CREATIVITY FOUND
Before I discovered spoon carving I had never thought of myself as creative. I had dabbled in different forms of art; painting, drawing etc and none of them really did it for me. One of the things about spoon carving that really drew me in was that at the end of it I had something that I could use in the kitchen or as a gift (all of my friends and family have been gifted with a spoon at some point). Another thing was that no two spoons that I carve are the same. I could start out with the same basic outline each time and they still wouldn’t be the same. There is a lot of problem solving that goes on, you have to work with the grain and knots, bug holes etc. Just as well I am not a production carver trying to make the same spoon over and over again.
UNLEASHING THE MAD SCIENTIST
Along with the creative aspect of carving spoons I have discovered a love of experimentation.
There are so many different things that I can do to change the appearance of a spoon:
You can then use a combination of some of the above or some other finish. Who knows… you might discover something that nobody else has thought of yet. Have fun with it.
MEDITATION WITHOUT LEVITATION
When I carve, the tool and the piece are all that exist. I am focused almost to the exclusion of everything around me. This is good because it means that I am mindful of what the sharp knife is doing in my hands, but it also helps me to still my busy mind. I deal with anxiety every single day and when I am carving this drifts away and leaves me feeling a lot more peaceful.
ACCESSIBILITY
Spoon carving is a very accessible hobby. You don’t need heaps of expensive tools to get started and you can do it almost anywhere (that you can safely have a knife out). Greenwood logs can be easily found free once you know where to get them from. When your friends and neighbours know you want them, they will quite often give you some or let you know they have “just seen a stack on the side of the road…” The occasional spoon gift can help to encourage this.
CONNECTION WITH NATURE
There is something special about creating a spoon from a piece of nature. It is the ideal form of digital detox. The green wood we are carving often reconnects us to the natural world. The wood may release its natural oils and an amazing scent, or we can appreciate the grain that emerges as the piece evolves. As I mentioned many a time, we are at the whim of the knots or borer holes we may find in the wood as we carve, a timely reminder that we need to work with the natural world rather than try and force it to our whims.
CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE
One of the things that first struck me about spoon carving was the sense of community. I have made many carving friends online via social media. In spoon carving there doesn't seem to be the hierarchy or snobbery of some other art forms. Perhaps because as a hobby it is still in its' infancy. Some of the most amazing carvers are incredibly humble and down to earth and many are willing to share their time and expertise with those that are just beginning. I've always found the spoon carving community to be welcoming and supportive.
As a spoon carving teacher, I have noticed that when people are in the zone carving in a group, they let their guard down and open up. Early on I ran a workshop where we were so caught up, that after I had cleaned up and was reflecting on the group, I realised that I didn’t find out anything about anyone in group. This made me really sad that I had missed out on an opportunity to connect with others and get a chance to have a glimpse into their world. Since then, once we have settled into a workshop, I welcome everyone in the group to tell us a little bit about themselves, if and when they feel comfortable. It is interesting to note that to date, not a single person has chosen not to join in. I think this is partly because of the environment I have worked to create, but mostly I believe that it is due to the fact that we have our heads down in our piece so perhaps our reservations are distracted and also people don’t have to make eye contact. In Western society we value eye contact as part of conversation. I love to look people in the eyes but not if it is going to make them feel uncomfortable or if it is going to come at the expense of a chance to learn something about them. If you are looking to meet other carvers then you can check out our Spoon Clubs page or consider starting one of your own. We would love to help you get the ball rolling.
KEEP IT LIGHT & FUN
It is for all of these reasons and more that perhaps I haven’t put into words and maybe couldn’t because it is just a feeling. I love that I can enjoy myself with carving and not be too serious. I really hope that you can find that sense of fun in spoon carving or some other form of creativity.
]]>This can vary from hide to hide. So I went to take a picture to show a customer the difference and I noticed that the white marker was more obvious on shiny side because it stayed on the surface and harder to see on the suede side because it was absorbed straight away. This gave me the idea of a droplet of water which beads on the shiny side and is absorbed straight away on the suede side.
The suede side is the side that you apply honing compound to. Then wipe your blade off on a clean cloth (don't pinch the between your fingers to do this because the blade can bite you through the cloth, learn from my mistake : ) ) now you can give it a final buff on the shiny side.
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In this second video I demonstrate the difference in performance between a Convex grind bevel and a Flat Over Hollow grind bevel along with brief instructions on how to turn your convex axe into a carving axe.
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If you've purchased green wood blanks and billets from us in the past you will notice they are wrapped in a repurposed plastic bag. This is to keep the moisture in and avoid the blanks splitting. We keep our blanks and billets frozen until we send them out so they get to you in the best state possible and to avoid mould and splitting.
Once you have your billet or blank there are a few steps you can take to keep your wood in tip-top shape.
