This spatula has just been wiped over with Flax Seed Oil to seal it after being carved. As usual great care was taken to ensure the surface was made smooth with a knife to avoid the use of sand paper.
Author: pm
Before and After
I thought you might like to see how this spoon began taking shape and what it looks like after a few years of use.
This one began, as many do, being hewn with an axe from a billet of wood split from a Beech Log. The wood had spent over a year weathering in the yard at my workshop and had developed a Spalt running through the grain; lovely patterns caused by fungus penetrating the wood and forming hard dark barriers at their margins. If left too long in such damp conditions the wood becomes crumbly and brittle in places but fortunately I used this piece before that had happened.
Once the rough shape is formed with the axe I use whittling knives & curved spoon knives to refine it further before setting the piece aside for a while to allow any remaining moisture escape.
Once the wood is dry the knives are used to carve the final smooth surface and the piece is sealed with Flax seed oil to protect it.
Here are some images of this one after it has been used for a few years and begun to gain some real character.
Some of my work. (gallery)
I am busy writing new content to add to Whittle & Stitch so in the mean time I thought I’d post a couple of galleries of some the work I have done.
Treen.
Spoons & bowls.
All items have been hand carved using axes, adzes, whittling knives and spoon knives. No sand paper has been used so the finish is smooth and durable while retaining the tactile faceted surface created by the tools that made them. Flax Seed Oil is used to seal and protect them during use so they age gracefully and beautifully over the years.
Beech Bowl and Sycamore Spoon
Spalted Beech Spoons and Spatulas.
Beech Bowl and Spoons
Beech Bowl and Spoons
Beech Spoons Detail
Tools.
Tools for green wood workers, coppicing, bushcraft and outdoor enthusiasts with hand made wooden handles & leather cases.
The two axes here have traditional straight handles carved from Ash secured with Oak wedges. Careful attention is paid to the throw and alignment of the heads and the direction of the grain in the wood to ensure efficiency and durability during use.
The Finish style Puukko (knife) has a Masir Birch handle with a Lauri PT 95 blade . The sheath is hand dyed vegetable tanned leather with a Beech wood liner for safe and secure carriage.
Axe Handles & Masks
Axe Handles & Masks
Scandinavian style Puukko & Sheath.
Scandinavian style Puukko & Sheath.
There will be more to follow shortly.
Thank you for looking.
Whittle & Stitch 