9/23/2014

I have been learning how to handcarve spoons.

 Remember that I am self taught, and I am learning all of this by trial and error. 

I have to figure out which tools work best for me, still working on that one, and of course I do have a few cuts on my hands.

 But here's the first one.  Remember I had to figure out if I could even this, if I was even physically strong enough to do it so keep watching.

I started with a cheap piece of pine from Michael's hobby store… Here's the first one, before I decorated it.

Here is the final product. 

It's very narrow as I had absolutely no control over my cuts or the wood.  So this one just one turned out to be more like something you would use to spread butter with.  It's very narrow I use it for my coffee in the morning.

Then I went for number two, I had two pieces of wood you see it came in a pack with two. That's when I decided to use my power tools. Nothing extravagant, just an electric sander mostly. and I used my Dremmel to cut some of the excess wood away.

It looks a lot like something you could buy at the dollar store, and I understand that. And I also understand that no one's going to pay me money for something that just looks like they could buy it at the dollar store. 

But remember these are practice pieces. This one is more like a paddle, I haven't decorated it yet either.  I've only oiled so far.  It is smooth as a babies behind.

Then I went out and picked up a tree limb.  Juniper / Cedar of course.

This place has the bark removed or use the max. And then I split it down the middle.  I wish I had taken more pictures just bear with me will get there.

CHECK this bad boy out!!!

It is small I know, but again I don't have a lot of control over my wood yet. Things split and splinter off so I have to work with what happens. This one reminds me of a sugar scoop.

I absolutely love this thing. I oiled it with lemon oil, that's all I had on hand at this point.

 I'm not sure what kind of finish I want to put on them.  I may use Tung oil, (it is food safe),  but I can't use that on Cedar because it won't harden. 

If you do it the all-natural way I guess mineral oil would be my best bet because even if the oil melts into whatever you're eating or cooking won't taste like lemon.

I love it I love it I love it.