Kentucky Armory Club

Oh! I do believe this Wyldman maple is gonna bear some nice spoons.
Firewood spoon #1, firewood spoon #2, green maple spoon!
Getting more elegant every day, and the time required is getting exponentially shorter. This one was 2 hours total, including hatcheting, carving, #100 grit smooth sanding, a steel wool burnish, and a mineral oil finish. The bowl is a bit on the shallow side, still need me a hook knife. Wyldman suggested a farrier's knife... need to look into that... Nice meeting you, too, Sir.

Now to dry it out slowly in a paper bag, and hope this one doesn't split on me.

- K

What are you using to carve these? Tell me it's not just the hatchet...

Rough shaping using the hatchet (BTW - MUCH better than an old meat cleaver!) final shaping with a my Ka-Bar Becker BK11.

Already roughed out my first ladle!
- K

Sweet, that sounds like fun.

Having problems working this first ladle...
Tried the burning-out-with-hot-charcoals method again, but developed a crack:
Then decided I'd pick up a farrier's hook knife from Tractor Supply, to carve out the rest of the bowl. Didn't work. Snapped the blade inside 1 minute! Cheap $14.99 P.O.S Think I'll drill-press out the bowl, and use the snapped knife to chunk out the remaining bits before sanding smooth

Oh! Also snapped off the ladle handle, but I've a remedy for that. Plan to splint a rod of wood onto the stub, superglue, and wrap it in twine.

- K

Chip, Chip, Chip, Chip, Chip, Chip, Chip. Rinse, lather, repeat.

Save time, money and hopefully not a medical bill, get a spoon knife. $20 off eBay.

Need me a spoon knife, fo sho!

- K

A loop handle of old and broken belt leather? Secured with a couple of deck screws to yer new spoon-making stump bench? MUCH easier to lug around the work deck!

Just thought I'd pass that tip along.
And? If anyone has a properly large, (10" or greater diameter) hardwood stump they're not using, please shoot me a PM. I'd be happy to take it off yer hands. This one is only a week or so old, and is already getting pretty beat up. It's the slippery hatchet's fault, not my aim.

- K

That's an awful nice stump, spalted stock like that makes a nice project.

Nemo wants your stump

nemo? I have five or six more just like it from the same tree. Free if you want them. Lord knows you've been helpful to me in this new carving hobby of mine. I owe you!

- K

Getting some good blanks outta these limbs from Wyldman's green maple! (Thanks again, W!)
Still need a good spoon knife, and funds really are -thistight-. Any brother out there got one they're not using and could maybe *ahem* hook me up and teach me how to keep it sharp? I sure would appreciate it!

My hatchet skillz are coming along, and I'm looking to maybe sell some at the next art fair. Could use the money, ya know? The fine artwork market is awfully soft right now, but these spoons could make the difference between steaks in the freezer and beans and rice the next coupla months Man! I hate to beg... but if anyone has an old old one, I'd take it off yer hands and mow yer lawn.

- Keith

My new Mora spoon knife just arrived in the mail, and it's dull as Rosie O'Donnell. Can anyone put me some knowledge on how to sharpen a spoon knife?

- K

HE'S ALIVE!!!

...Anyway, try here or here.

This is the method I use. 600, 800, and 1200 followed by strop. I get good results.

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This is the method I use. 600, 800, and 1200 followed by strop.

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Thanks, guys! That's a big help.

- K