1. Freeze it
As soon as you receive your blank or billet put it in the freezer. Leave it there until you are ready to carve. Doing this keeps the moisture trapped in the wood and also stops it from going mouldy.
2. Defrost it
When you are ready, gently defrost your blank. When ready to carve you can carve simply pop it in the sink with room temperature water for a few minutes.
3. Preserve it
You can keep your piece in the freezer in a plastic bag in between carving sessions. Just keep popping it back in the freezer until you have finished and the final piece is ready to dry.
If you are having a break whilst carving pop it back in the bag. Make a habit of this every time you put your knife down.
Kuksas are notoriously fickle. If having a break whilst carving a kuksa, submerge it in a tub of water to stop it from cracking. When you have finished carving your Kuksa place it in a paper bag with some of its own shavings to slow down the drying process. Check it regularly to make sure it is not going mouldy.
Not all mould in wood is bad. In fact some mould produces an effect called "Spalting" which can increase the beauty of your final piece. That said, certain moulds can be unhealthy especially for those with asthma or respiratory illnesses and should be treated with caution.
Do you have any tips for keeping your wood from splitting? Let us know in the comments below.
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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 first difference between the Mora 106 and Mora 120 Sloyd knives is the blade length. The Mora 106 has a blade length of 81 millimetres, while the Mora 120 has a blade length of 65 millimetres. This additional length of the Mora 106 can make it easier to handle longer cutting strokes in a single run while the shorter blade of the Mora 120 may be less daunting for some users or agile where a shorter blade is needed.
Both knives have their widest point at the heel of the blade (the edge closest to the handle). This widest point is 17mm on both knives therefore resulting in a longer transition from tip to heel in the Mora 106 being the longer blade. The Mora 106 has a flat edge from about halfway down the blade right thru to the heel. The Mora 120 has a rounded belly from tip to heel with no flat section.
The handles on both knives are the same oiled birch timber and the same shape. They will sit comfortably in most people's hands but part of the idea behind the design of these handles is that they can be altered to fit the user's hand. We recommend using it in its out of the box state first to see how it feels. Generally a larger handle is less fatiguing as you don't need to grip it too tightly.
Also being plain birch means that it is easy to decorate and personalise. Milk Paint it, carve it, scorch it, your imagination is the only limitation. We would recommend wrapping the blade in masking tape or similar to help keep you safe while you customise the handle.
When selecting the best Mora knife for your needs, it is important to consider the differences between the Mora 106 and Mora 120 Sloyd knives. The blade length and shape make a difference on how it will work for you. Ultimately both knives are excellent choices for woodworking and carving and can be used to create beautiful pieces of art.
If you think that there are any other differences we should note please mention them in the comments below.
]]>Shortly after sending Mick a message via Instagram, he called me and we instantly hit it off. Mick’s enthusiasm is infectious although when he sends us pictures or samples I am not sure who is more excited... him or me. I guess it doesn’t matter because this is the stuff that makes me love my job every single day.
Oops, this is meant to be about Mick and Mardi so let’s ask some questions...
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Hi Mick and Mardi, Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. We know Mick as the dirty, sweaty face of The Farmer’s Forge ;), tell us what you do Mardi and please don’t be humble. Do you have to whip Mick into line from time to time?
Thanks for inviting us to Curly Questions Chris & Lauren!
I fumble my way through the Administration side of things here at the Forge, and have recently made my way to the workshop to assist Mick with the leather work. This is the most nerve-wracking job I’ve ever had! Mick is an absolute perfectionist, so I’m always worried I’m going to stuff something up! He’s also a very nice perfectionist, so he would never tell me if he wasn’t happy with it! (either that, or he’s scared of me….very likely the latter…).
Mick is the epitome of a Creative personality, so while that is ideal for the incredible work that comes out of the shed, he’ll be the first to tell you that his organisational skills are not one of his strengths! So I guess my other role around here is “Chief Nagger”. We have a daily “Meeting” at the smoko table where poor Mick is subjected to a list of questions from me “have you called this person back?”, “what’s the ETA on this order?”, “have you seen that email from such and such?”. Poor bugger, he can’t even enjoy a cuppa in peace these days….
Where did the name “The Farmer’s Forge” come from? Do you also have a farm? What do you produce?
We bounced a lot of names around in the beginning and finally settled on The Farmer’s Forge, which seemed fitting as we operate out of the shed on the family cattle property. We’re located 27km from Roma, Queensland, where we breed black Angus cattle. The workshop is, by far, Mick’s favourite paddock and definitely receives the most attention.
When did The Farmer’s Forge begin? Did it start as a hobby that grew into what it is today? What got you interested in making axes? Do you make anything other than axes?
