Blog

Recently I was asked to give a presentation to the Woodworkers Association of NSW and this got me thinking about what spoon carving means to me and why I love it so much. CREATIVITY FOUND Before I discovered spoon carving...

Because of the high quality of the 0.8mm kangaroo leather and tightness of the nap (the fibrous/suede) on grain side is so tight that it can be hard to tell the difference.  With the hide that I have at the...

Recently I've noticed a number of axes being sold as Carving Axes that aren't ideal for the purpose. In this video I explain why convex bevelled carving axes aren't great for carving. In this second video I demonstrate the difference in performance between...

Green wood is great to carve and many of you prefer it to hardwood however one of the most annoying issues that greenwood carvers face is the risk of the wood splitting mid project. There is nothing more frustrating than getting halfway through the "perfect spoon" only to find a split in the bowl.

The Mora 106 and Mora 120 Sloyd knives are two of the most popular knives in the Mora family of knives. They are both designed for woodworking, carving, and other precision cutting tasks. However, there are some key differences between the two knives that should be considered when selecting the best Mora knife for your needs.

The Farmer’s Forge is owned and run by Mick and Mardi Henricks. We began discussions with Mick about 12 months ago after our friend John Steel (Fe+C Forge) tipped us off.  John was aware of our search for an Australian axe maker...

If you are looking for a carving axe in Australia you have come to the right place. We stock a range of carving axes and each has its benefits. If you are not sure which is the right carving axe for you then read on as we break down the difference between each.

For those of us already started on our carving journey, the benefits of carving are numerous. But for the uninitiated there may be a little convincing needed. If you are looking to get a friend or family member into green wood carving then here are some reasons they should give it a go.

Whilst sometimes we just have to take what we can get our hands on, not all wood that can be carved is worth carving if you can make the choice. This article is a rundown of some easy to source Australian Woods that you might like to try carving - the good the bad and the ugly. 

Pete Trott is known for his beautiful Von Trott hook and sloyd knives. He is also an awesome spoon carving teacher and carver himself. When we first met Pete at a Lost Trades Fair in Sydney a couple of years ago I was instantly in love with his tools but also drawn to Pete who is such a friendly character with a great sense of humour. We love working with Pete and thought it would be nice to share a bit about him with the rest of the world.

  Have you ever pulled your knife out of its sheath to find that is has rusted since you last used it?  It happens to many of us but it is avoidable.  Whether you have limited opportunities to carve or...

Adam Ashworth is the founder of Ash & Iron and we are so excited to have been able to pick his brain for Curly Questions this month. Adam is a green woodworker and tool maker. We first noticed his hand forged sloyds on instagram and are so very excited to have a small amount in stock for you.

Paul (aka Polly) and Rachel are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. I first met them at Spoon Jam when I purchased one of Polly's spoon mules. From there the conversation flowed and we have kept in...

In the Wood Tamer house we all enjoy being creative in one form or another.  So at least one afternoon every weekend (ideally both days) we put down whatever we are doing and the whole family meets in the lounge room...

When I began my spoon carving journey, I was enthralled with videos of carvers in the UK and US sitting amongst woodlands quietly whittling by the fire. Using Axe and Knife they carved out beautiful creations from Birch, Poplar and Sycamore.  Carving in Australia is a very different story. Our trees are known to be much harder than on other continents and the high tannins in our sap are more taxing on our tools.