I think carving out the bowl first while the spoon blank is still a rectangle so it can be held in the vice is a great idea. Thanks! I made a heavy in the round small table to work on all sides of the spoon, easier on the wrists. To make my work easier in carving out the bowl I just drill a large hole in the lowest part of the spoon bowl first with a bench drill press set to leave enough wood at the bottom to finish out saved a lot of time. This sets the roughing bowl depth and allows a lot more aggressive use of gouges to cut to the hole first forming a upside down cone shape, and then go on as you do. I get rid of that meat very fast that way. Bowls tend to go deeper also. I got some black walnut from a guy that makes custom gun stocks. He boils the wood first, covering them with wax for a slow drying process. I got his rejects, nice stuff! Cheers!
Thank you Mark and your spoons will be wonderful and there is no reason why they can't be even better and more beautiful! If I can do it, you can too. There are so many techniques and methods. It is a very rewarding craft!
I do sell them, although this was never my intent when I began. I tried making them for myself, then family and friends but soon found there was a demand for the spoons that went even beyond people that I knew. I put on a couple of public workshops demonstrating my techniques and then these TH-cam videos, of course, and as more people learned of and saw my work, demand only increased. You could easily make and sell these spoons if you have the desire. People quickly learn the superior nature of wood spoons over plastic (something we once knew but forgot) and as people get back to ancestral cuisine, real food for healthier living, they are also rediscovering healthy food preparation techniques and shunning aluminum and plastics. The spoons are very popular. I price them at about $100 each with no excuses or apologies. They are handmade works of art that with simple care will be usable utensils that become family heirlooms. So, remember, if you do make these to sell, your time is valuable and it's fair to get an honest wage for your work because you are providing an honestly good product.
Walnut does make a beautiful spoon but these are long gone. If you are asking to consider the options for the sale of your own work, you need to consider the time and materials equation. Not many markets will sustain the test of that because as you develop the skill you can easily spend 2 hours making a fine spoon and the cost of walnut is also substantial. Even after several years it still takes me 1-2 hours to craft a spoon and refine the surface, then seal it. I am currently too busy building other large-scale furniture and custom doors to craft spoons for sale however, I do make them for gifts and that too is very rewarding.
@@wildbuslife Thanks Tom I will definetly take you up on that if I ever come your way. I do have a nephew named Rob Lowe that I could visit. Cheers ps enjoying your lessons alot. Even as a master wood carver.
Nice spoon. Can you tell me the size of the black of wood you started with? I don’t have a band saw so it carving spoons take me awhile but I still love it.
Dennis, I apologize but, I don't have that information I usually use wood scraps from my furniture business and size my spoon to whatever the piece of wood I use is rather than creating a spoon of a certain size from a pre-determined dimensioned piece of wood -- Usually I am working with 8 quarter rough sawn lumber so it would be, roughly, 2 inches thick -- Just work with what you have and let the spoon come out as it may -- Also, you can cut away excess wood by hand with a coping saw or some other hand saw to save carving time with hardwoods OR, get some Bass Wood which will carve more like green wood and be a lot easier -- I have to add tho, that I really like the transformation of black walnut when it is oiled!
Yes I usually add a coat of mineral oil let the wood soak it all in then I add another coat and sand between coats pretty much until the wood looks like it no longer absorbs the mineral oil. Do you make cutting boards?
Beautiful spoon brother woow I just got done making one out of Walnut myself. I just apply a couple of coats Howard cutting board oil. Although I haven't used any of my spoon so I just have them hanging up in my room do you know how long I should wait until use??
Not familiar with that oil but if it's food safe, I would imagine you can safely use them anytime just keep in mind, excess oil getting into what you use them with may affect the taste so you might best wait until it look as though all the oil has been absorbed into the wood. Using them will also add oils, and color and other patina from whatever foods you may use them with which, in my opinion, only adds to their beauty. I use mineral oil mostly and re-oil mine, from time to time if they ever appear to by drying out, but really, with use they don't unless you subject them to many detergent washings. I most often simply wipe mine clean.
You can use them right away and re-oil as they need it. They may absorb oil and lose their lustre. Time to re-oil. With use, they will become 'seasoned'. Clean with oil when needed.