Yes, it definitely began as a hobby and grew from there. The Farmer’s Forge was officially launched in January 2020, however, Mick had been making metal pieces and tooling for years before that. For his birthday in 2009, I bought him a voucher to attend a Blacksmithing Workshop at the Cobb & Co Museum in Toowoomba. He absolutely loved it, and that’s when I really noticed the obsession with Blacksmithing truly begin. Mick attended as many workshops as he could over the years, while also balancing family, work & farming commitments. It was pretty clear that, after more than 10 years, this “phase” wasn’t going anywhere.
We were making a random selection of products to begin with – basically whatever we were asked to make. I think the sledge hammer was first, then came knives and bespoke custom pieces such as bells, signs, gates, fireplace sets, even some garden ornaments at one stage. We soon realised that all these little one off pieces were time consuming and not profitable. If we were serious about running this as a business, we needed to streamline our production and focus on a set range that suited Mick’s skills and what our customers were looking for. We narrowed it down to the most popular products that were able to be posted with relative ease – Knives, Axes & Hammers. We were just taking custom orders with this, basically whatever people wanted we made. This really helped as we began to see what the most popular products were. Along the way, Mick found that he wasn’t loving knife making (even though he was bloody good at it!), however, he REALLY enjoyed axe making. So we stopped taking knife orders and began concentrating on a range of Axes and Hammers.
Mick has always had a fascination with axes, which probably came from his childhood. His dad, Robert, was fiercely protective of his axes and wouldn’t let the kids touch them, even when they were older. He’d let them use any power tool in the shed, but hands off his precious axes! Isn’t it true, we always want what we can’t have! hahaha
At what point did you think “It’s time. Let’s make this our business”?
There were quite a few factors that helped make the decision.
Firstly, the drought. In 2019, things were looking pretty grim as the effects of the drought were taking its toll. We had de-stocked a lot of cattle and Mick was looking at getting a job in town. It was tough because he loves working with cattle, and I could see how much he loved working in the shed, so any other job would have been soul destroying for him.
Secondly, not only was Mick loving his hobby more and more every day, but he was actually bloody good at it! As mentioned earlier, Mick had been tinkering around in the shed, making custom pieces for friends and family. The pieces he was creating were amazing, and we were getting some excellent feedback, and word of mouth was spreading. I asked him if I could put pictures on Facebook, as Mick didn’t have social media back then, and he initially said no – he felt uncomfortable about drawing any attention to himself.
And finally, Mick mentioned that he’d like to buy a Forging Press, so I told him that if we were spending that amount of money, we would need to try to sell these products! We agreed (eventually!) that a Facebook and Instagram page would be the best way to start (as it was now 2020 and the global pandemic meant no travel or markets). It wasn’t until we started the pages that we were aware of the wonderful blacksmith community out there in social media land – he thought he was one of the only ones! He eventually got his own Facebook account and he was hooked – joining all the blacksmith groups he could find…I created a monster!
So, in January 2020 we officially launched The Farmer’s Forge, and things have just grown from there!
Mick, you forge the most beautiful axes from a lump of steel. I believe that there is no molding involved. Can you tell us what this process entails? You also hang them using our fantastic Australian timbers and make the leather sheaths. What is involved here?
Yes that’s right, it’s all open dye forging. We don’t use any molds or closed dye’s. I do now have a little black book where I’ve noted all the dimensions, weight, processes etc to keep our axes consistent (I initially was storing all that info in my head). In the beginning with our axes we used more material than we needed and ended up cutting off waste and spending a lot of time grinding. Now, we use almost the correct weighted material and come very l close to completely forging in profiles with only minimal grinding at the end, so it is almost forged to finish.
Yes, the handles and leather sheaths are all made in house. Once again, the axe handles have evolved after many hours of research, seeking advice & feedback from others, and a lot of trial and error. I wanted to create a handle that’s true to how an axe handle would have once been, keeping in mind that the design needs to be practical yet unique in style. The leather sheaths are all cut and sewn in our workshop – this is a husband and wife effort here, with Mardi recently being recruited to assist with leatherwork! So far so good, only disagreements so far have been our different choice of music!
Your forge and farm are in South Western Queensland. I have to ask, are you a little cray cray? Most blacksmiths are located in much colder climates where it makes sense to stand in front of a forge.
Yeah, not too many ‘smiths out this way! Honestly, I think if you are born and bred in it, you don’t really feel it as much. But yes, it does get bloody hot sometimes and it is a very dry heat. I pump plenty of electrolytes in to my system during those summer months.
Is there anything else that you would like to share with us?
Just thank you for inviting us to be a part of this. Moreover, thank you for entrusting us to create the Carving Axes for you and for all your help and guidance along the way. It’s been such a rewarding experience, not only for our business, but also to be able to provide an Australian made alternative for wood carver’s. This is very close to our hearts and we hope we can continue this collaboration for many years to come.
Thank you for time and an extra big thank you for being the maker of our amazing carving axes. Your attention to detail and quality of axes is exceptional!
