it and keep them dry at room temperature for a a couple of days, the smell will fade away. Every other alimentary oil could be useful, but keep attention that not to get rancid

 

[Parbajtor]

the oil will keep the dye in the cuts when ever I do any scrimshaw (wood, bone or antler), I mix powdered ink or charcoal with oil and rub it into the cuts. I've had the lines fade a little with eating utensils, but I put that down to the frequent (soapy) washing and the fact that the oil I use doesn't set very fast (flax oil). When I use danish oil it sets fast and so locks the dye in place nicely.

The easiest way to avoid the furry spoon is to do away with sandpaper completely! Learn to carve to a finish and you'l never have a raised fibre again

Or use a cabinet scraper rather than sandpaper. It's just a piece of sheet steel with a raised burr http://woodgears.ca/scraper/index.html they also come in a variety of french curves

 

[Wayland]

My woodware is wiped clean, occasionally rinsed and oiled when looking a bit dull. Faded designs usually revive a bit as well when oiled.

Detergents are always going to be bad news for oil and that includes the natural oils in the wood. The only time I have ever needed them was when I lent a bowl out and it was returned in a really bad state.

Treat your kit with care and it will look after you in return.