View Full Version : First spoon
Hi,
I've just finished carving my first spoon, and although it's not as good looking as some other hand carved spoons I've seen, it was my first go so I'm pretty proud of it, and thought I'd show it off!!
Anyway, the reason I'm posting this is, at the moment the spoon is just bare wood, do I need to put some kind of laquer on it or anything?? If anyone knows that'd be great!!
Dan
Tantalus
02-05-2005, 14:42
if you want to use it as a spoon then no coating or a little veg oil
its gonna get plenty oil and stuff stirring soups where it is headed
course if you want to keep it in a presentation box then you can apply anything you like ;)
nice job by the way :)
Tant
Paganwolf
02-05-2005, 14:53
Nice one buddy!
use a fine sandpaper to smooth it then run it under warm water,this raises the grain,you will feel it roughen up.Let it dry and repeat the process until the grain no longer raises if you dont do this the first time you eat with it or stirr your tea the grain raises and makes it uncomfortable to eat with, this also depends on what wood you use to the amount of grain that raises,
then use a Tung oil (BQ,Homebase) to oil it its a non toxic natural blend of oils rub it in your spoon and wipe off the excess,
rapeat till water runs off your spoon,Job Jobbed ;) (you can use boiled linseed oil too must be boiled though)
Moonraker
02-05-2005, 14:56
Great first effort Dan :)
Cheers for the instructions Paganwolf!! I'll give all that a go!
Dave Farrant
02-05-2005, 15:46
Fantastic first try...
Fantastic spoon for any try..
I'm very impressed
:D
Justin Time
02-05-2005, 17:19
a cracker! what wood is it?
Thanks everyone!
To be honest I don't know what wood it is... I just picked up a bit of wood whilst I was walking and gave it a go.
Next thing to do: Buy a tree book! Anyone know a good one?
bambodoggy
02-05-2005, 20:42
I borrow the cooking olive oil from SHMBO and give my spoons a rub with that.....seems to make them look and feel nice!
Top first spoon mate, welldone! :)
Paganwolf
02-05-2005, 20:47
Try "The Easy Tree Guide" by Kieth Rushford Dan, get started on the next one soon matey! ;) ive made 2 in the last 7days from crab apple, its a beautifull wood to carve.Try fruit woods its closed grained and lovely to carve, hawthorn and black thorn is lovely too, the spoon i use the most is Oak, i live in Thurrock ( Thors Oak) so i think its apt its also a lovely wood to carve, be carefull of picking up or lifting the grain though on the last carving stages though.
I do like the look of apple. I don't think there is anywhere around here with fruit trees that may have lost a branch or two... Can you buy blocks of wood from anywhere? Thanks for the tip on the book, I'll give it a look!
Paganwolf
02-05-2005, 22:01
where are you in the south Dan i may be able to send you a bit of crab apple bud.
whistler
02-05-2005, 23:59
I am impressed any tips for someone who hasnt carved one yet, if my first attempt looks this good I will be well satisfied.
Paganwolf
03-05-2005, 06:53
I am impressed any tips for someone who hasnt carved one yet, if my first attempt looks this good I will be well satisfied.
Hi there Buddy, have a look at this its a basic tutorial i did a while ago may be helpfull to you ;) http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=4061&highlight=spoons
where are you in the south Dan i may be able to send you a bit of crab apple bud.
That'd be very kind of you! I live in the south of Hampshire, near Portsmouth. If you can, let me know how I can pay you!!
Thanks enourmously!
Dan
Paganwolf
03-05-2005, 19:41
PM me your addy mate, payment not needed ;)
toxopholist
03-05-2005, 22:30
Hello. A very nice first spoon. Much better than my first effort. Have you considered Lime. It's recognised as an easy wood to carve with and is readily available from people like Axminster Tools. (www.axminster.co.uk). Regarding the coating try Tung oil for cutlery that will be used for food and Danish Oil for a decorative finish. The picture attached shows a Lime wood spoon coated with Danish Oil. Cheers.
That spoon is beautiful, really good work.
I love seeing the different bits of gear that people craft, its all so much more personal than just buying an item.
I'm looking forward to the next BushMoot (end of may, near Reading) because everyone brings their gear and you get to see the different ways people make things and get good advice on problems you encounter while making things, whether its carving noggins, making cordage or knapping flint arrow heads.