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This is one of our best selling carving axes, and with good reason. The Robin Wood carving axe is the perfect entry level axe and one of the most affordable on the market. The axe was developed by seasoned carver Robin Wood alongside his daughter Jo Jo Wood who found other carving axes left her arms tired. The lighter weight reduces fatigue but the axe is heavy enough to make quick and accurate cuts. It also comes razor sharp and ready to use.
Axe head weight: 550g
Total weight:720g
Handle length: 31cm
Handle material: Roughened Hickory
Bevel: 30 degrees
Steel: Carbon Steel
Make: Drop forged then honed by hand in Sheffield UK
Leather Sheath: Optional
Make by respected UK blacksmith Josh Burrell, this small carving axe is ideal for fine carving work. This axe comes without a sheath but one can be made on request. The axe head is hand forged and honed to a high quality finish. The handle the Josh Burrell Small Carving axe is finer than other axes in our range so would suit smaller hands.
Axe head weight: 600g
Total weight: 720g
Handle length: 31.5cm
Blade: 11cm
Steel: Carbon steel
Forging: Hand Forged and finished
Handle material: Ash
Leather Sheath: No
The second of our carving axes to be designed by a female carver, the Julia Kalthoff small carver axe remains one of our more popular offerings. This axe is similar in specification to the Robin Wood Carving Axe however it features a higher level of finish and the more ergonomic handle makes for a more comfortable carving experience. The axe is beautifully balanced, it is nimble and light, perfect for spoon carving and comes with its own leather sheath and lifetime guarantee.
Axe head weight: 550 g
Total weight: 710g
Handle length: 30cm
Bevel: 30-32 degrees
Steel: Swedish steel. Alloyed with carbon, molybdenum, chrome, and vanadium
Forging: Die forged in hammer press, hand finished
Handle material: Swedish ash
Leather Sheath: Included
A relative newcomer to the market the Wood Tamer x Farmers Forge 860 is proudly designed and made here in Australia. The total weight of the axe is heavier than our other offerings but it can deliver a lot of power even with controlled cuts. The additional weight means gravity assists with the cutting action. It is perfectly balanced and ergonomically designed to reduce fatigue. In our opinion this is a very well priced carving axe for the level of craftsmanship and finish.
Head Weight: 560grams
Total Weight: 860grams
Handle Length: 33cm
Cutting Edge: 11cm
Bevel: 30 degrees inclusive hollow grind
Steel: 5160 steel (excellent edge retention)
Forging: Hand forged and honed
Handle: Australian Spotted Gum faceted for improved grip.
Leather Sheath: Included
There are a couple of options if you aren't comfortable with using one of the carving axes above. A stock knife is a tool that is fixed to your workbench and allows for controlled cuts and uses a lever action to distribute the force.
Another carving axe alternative that has recently come to our attention is the Mentsukito Carving Knife that uses your body weight to roughly shape out blanks. It gives you the power of an axe but you can manage a great deal of control and accuracy. Head over to the product page for a video demonstration on how this knife can work as a handy carving axe substitute.
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What about you? Which is your preferred carving axe and why? Are there any pros or cons in any of the axes listed above that you would like to share in the comments below? As always we would love to hear what you think.
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For me spoon carving is a form of meditation that leads to creation. It is easy to loose myself and all track of time whilst carving. I've always struggled with the idea of classic seated meditation. I can't seem to settle into it. But with carving I feel I can get a similar sense of stillness. I see it as a form of active meditation. When I carve I am singularly focused on the task at hand meaning it acts like a form of mindfulness. All worries and distractions can dissolve as I become absorbed in each and every cut. Sometimes it doesn't even matter what I produce at the end. It is the process I enjoy.
One of the great things about spoon carving is I can get my relaxation in but at the end of it I have created something truly unique. The benefits of creativity are many and well documented but for me there is such a sense of achievement of creating something completely new out of a piece of wood. I can experiment and be playful in what I create. Often I make mistakes but these are always a catalyst for further growth as a carver.
There is something special about creating something from a piece of nature. It is the ideal form of digital detox. The green wood we are carving often reconnects us to the natural world. The wood may release its natural oils and an amazing scent, or we can appreciate the grain that emerges as the piece evolves. Many a time we are at the whim of the knots or borer holes we may find in the wood as we carve, a timely reminder that we need to work with the natural world rather than try and force it to our whims.
One of the things that first struck me about spoon carving was the sense of community. I have made many carving friends online via social media. In spoon carving there doesn't seem to be the heirachy or snobbery of other art forms. Perhaps because as a hobby it is still in its' infancy. Some of the most amazing carvers are incredibly humble and down to earth and many are willing to share their time and expertise with those that are just beginning. I've always found the spoon carving community to be welcoming and supportive. If you are looking to meet other carvers face to face then you can check out our Spoon Clubs page or consider starting one of you own.
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What have been the benefits of spoon carving for you? I'd love to hear them in the comments below.