Are use various brands. The first scrapers were made from a spring steel, handsaw blades to be exact. The important part about a scraper is how it is sharpened. This differs fundamentally from how we sharpen a knife or other slicing or cutting blade. I would look at TH-cam videos That teach how to best sharpen a scraper. I’m not certain that I even have this in my catalog of videos. The last time I purchased some, I simply got them from Amazon, four or five for about 20 bucks but we all know how prices have escalated, so I don’t know what they cost now. I have the brand fox, and a couple of others that I don’t even know. I will check the reviews and see if there are complaints about the metal not sharpening properly or not holding an edge. To me this is one of the most important qualities that I look for in a scraper.
Tom Ford Yes, I've heard the size in the video, although I work with the metric system, in this case doesn't make much difference :) The main reason for the question was the brand. Thank you!
I like the Pfeil Brand, they hold their edges well and come sharp and ready to use. About $60 on Amazon. I like the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 25mm # 7 Sweep Bent Gouge and the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 14mm #7 Sweep Gouge.
I get mine from Amazon. I like the brand 'Pfeil' for gouges and chisels and simply search 'card scrapers' to find the scrapers. A belt sander can be had from Harbour Freight for about $75.
I like the Pfeil Brand, they hold their edges well and come sharp and ready to use. About $60 on Amazon. I like the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 25mm # 7 Sweep Bent Gouge and the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 14mm #7 Sweep Gouge.
I think carving out the bowl first while the spoon blank is still a rectangle so it can be held in the vice is a great idea. Thanks! I made a heavy in the round small table to work on all sides of the spoon, easier on the wrists. To make my work easier in carving out the bowl I just drill a large hole in the lowest part of the spoon bowl first with a bench drill press set to leave enough wood at the bottom to finish out saved a lot of time. This sets the roughing bowl depth and allows a lot more aggressive use of gouges to cut to the hole first forming a upside down cone shape, and then go on as you do. I get rid of that meat very fast that way. Bowls tend to go deeper also. I got some black walnut from a guy that makes custom gun stocks. He boils the wood first, covering them with wax for a slow drying process. I got his rejects, nice stuff! Cheers!
Excellent. Very enjoyable, very talented, and very respectful of mother nature's beauty. Thanks!
You have an excellent voice and great talent! I hope my spoons look like yours one day
Thank you Mark and your spoons will be wonderful and there is no reason why they can't be even better and more beautiful! If I can do it, you can too. There are so many techniques and methods. It is a very rewarding craft!
Super enjoyable journey. Well done.
I am happy you enjoyed it.
A very beautiful spoon, I would heat it in the oven with olive oil, for a lovely deep finish.
Perfect.
Beautiful spoon !! Thank you !!
Awesome work.
Excellent Wood video ! Thank you !
the Zen of Spoon carving! Cool!
Amazing Spiritual ...wawwww.. Greetings from Hungary.subscribet👍
Thank you and welcome!
Beatiful work.
I like the asymmetric shape
Beautiful...
Thank you Sky!
It's beautiful. Do you sell them?
I do sell them, although this was never my intent when I began. I tried making them for myself, then family and friends but soon found there was a demand for the spoons that went even beyond people that I knew. I put on a couple of public workshops demonstrating my techniques and then these TH-cam videos, of course, and as more people learned of and saw my work, demand only increased.
You could easily make and sell these spoons if you have the desire. People quickly learn the superior nature of wood spoons over plastic (something we once knew but forgot) and as people get back to ancestral cuisine, real food for healthier living, they are also rediscovering healthy food preparation techniques and shunning aluminum and plastics. The spoons are very popular. I price them at about $100 each with no excuses or apologies. They are handmade works of art that with simple care will be usable utensils that become family heirlooms. So, remember, if you do make these to sell, your time is valuable and it's fair to get an honest wage for your work because you are providing an honestly good product.
Beautiful! I wish that I could touch it.
Janet, come and make your own spoons! I teach classes and everyone does excellent work Look at what others are doing on my instagram @RitualWoodcraft
How much $ for that beauty walnut spoon??? Thank you
Walnut does make a beautiful spoon but these are long gone. If you are asking to consider the options for the sale of your own work, you need to consider the time and materials equation. Not many markets will sustain the test of that because as you develop the skill you can easily spend 2 hours making a fine spoon and the cost of walnut is also substantial. Even after several years it still takes me 1-2 hours to craft a spoon and refine the surface, then seal it. I am currently too busy building other large-scale furniture and custom doors to craft spoons for sale however, I do make them for gifts and that too is very rewarding.
@@wildbuslife thank you Tom for the considerable advice. I never expected such a sincere response to my comment. Cheers from Canada 🍺🍺🍺
@@dannyboy8883 When you visit the Los Angeles area come by for a cold one and some spoon carving.
