Carving a Wooden Spoon

**flandersander** · 04-03-2008, 06:45 PM

Sweet. I've always wanted to make a wooden bowl. Has anybody tried boiling water in the bowl. In theory it would work. the water keeps the bowl from burning through. it works with paper bags.

**Rick** · 04-03-2008, 08:08 PM

I've never tried it. I would think the bowl would have to be awfully thin. The heat would have to pass through the wood and into the water to keep it from burning. Otherwise, the wood would absorb the heat and become wet firewood.

I have to admit, between you guys and that video I've sort of got the bug to build one. I was looking over the wood pile this afternoon for a likely victim.

**canid** · 04-03-2008, 09:29 PM

yeah, that would burn most of the bowl away. it wouldn't look too nice afterward. it's certainly possible, but how quickly/often can you carve a bowl? i think my energies could be better spent, if i couldn't get a longer lasting material for boiling water.

**Ole WV Coot** · 04-03-2008, 10:51 PM

Mitch did we once mention making carving tools? If we didn't larger cut nails driven into whatever you want as a handle can be ground to any shape and will take a great edge if kept cool and not burnt on the grinder. Saves me a lot of $$$.

**canid** · 04-03-2008, 11:00 PM

all the better if you temper the yourself before you haft them. then you don't have to worry about annealing them when you form them or finding sources of nail/other steel that's already at the desired hardness.

**flandersander** · 04-06-2008, 02:05 AM

Well actually... I made one. it holds water but looks more like a hunk of wood with a burnt dip in it. it holds water but I can't get the inside down to bare wood. it stays brown. What do you guys do to get the inside down to the wood?

**RBB** · 04-06-2008, 02:58 AM

Originally Posted by canid

yeah, that would burn most of the bowl away. it wouldn't look too nice afterward. it's certainly possible, but how quickly/often can you carve a bowl? i think my energies could be better spent, if i couldn't get a longer lasting material for boiling water.

With a good piece of green basswood, I can rough out a "cereal" size bowl in about two hours, but I wouldn't try to boil water in it.

By the way, that "crooked knife" looks an awful lot like a farriers hoof knife.

http://www.stromsholm.co.uk/pages/ho...age.php?page=7

You may find it easier to use a real crooked knife or Scandinavian scorp. The cups and bowl below are made using a crooked knife from birch, maple, and walnut burl.

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**crashdive123** · 04-06-2008, 03:49 PM

Just popular I guess.

**Rick** · 04-11-2008, 04:26 PM

Here is a different take on making spoons that I thought you might like.

**hidingpool** · 04-13-2008, 10:59 PM

Hey, Just wanted to say that this is what brought me to these forums and I like it. Informative, well thought out, people helping each other, no BS. Thanks. POOL

**Assassin Pilot** · 04-16-2008, 08:32 PM

I bet my grandpa has 50 of these. He lives in Finland (duh) and makes about everything out of wood himself. All his furniture is stuff that he made himself. Next time I go back to Finland I will need to take pics.

**MCBushbaby** · 04-17-2008, 12:13 AM

I should note that I really slimmed it down once the wood dried a bit. I mean, it's 2x4... it's pretty dry to start, but I was afraid of it cracking in the dry winter air. So now it actually fits in my mouth without feeling like a sock.

Originally Posted by hidingpool

Hey, Just wanted to say that this is what brought me to these forums and I like it. Informative, well thought out, people helping each other, no BS. Thanks. POOL

Glad to hear I helped

**Rick** · 04-17-2008, 08:28 AM

Did you oil the wood once you got it where you wanted it? I just ask because it seems like the addition of liquids on unprotected wood would raise the grain on the wood. I would think something like coin oil (or whatever you like) rubbed into the wood might help protect it.