]]>One our most popular blog posts on the site is “Sourcing Wood For Spoon Carving”. It has information on where to find green wood for carving and some great additional information and ideas from other carvers who shared their knowledge on this subject.
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. For example, Eucalyptus (Southern hemisphere) and Oak (Northern Hemisphere) is usually quite easy to get hold of but this is where the easy part finishes and the pain begins on your hands and tools. Don’t even get me started on semi dry or dry Sheoak, that stuff is beautiful but it is like trying to carve stone.
Broad Leaf Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) usually has nice straight grain and is medium density. The wood starts out a pale to golden blonde when fresh and can dry to look quite similar to oak. Privet is relatively easy to get hold of as it is a noxious weed that is often removed by property maintenance people who then have to pay to dump it. It can get some small worms in it. I don’t mind these the holes don’t tend to go far and where they have been causes a reaction in the timber that leaves some beautiful dark accents. It also carves well when dry.
Nice straight grain of Privet with some bug induced highlights
Liquid Amber or Sweet Gum is very common and easy to get a hold of. The grain doesn’t have too many tricks and has a medium density. It has high sugars so spalts nicely and quickly if left for a short period in long lengths somewhere cool.
Birch is not common in my area but is lovely to carve and is popular in the Northern Hemisphere where it is readily available. It can be found in cooler climates of Australia. It also has a high sugar content and spalts beautifully.
Lilly Pilly (Syzygium) is great to carve with a nice straight grain. It has a high moisture content which can split quickly. Keep it in long lengths and seal the ends with PVA glue or similar. It is medium density.
These are my number 1 faves and not readily available where we live sadly. I will do just about anything for Cherry!!! It carves incredibly well, has beautiful colours in the grain and has a waxy feel when being carved. I should also mention that when doing the finishing cuts, the burnished finish off the knife is so good. Like I said, I will do just about anything for Cherry.
Cheese Tree (Glochidion ferdinandi) is quite similar to Lilly Pilly. It has a very high water content when first cut and you can virtually hear it cracking almost from the moment you cut it. With this in mind you can either process it straight away or keep it in long lengths and seal the ends and wait for it to stabilise. Like Lilly Pilly it is medium density and has really nice pink heart wood.
Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) is a great timber for beginners it has a fairly tight grain while being low density and quite soft (think balsa wood). It also has a high moisture content and can split quite easily. The other down side with Willow is that it can be quite hit and miss with grub damage in my area. There is a beetle larva that bores into the tree that is the thickness of my thumb and about 6 inches long. You can imagine the damage they do!
These aren't readily available in my area but I have had the opportunity to carve it a bit. It is really nice to carve, has a medium density and dries quite hard.
Also not available in my area but if you can get your hands on them are great to carve and good beginner timbers.
London Plane (Platanus x acerifolia) has a beautiful grain with ray flecks all through it. It can be on the harder side of medium but in my opinion is worth it.
Silky Oak and Banksia are not on my list of favourites to carve only because I find them to be quite porous and open grained so I tend to leave pieces that I carve out of these timbers a bit thicker than I normally would to compensate for this. They tend to be on the softer side but have beautiful colours and rays.
The beautiful colours of Banksia wood
When I can find the right piece it can be really beautiful but it can also be full of twists and turns in the grain and tends to have knots that you don’t notice until you are almost finished your piece.
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I hope that this helps and that you will add to this list by making a comment below.
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.
I had made spoons and kitchen utensils from an early age on and off, It wasn’t until I was shown some Mora knives that I turned my hand to Green Wood and started researching the processes involved.
When I was kid I used to find bits of Oregon in the shed and sit there with a knife whittling it away into a pile of shavings. I still love the sensation of a sharp knife slicing through wood. Green Woodworking gives you that opportunity to use hand tools in their most efficient way and the final product is an added bonus at the end for me, the real joy has been in the making.
Green Woodworking gives you that opportunity to use hand tools in their most efficient way and the final product is an added bonus at the end for me, the real joy has been in the making.
The other form of woodworking I have been lucky enough to learn in more recent years is American Windsor Chairs under Glen Rundell. Meeting Glen and learning the business of chair making was a pivotal moment of my career. This taught me about timber both green and dry and all of its nuances, over time building familiarity and understanding of trees that we used. This education in timber and tools has set me on the course I’m on today and I would highly recommend searching out a mentorship with an experience craftsperson who really knows their stuff. Hopefully you can offer something to the relationship and soak up a lifetimes worth of knowledge as you go.
As I’ve gone full time making knives my carving has dropped away, In a strange way I don’t miss it though. I spend 5 sometimes 6 days a week thinking about carving as I make the tools. So in someway I feel like that part of me is still satisfied. Over the Christmas Holidays I will be sure to pack some tools when we are away….
In terms of Spoons, I take inspiration from the stylings of old silverware. I like the classic details they include and the overall balance in the design.