@@wildbuslife Thanks Tom I will definetly take you up on that if I ever come your way. I do have a nephew named Rob Lowe that I could visit. Cheers ps enjoying your lessons alot. Even as a master wood carver.
I Get My Sandpaper At The Home Depot
Or Menards Or Lowes Or Harbor Freight.
I Don't Have A Scraper But I Used A Rotary Tool To Make The Bowl For My Spoon Rest. But All & All It's Coming AlongJust Find
That’s huge! How long did it take you to carve it?
Nice spoon. Can you tell me the size of the black of wood you started with? I don’t have a band saw so it carving spoons take me awhile but I still love it.
Dennis, I apologize but, I don't have that information I usually use wood scraps from my furniture business and size my spoon to whatever the piece of wood I use is rather than creating a spoon of a certain size from a pre-determined dimensioned piece of wood -- Usually I am working with 8 quarter rough sawn lumber so it would be, roughly, 2 inches thick -- Just work with what you have and let the spoon come out as it may -- Also, you can cut away excess wood by hand with a coping saw or some other hand saw to save carving time with hardwoods OR, get some Bass Wood which will carve more like green wood and be a lot easier -- I have to add tho, that I really like the transformation of black walnut when it is oiled!
Yes I usually add a coat of mineral oil let the wood soak it all in then I add another coat and sand between coats pretty much until the wood looks like it no longer absorbs the mineral oil. Do you make cutting boards?
I have but do not make a habit out of it. Currently, I am beginning a steel-string dreadnaught size acoustic guitar. This should be fun!
I've only made 2 cuttingboards in my life and just revently. I posted pics of them on Instagram. Search RitualWoodcraft on Instagram to find me.
Beautiful spoon brother woow I just got done making one out of Walnut myself. I just apply a couple of coats Howard cutting board oil. Although I haven't used any of my spoon so I just have them hanging up in my room do you know how long I should wait until use??
Not familiar with that oil but if it's food safe, I would imagine you can safely use them anytime just keep in mind, excess oil getting into what you use them with may affect the taste so you might best wait until it look as though all the oil has been absorbed into the wood. Using them will also add oils, and color and other patina from whatever foods you may use them with which, in my opinion, only adds to their beauty.
I use mineral oil mostly and re-oil mine, from time to time if they ever appear to by drying out, but really, with use they don't unless you subject them to many detergent washings. I most often simply wipe mine clean.
You can use them right away and re-oil as they need it. They may absorb oil and lose their lustre. Time to re-oil. With use, they will become 'seasoned'. Clean with oil when needed.
What type/brand of scrapers do you use? Thanks
Are use various brands. The first scrapers were made from a spring steel, handsaw blades to be exact. The important part about a scraper is how it is sharpened. This differs fundamentally from how we sharpen a knife or other slicing or cutting blade. I would look at TH-cam videos That teach how to best sharpen a scraper. I’m not certain that I even have this in my catalog of videos. The last time I purchased some, I simply got them from Amazon, four or five for about 20 bucks but we all know how prices have escalated, so I don’t know what they cost now. I have the brand fox, and a couple of others that I don’t even know. I will check the reviews and see if there are complaints about the metal not sharpening properly or not holding an edge. To me this is one of the most important qualities that I look for in a scraper.
What brand and size are the gouges that you're using? Great videos. Keep up the good work.
Tom Ford Yes, I've heard the size in the video, although I work with the metric system, in this case doesn't make much difference :) The main reason for the question was the brand. Thank you!
I like the Pfeil Brand, they hold their edges well and come sharp and ready to use. About $60 on Amazon. I like the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 25mm # 7 Sweep Bent Gouge and the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 14mm #7 Sweep Gouge.
Where can I get the carving tools you use
I usually get everything on Amazon.
I get mine from Amazon. I like the brand 'Pfeil' for gouges and chisels and simply search 'card scrapers' to find the scrapers. A belt sander can be had from Harbour Freight for about $75.
What brand of gouges, and where to source them?
I like the Pfeil Brand, they hold their edges well and come sharp and ready to use. About $60 on Amazon. I like the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 25mm # 7 Sweep Bent Gouge and the PFEIL"Swiss Made" 14mm #7 Sweep Gouge.
Tom Ford Thank you!
An awful lot of work for a $20.00 spoon
My spoons sell for $90 and up but still, they take me 2 hours so, I don't do it to get rich, I really enjoy it. I give many away as gifts!