Axing eight greenwood spoon blanks in realtime | Spooncarving / carving axe process.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- I have one of my 'intro to green wood spoon carving' workshops on tomorrow, so here's a look at how I prepare greenwood spoon blanks.
I start by riving out all of the billets I'm going to need, in this case 5 for my students, 1 for me, and a couple spares. I'm not in a rush so I take my time axing out each one. I've cut out the time I spent drawing the spoon designs on, as you couldn't see it well and watching someone draw a spoon shape doesn't teach you anything really.
When I axe out blanks, I follow a set process, for the most part. First I square the billet, if necessary, then cut a relief cut or stop-cut for the crank, axe the crank, draw the spoon, saw stop-cuts at the shoulders of the bowl, split away the waste, axe to the lines. I then axe away the waste on the underside of the bowl leaving the shape mostly roughed in for later. Then I do the back of the bowl hanging off the side of the block. Any facets in the spoon I will establish now, and I'll thin out the handle pretty much to final shape.
Hope you enjoy this long form video with minimal cuts and edits. I've left it like this so you can see exactly how long it took me to do the various steps. I would say this is a relaxed pace for me, going just as fast as I can without making any mistakes.
I used a gransfors bruk large carving axe and a silky saws gomboy in this video. The froe was made for me by John Steel @fecforge on instagram.
If you'd like to source some of my blanks for your carving, contact me via email or check the greenwood blanks page on my website for more info.
www.littlebearsloyd.com.au
This has to be is the #1 video on TH-cam if you want to see/learn/understand the fundamentals of spoon carving. I'm a visual learner. If you're like me you've watched dozens of videos on spoon carving. Most are ok but this one is outstanding! The repetition shown here and the simple approaches/methods make spoon carving very understandable. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this video is worth a million!
Thanks Jim, so glad you found it useful.
@@jones_trees_and_treen I'm curious as to what you do during and after the process to keep your wood from losing it's moisture and splitting.
If I'll carve them within a day or so, I'll keep them in plastic bags, otherwise they go in the freezer. I keep the logs in a shady spot with pva to seal the ends.
The confidence he has with that deadly sharp hatchet is impressive....me ? give me gloves, hockey mask, body armor...LOL
I’m very impressed with all of this, including the axe, and it’s sharpness. I was wondering who had made it, but I saw the answer in a different comment, so I’ll ask about the saw. It really gets into the wood quickly, and you don’t seem to have any problem getting your cut started, and it seems very efficient. Who makes the saw, and what model, if you don’t mind?
Thanks 👍🏼. The saw is a Silky Gomboy. Probably the best allround choice. The wood in this video was birch so not too hard to saw but all the silkys are excellent.
What Silky should I get the Gomboy240?
Hard to go wrong with a gomboy. I personally prefer the Hibiki, but it wouldn't be my first recommendation.
Thanks for showing this, it will help me a lot with my spoon making. Take care
Glad to hear - happy carving!
Harika işler çıkarıyorsunuz kolaylıklar dilerim selamlar takipteyim 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻🤌🏼🤌🏼
Thanks 🙏
Great video! Just curious, how long in years or number of spoons carved did it take to get where you could hit the exact spot you were aiming for with the axe. My problem so far is I can never seem to hit the same spot or where I aim everytime. Still have all ten fingers but have only carved about 20 spoons. Hoping I can soon be as accurate with the axe as you are. My axe also is quite a bit lighter and smaller in size, don't know if that makes a difference or not. It is very sharp though so I know that is not the issue. Thank again for sharing this real time video.
Hi Ken, to be honest I was already pretty good with my hatchet when I started spooncarving because I had been using it for wooden bow making previously. But I would say it took me personally about two years to really get proficient. All things come with practise. Happy carving!
I have enjoyed and learned from all of your videos I've seen. Your skill is amazing and mesmerising to watch. The way you carve the shoulder is fantastic. It will end in a few broken billets but i want to try to copy your technique. Thank you!
Thanks! Happy carving!
I avoid cutting more than halfway up the blank with the axe. You get so close to your thumb in some shots! You're clearly much more experienced than I am with a carving axe but have you ever hit your thumb?
That's a good rule but can be limiting. I'm very comfortable and confident with my axe. I've never cut myself doing this, but everyone should be responsible for themselves and just do what they're comfortable with.
Really useful video/tutorial - particularly for novice spoon carvers like me. I have my knives and my blanks and just received my Robin Wood axe in tbe post, but I'm pretty nervous about axing out the blanks. I'm not at all afraid of the axe itself, but more of the risk of ruining my blanks which can be a bit pricey when purchasing online. I like the fact that your video is methodical and repetitive. Sorta helps with muscle memory. So, many thanks for this. A great help. 👍
Great to hear - best of luck with your carving.
Depending where you live it's easier than you probably think to find green wood. Any branch will do if you're just starting out. I'll make a video about it some day.
Is this green timber you’re using? I’m not a pro but the sound of the cuts sound very dry to me,cheers!
It's green birch in this video. Birch is pretty soft so you can carve it at pretty much any moist content. I don't remember how green it was in particular.
Hi there, could you please share some tips on the wooden club you were using in the beginning of this video? wood type, dimensions, carve when green and wait til it dried before putting it to use? etc...Any information would be great for a noob like me. Thank you!
Happy to share, just find a heavy branch with lots of knots in it, and carve a handle on it. Use it until it breaks, then make a new one. That's all there is to it!
@@jones_trees_and_treen thank you
Let’s just appreciate that this man has replied to every single comment! Your work looks effortless and I can wait to try this on some cherry wood I have laying around. Also is it possible to carve the bowl of the spoon without a curved knife? Like with a plain strait knife or something? Thanks!
I don't know about carving the bowl with a straight knife. A gouge would work if you don't have a hook knife.
@@jones_trees_and_treen thanks, I think I will just invest in a hook knife, keep up the good work
HI I was self taught that you cut your wood so that the plain of the spoon follows the line of the rings but you cut your blanks at right angles to the rings does this not weaken the bowl of the spoon ?
Both are a valid way to make a spoon and equally strong. I refer to it as tangential (as you learned to do) and radial (like I prefer) orientation. Radial split blanks are more stable when drying (like quartersawn lumber), and there's an aesthetic difference. That's all
Lovely process. What is the tool called that you use to split the log?
Thanks. It's called a froe. It's a chairmakers/greenwoodworking tool used for riving wood in a controlled way. On longer pieces, you can influence the way the split runs by applying pressure to either side as you open up the split by twisting the handle.
@@jones_trees_and_treen thanks for your reply. I am going to give your technique a go. You make it looks so easy and your axe work looks like the wood is made from butter.
What is the leather square please?
It's called a bodgers bib, it stops me from getting a bruise from holding the spoon firmly into my chest for certain cuts.
Hey,can you give me the name of the trouser Please. interesting Video
My overalls? Carhartt.
中天加油+1
Sick video man just wondering what wood you are using?
Sure, In this video I am chopping up some black birch.
Nice video
Thanks!
What is the axe you are using?
In this video I'm using a Gränsfors Bruk Swedish carving axe.
you get out skating much?
Haha, no not really. I was way into it as a teen, so I still have a board floating around if I get the itch. I was never very good.