I hadn’t realised that tool making was something that was within reach until very recently, originally I had wanted other Smiths to make them for me. Unsatisfied with the Mora Knives I was teaching classes with, I knew that there had to be a better option out there. My decision to get into knife making was a leap of faith, armed with the opinion of “How hard could that be?” I jumped in and bought the basics of what I thought I needed. Turns out that most of those items weren't fit for purpose so I tinkered around for a few years before I got things on track. I have since realised there is 10 lifetimes worth of knowledge out there regarding knife making, I made a big decision a year or so in that I was going to focus exclusively on the tools I knew best. I think this has proven to be a great basis for my business. As I build in experience and skill I will be expanding the tools I make, looking to do small releases of Drawknives and Gouges this coming year.
A Tool Maker that inspires me is Josh Burrell ( @J.l.burrell_toolmaker ). A British second generation metal worker who has an incredible eye for form and detail. Having the skill to produce such stunning tools where the focus is still functionality is where I like to aim for within my own business.
The other Tool Maker you have to check out is Seth Gould (@Sethgould). I can’t even explain all the things I love about his work, huge inspiration on where I would like to go in the future.
A Carver that has been inspiring me over the last few years is @Kramex_carving, His understanding of design combined with finish puts his spoons in a totally different league. There is a true understanding of the form that should be inspiring to carvers of any level. Take a look...
A lot of my spoons while I was learning were lacking in one way or another, the good ones go in the kitchen drawer and the really gnarly ones in the woodpile. I believe that I was getting closer to finding my own style when the shift towards knives happened but I’m still striving to perfect the humble spoon.
There is whole world of Green Woodworking Craft out there you can sink yourself into, and also a loving and supportive community out there you can get to know. It doesn’t matter your age, place in life, you will be happily accepted if you are eager to learn. On that note, finding an established carver and asking if you can hang out for a day while they carve will advance your skills no end. Most people will be more than happy to share the knowledge they have.
Haha you got me…. I love the stuff, crisp, clean, white and dries up nice and hard. As I was saying earlier on, I'm in it for the experience of Carving, I don’t want to be battling some gnarly piece of timber. We are a bit spoilt for timber here in Kyneton, European trees everywhere and beautiful natives as well. If your after Sycamore specifically you will find it in high rainfall areas and commonly growing in wet gullies or roadsides. It's classified as a “Woody Weed” here in Victoria as it will self seed and take over. Look for a broad green Maple leaf as big as your hand, growing in thick groups generally surrounding a more established tree. These trees will coppice after you cut them down so there will be plenty more carving timber in years to come.
]]>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 you have a knife fetish where you have more knives than you can use regularly you want to look after your investment.
You want to look after your tools so they are ready to go when you are. At a bare minimum I like strop my tools before I put them away as the stropping compound has a wax content to it which will help protect them. It also means that when I pull them out they are keen and ready to go. Oiling after stropping and before putting my knife in the sheath is an extra guarantee.
My Father-in-law, Col, was a very accomplished carpenter in a time when tools were built to last so they came with a price to match. So he takes great care of his tools and I would say that they are as functional as the day he bought them with the added beauty of a life time of use.
I love any excuse to make things with Col because I get see a master at work and hopefully glean as much knowledge as I possibly can. I have often seen him sharpen his tools then finish it off by wiping them with an oil pad that he made as an apprentice.
I recently asked him about it so I could make one for myself and share it with others. Here is what he emailed me:
Hi Chris,
I would have made it in 1962 when I first started my apprenticeship (five years) the first thing you drew and made at the technical college was an oil stone box (which I still have).
When I started we did not have portable electric tools, we had to use hand tools for everything. They needed to be sharp (there was always time allowed for sharpening) this of course was Chisels, planes and saws. These tools had to be looked after, in those days they for life.
So what of the oil pad? Its made from old floor covering felt (a form of carpet that was used) and an empty baked bean tin with the felt rolled tightly and fitted in the tin, then soaked in engine oil. Its use. To wipe over the saw as you worked to cut down friction ( we did a lot of hand sawing to build a whole house) and to use on the sole of the plane, also to cut down friction whilst using it. At the end of the day the tools were wiped over with to keep them free from rust (remember they are for life).
Right, its coffee time! Any questions?
Col
Here's how I made my own.
What you'll need:
Instructions:
Now you have no excuse not to have well oiled, loved tools.
As carvers we are lucky to have some amazing tool makers out there and their tools rightfully cost more than mass produced tools. That said, mass produced tools rust too, we should look after and respect all of our tools so they will last.
We would love to hear from you if you have any tips you on caring for your tools or have any questions you would like answered? Have you seen something that older generations do that should be passed down? Please comment below.
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.
You can follow Adams work on Instagram @adamashworth97 or Ash & Iron facebook here.
