I need to turn a spoon...

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Gary_C

New User
Gary
My son is a chef and asked me to make him a spoon. Never did one before. I'm going to surf the web to look for tutorials but I thought I would ask here too.

Does anybody have advice on spooning?

:)
 

Michael Mathews

Michael
Corporate Member
Mike, what is the best wood for carving spoons? The HOW group asked me if I'd do a demo one evening. I guess the next question is do you carve them wet or dry?
Michael
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Sycamore, maple, beech, birch, apple, pear, and cherry are my favorites.

don't use any of the woods known to cause allergies.

most people carve wet/green because the wood is so much softer, but then you have to wait a week or two for the wood to dry before you can finish carving the surface smooth.

i carve dry wood so I can finish it at once. It takes a little longer and the tools need more frequent sharpening.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Yes, if you have enough swing to mount the bowl and let the handle go round. You would have to change centers a couple times, but it could be done.

much faster to carve though
 

Gary_C

New User
Gary
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?cat=2210&page=2
This should take you to my gallery, there are several different spoons there and the pics from a tutorial on turning and carving a spoon.

if I can answer any questions let me know.

so from the pictures with the knives...I'm guessing you carve the bowl of the knife?

and the spoon with the arched handle...is that handle done on the lathe? I expect I could do a straight handle but how do you do the arched handle?

(I'm kind of new at this...)
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
Normally you use a spoke shave on a shave horse for the handle and a scorp (or a knife) to scoop out the bowl.

There are a lot of other ways to do it. Mike is definitely the expert. Notice the bottom of his posts and his avatar is him using a shave horse.

- Ken.
 

Michael Mathews

Michael
Corporate Member
I have the scorp, but I don't have a spoke shave. Can I make a spoke shave? Are there plans anywhere? Or maybe my best bet is to buy one?

Any thoughts or comments?
Michael
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
A new one is not so expensive Stanley 151 with the depth adjustment screws.

i have bent knives for $20 sharpened and ready to use.

there is a thread here with plan and photos of shave horse

yeah the arched handle is spoke shave and draw knife and ax.
 

Michael Mathews

Michael
Corporate Member
Maybe a spoon carving workshop at Walnut Cove is in order!

I do have an Adze. Maybe I can rough the spoon handle with that then carve it to the finish size...
Michael
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Adze is probably overkill. I use a small hand ax, maybe 14 inch handle 3 inch wide head.

or a bandsaw works pretty well.
 

smallboat

smallboat
Corporate Member
+1 on the workshop in Walnut Cove if you get the chance.
I came away with a spoon and a half one of Mike's curved knives, a spoke shave and a lot learned.
Here's the spoon I carved - it started the day as a chunk of maple firewood.
Handle_view.jpg


Not sure how you get around carving the inside of the bowl. what you use will be determined by the size of the spoon, or vice versa.
This one is a small ladle and I used the curved knife. I can see maybe using the 2" adze if you'll be working on a big ladle.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
A new one is not so expensive Stanley 151 with the depth adjustment screws.

i have bent knives for $20 sharpened and ready to use.

there is a thread here with plan and photos of shave horse

yeah the arched handle is spoke shave and draw knife and ax.

Bring a bent knife with you to the gauge workshop please, I'd be interested in seeing one and likely purchase one.

Already have a very nice Record Spoke Shave.
 
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