Australian Wood Review - June 2018

30 Australian Wood Review

PROJECT

Shape the bowl outline. Place the tip end of the spoon bowl

on the chopping block and using a straight down carving

action, carve the tip of the bowl shape by rotating the blank

slowly (photo 9). You now have a spoon blank roughed out

ready for knife work – time to put the axe down.

Knife work and finishing

Use your straight knife to carve right up to your pencil

outline (photo 10). If you are new to carving with a slojd

knife I highly encourage you to study different knife grips,

these are well published in Jögge Sundqvist’s recent DVD

and explained well in Barn the Spoon’s book, Spon.

The side profile will ultimately determine the strength of

your spoon. Dimensions that are wide in plan view can be

thin on side view, and vice versa. This means the handle

end can be carved thin and gradually thickens all the

way to the base of bowl. The critical section, that is, the

weakest point, is the neck of the handle where it meets the

bowl. I like my eating spoons to be at least 10mm deep

here to ensure strength (photo 5).

Time now to switch to the spoon or bent knife to start

hollowing the bowl. Attempt to make many shallow cuts

across the grain (photo 11), ensuring you pull the blade

out of the cut. Avoid taking deep short cuts, you will create

a ridge that will require chasing out and make carving far

less enjoyable.

Work with the grain where possible, rotating your spoon

around until you create smooth cuts. Mouth feel is a

critical element when designing an eating spoon. Eating

spoons are best carved at a maximum depth of around

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9. With the tip resting on the block, take small cuts to shape
   the end of the bowl.


10. Knifing begins by paring away to the outline. You need to
    develop holds that will keep your thumb out of the way.


11. Use the bent or spoon knife to take smooth cuts against
    the grain to shape the bowl.


12. Allow spoons to dry for a day or two before finish cutting
    and applying a food grade oil.


13. No longer an apartment dweller, Barton Chesworth now
    has a small workshop for his woodworking.

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