I have always enjoyed working with my hands and tinkering with things. In fact, since childhood, I have always played around with bits of wood. I usually tried to make myself a longbow, but I only ever succeeded in turning scrap wood into different shaped scrap wood! About 6 years ago, I saw a video online of someone making a spoon by burning out the bowl with the embers on the end of a stick. Holding it to the bowl of the spoon she blew on it which burnt out the bowl. Mine was an awful spoon and I’m not sure I ever used it for anything, especially as the bowl was all charred, even after sanding it. Despite that I loved the process and definitely wanted more. That Christmas I got a spoon knife and the rest is history!
I really love the community in green woodworking. For the first few years that I did green woodworking, I never met a fellow enthusiast. But then in 2018, the community hit me like a ton of bricks. I went to Spoonfest for the first time. It was amazing being in a place of completely likeminded people who had a mutual love for green woodworking, unlike my friends and family at home who all found it a bit strange! Since then I have been to the Bodgers Ball, Spoon Hoolie and The Bowl Gathering, which are filled with amazing people and I truly feel privileged being able to go to these events and to be surrounded by such lovely people.
I do still have time to do green woodworking but the issue is how much energy and enthusiasm I have! Making knives can be quite physically and mentally tiring. After a day’s work I just want to relax and switch off. Sometimes green woodworking can be the answer to that, but often it isn’t. I use most of my time working, making things to sell, rather than wooden things for myself! However I do love making kuksas and turning. Even though I don’t use kuksas I do really enjoy the process of making them. Perhaps because it’s a long meditative process of which you can really see the shape slowly come out of the log you started with. I love turning too as it’s quite a fast process and I can knock out a cup in a couple of hours which is often bigger and more usable than a kuksa.
I’m still very much in my infancy of tool making and a style has yet to find me. But I do believe there aren’t many, if any, tool makers making Damascus knives or knife handles like I do, so perhaps you could call that a style? Perhaps in a few years I will be known for something, but at the moment I am still finding my feet and trying different things out.
I had my first taste of blacksmithing when I helped out in a forge in the summer of 2018. I later went on a knife making course with same smith and I was captivated! Later on in early 2019, I started going to a local blacksmith’s workshop as he needed help moving in and setting things up as he had just moved workshop. In return he taught me the basics of smithing. I am immensely lucky and gratefully that to this day he still lets me come over and make my knives in his workshop as I don’t have my own workshop and have to work from my garden which I try to avoid doing, as to not annoy my neighbours too much. As for the future, I am in the process of moving back to my home town in Leeds, where I’ve got myself a small workshop. I really want to pursue blacksmithing as I feel this is something I have discovered myself and want to do with no need for encouragement. The only way you can devote yourself to something is if you want to do it.
Anyone who takes the time to sit down, work on something with hand tools, has a respect for their craft and others in their craft, is an inspiration to me. There are people who will occasionally post a picture of something they’ve made and my jaw will drop such as crazy patterned damascus or 3.5 pint handled turned jugs. This is why I love Instagram, as it’s like a little window into the world of green woodworking and smithing. I’m constantly impressed with what I see and love to see the talent other people possess
Whenever I make anything wooden I think it’s the best I’ve ever made and will show everyone, then a few weeks later I realise it was pretty rubbish. However every year I’ll go away for a couple of weeks and whilst everyone sits on the beach relaxing, I’ll be there with a kuksa blank. Since I have the time to slow down, relax and think about what I’m doing, the kuksas often come out really nice. And because I have so much time, I just keep adding to it! I really love the one I made last year. I chip carved along the rim and handle and played around with my milk paints with it. Unfortunately, the judges in the highland games craft competition I entered it in did not like it so much! I try not to be sentimental with my failures and as soon as something cracks or is damaged I have no issues with tossing it and just moving onto the next one!
I think the most important thing is knowledge. When I started I had watched maybe a few videos online and thought I knew everything there was to green woodworking. After meeting other woodworkers and seeing what they could make, I realised really wasn’t as good as I thought I was. It was then I understood the importance of the knowledge others could impart to me. Videos, books and whatever else there may be can only go so far. If you really want to learn, you have to get out there and meet fellow enthusiasts and share your experiences. I’ve since realised this doesn’t just apply to green wood working – it applies to everything you want to learn! Second to this; good tools and a good knowledge of sharpening are really important. Get those under your belt and you’ll be well on your way to being a pro slöjder!
Click here for a selection of Ash & Iron hand forged knives.
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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 touch ever since. Polly and Rachel are both equally passionate about green woodworking and we thought them perfect as the first participants in our Curly Questions series. We hope you enjoy reading their responses as much as we did!
Details about Polly's handmade Spoon Mules and how to order can be found here.
Polly: I am a first aid trainer with St John Ambulance and one day there was this bloke called Jeff Donne in my class, during lunch we were talking and he told me about spoon carving and green woodworking.
Rachel: My partner was interested and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. As soon as I did I became addicted.
