More Spoons

While not directly related to paddle making , I've been trying to be eco-conscious and use the scraps of wood left over from the process to make some more wooden utensils. Tonight, I decided to try my hand at free carving some spoons from a piece of Basswood cutoff. Basswood is a remarkable wood for carving and with a piece left over from cutting out the blade pattern on the 17th Century Kayak Replica, I got to work on a warm evening out on the balcony. At first I tested the grain for carving direction and then settled on cutting the stock in half for easier shaping. Using the Crooked Knife provided by John Lindman's Canoe kit, a Frosts Spooning Knife, and my trusty Mora, the basswood piece was quickly shaped.


The basswood stock


Progressive shots of the carving process
I still don't have the carving finesse to perfectly carve a smooth spoon without the need for abrasives. So after sanding with various grits, a decent basswood scoop spoon had formed.


Sanded down
With the other half of the basswood scrap, I tried another more elaborate design and sketched a spoon design with a broader, flat handle. This one turned out okay and I might consider some basic decorative chipcarving on this one since the wood is so soft and suitable. Already ordered a introductory chip-carving book from the Library.


Scrap wood; Roughed out spoon
I've been going through a bit of a creative rut regarding the decoration lately...can't seem to come to a decision about the decoration pattern. For now, I've leave these blank and come back to them later.


The final basswood spoons