The workshops are excellent too (Chris is demonstrating Bow Making, and his bows are very good).
If you want to pick up some new skills or master an old one, get to the next BushMoot.
Neil
That'd be very kind of you! I live in the south of Hampshire, near Portsmouth. If you can, let me know how I can pay you!!
That'll be just up the road from me, then... We'll have to get you along to the next meetup in the area! Good looking spoon, too!
Regarding the coating try Tung oil for cutlery that will be used for food...
I've tried to find Tung oil everywhere, but no luck. Does anyone know a good online shop that sells Tung oil??
Cheers,
Dan
They sell tung oil on axminster (http://www.axminster.co.uk/category.asp?cat_id=206900&pf_id=&jump=0&sfile=1) and I've heard no bad stories about them and have used them once and had no problems.
I was going to say you could get a spoon knife aswell but I imagine you have one already. :cool: You could get a starkie sharp honing leather as it seems a shame to pay nearly as much on postage as the item.
cheers :cool:
Cheers hootchi, I'll have a look. Good suggestion about a spoon knife though, I didn't have one and couldn't find any in shops near me, so ended up doing it with my knife. It took longer and was more difficult. I'll have to get one before I do my next spoon!
thats better than my first try i made my first spoon on bronze d of e ( needles to say it broke) my more recent ones are fine and look much the same as the one you have posted
Nice work Daniel! You might consider mineral oil. Works well.
You might consider mineral oil. Works well.
Hmmm!! Is that non-toxic (ok for using as a spoon rather than displaying it on the side)?
Very nice spoon!
I wish I could carve like that, I can see a professional spoon maker out of you. ;)
Hmmm!! Is that non-toxic (ok for using as a spoon rather than displaying it on the side)?
Mineral oil is non toxic athough if you drink a half a bottle of it, it might make you real sick. It's been used medicinally for eons, as a laxative. Totally safe for bowls and spoons. I use it all the time.
Graham_S
08-05-2005, 15:19
i tried out my new crook knife today on my first ever spoon. not entirely sucessful. still practice makes perfect.
Whats the best wood for the job?
Paganwolf
09-05-2005, 12:23
Fruit woods eg apple wood,crab apple, cherry, plum/damson are nice to carve and close grained, hawthorn,blackthorn,oak,hazel, hornbeam are good too and are all quite common, try to stay away from resinous woods like the pines and firs,cedar ect as you can usually still taste them after oiling and the the grain is courser you can obviously still carve them though but the first harder woods are better and make for a better eating utencil.
Hi again. Just received my Tung oil from axminster today, and it says on the side to first apply a few coats with it mixed with white spirit (about 50% of each), and then the last coat neat. It also says to leave it to dry for about 4 days in between coats...
Is this right? Does it really take that long to dry or has anyone got any tips or techniques they use when using tung oil??
Bardster
10-05-2005, 18:28
Yup it really does take that long... You would have been better off with one of the finishing oils or danish oil, these have a tung oil base but set off quicker - a couple of hours usually. I also have a tin of stuff called salad bowl finish - which is a cross between oil and varnish and is guarenteed food safe. But saying that all oils are food safe once they have set off - but as you have found it it can take a while for some of them :)
Cheers, guess I'll have to wait until i can use it... thought I'd have it finished in a night. Oh well!
Paganwolf
10-05-2005, 19:27
No need to rush buddy all good things come to those who wait, i usually rub the spoon with the oil briskly till it warms with the friction rub the oil in well then wipe off the access, leave then repeat the process 3/4 times more till water runs off. Its going to give you years of service so a couple of days in the making isnt much of a problem ;)
PW, I don't really see much done with Blackthorn and I've been intending to rectify that as the wood does have some nice colours.
Thanks for the reminder!
... i usually rub the spoon with the oil briskly till it warms with the friction rub the oil in well then wipe off the access, leave then repeat the process 3/4 times more till water runs off...
Hey! Just applied the first coat of oil, mixed half and half with white spirit like it said on the bottle... however now it just stinks of white spirit, and I can't imagine it tasting nice!
Do you mix yours with white spirit or just do 3/4 coats with undiluted tung oil?
Cheers,
Dan