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 to carve, paint, draw, sew, craft or do whatever is taking our interest presently. Our has daughter dubbed this time 'Arternoons'.
There are so many benefits we get from our Arternoons. Spending time quietly creating together as a family helps us to stay connected. Whilst creating, we might be chatting or listening to music or a podcast. By making it regular part of our weekend routine we get to be creative more often.
In a world where we are always so busy it is really important to stop and relax. There is always something that needs doing and it's easy fall into the trap of letting our todo list rule our lives. I know that I am guilty of getting caught up in trying to get everything done over the weekend and then before I know it the weekend is over and I go back to work feeling exhausted. Stopping to carve is an antidote to this. Carving is like meditation for me, I lose myself in the process and when I am done I have something to show for it and I feel recharged.
Being creative gives us an opportunity to experiment with different ideas and express ourselves as individuals, to problem solve, use a different part of our brain that we don’t necessarily use in our day to day lives but also how to cope with failures when our project doesn’t turn out the way we planned. This is all great for our childrens’ growing brains and it also benefits Lauren and I in keeping our minds active and plastic.
Creative time is not purely for weekends only though. Where possible we also make time to carve and paint throughout the week in the evenings. Lately I have been known to get up early in the morning to carve and start the day on a high. This takes some planning and preparation. For me if it is too hard it won’t happen. I am lazy by nature but I am also efficient and deliberate so if everything is ready to go then I'm more likely to follow through.
Here are some of the things that I do to make sure Carving happens:
Another way to make sure you make time to create is join a group (or start a spoon carving group of your own), have a creative buddy to you get together with on regular basis. Much like having a gym buddy who motivates you and helps hold you accountable.
Remember to keep things enjoyable. If a project isn’t working out get up and walk away from it. Come back to it with a fresh set of eyes. If it really isn’t working out start afresh. I always aim not to be too serious and let it flow.
How do you carve out time to be creative? We would love to hear your methods, habits and even failures in the comments below. I know I for one want more time to carve and I am sure there are others who would benefit from sharing.
Stay creative,
Chris
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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.
]]>UPDATE: If you are having trouble sourcing timber for carving we are now selling spoon blanks, billets and green wood. For those of you on the west coast, Little Bear Sloyd also sells green wood spoon blanks. These are a great way to get started click here to see what is available. If you are into carving seasoned timber please see the list of Timber Specialists here. You might also like to read our article on Australian Green Woods for carving.
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.
Most of us aren’t blessed with managed woodlands just around the corner, so where do you source the wood for your spoon carving hobby?
When I was starting out it was largely a case of trial and error as I assessed what I had in my own backyard.
The first green wood spoon I carved was from box elder. It did the job but didn’t have a whole heap of personality. A few months later a friend had a banksia come down so I scored a trailer load which carved beautifully. Banksia is a more readily available wood in Australia so I would encourage you to seek it out in your own neighbourhood.
We have a Camphor Laurel growing in our front yard so I took to it with my Pocket Boy and the results were pleasing. It proved an easy wood to carve and being a noxious weed there are no permits required for cutting it. This wood starts off rather plain and boring but I’ve found as it ages, it builds character and it also happens to smell amazing as you carve it.
Still not overwhelmed with choice, I called all the arborists in the local area. I supplied a list of suitable timbers that I was seeking, asking for any branches or logs they could spare. I’ve not had any luck in this department but I would urge other carvers to give it a try, as you could score some quality timber for a case of beer or less.
Not having any luck with arborists, I next tried a local gardener. This has been more successful. Where there isn’t a whole lot of value add for an arborist to offload their wood, for a groundskeeper/property maintenance worker I found I was doing them a favour. I have so far scored Silky Oak, Camphor Laurel, Magnolia and more via this channel and it is currently my best source of wood for carving. Make sure to let your contact know that fruit trees are a score, as quite often they will be required to prune or maintain them so you may be able to reap the rewards.
I’ve been known to stop on the side of the road and go through people’s bulk green waste collection looking for wood – my portable Pocket Boy has proved handy for this purpose. Anytime a chainsaw starts up in the area, my ears prick up and I head out looking for the source. I would encourage you to do the same, talk to your neighbours and friends and you never know what you will end up with.
I’ve seen some great examples of bamboo carving and would like to give this a try one day too as it is readily available in my area. The bottom line is that there is more than likely carving material around you that you aren’t aware of. Even if you think it may not be suitable, give it a try and you never know what discoveries you will make. Talk to neighbours and people in your community, make it known what you are after and eventually the wood will come to you. The promise of a hand carved spoon may sway them your way.
All that said, be careful as some timbers can be poisonous so do your research before you make the cut.
Do you have any great tips for sourcing wood for your Spoon Carving or Green Woodworking projects? Let us know in the comments (make sure to check out Brads comments below for some more excellent ideas).
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