![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Tc0t8CgyXiI/Scvlg8JoaQI/AAAAAAAACwQ/LyiD8T0K32w/s200/Gouges.jpg)
My first attempt at spoon carving resulted in a piece of dinnerware befitting of Fred Flinstone. Chunky, lumpy, and dino-sized.
In my defense, I didn't have any green lumber so I grabbed—what else?—a gnarly
piece of cherry whose grain pattern looked like a Jackson Pollack painting.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Tc0t8CgyXiI/ScvlhK8dD4I/AAAAAAAACwY/Tuyh6yQIusA/s200/Spoon.1.jpg)
Plus it had a few knots.
Nonetheless, I bullheadedly worked on this ornery piece of wood until I sprouted a few blisters on my hand.
During this time, a chunk of dry silver maple soaked in a tub in an attempt to soften the fibers and make it easier to carve.
The second sp
oon went more smoothly and the straight grained, semi-softened maple was much easier to carve.
I rough shaped both blanks with my new BTF (Best Tool Forever)—a hewing axe—and a slojd knife at my outdoor bench.
The cherry was
too hard to cut with hook knives, so I secured the blank in a simple jig: a long v-block with two stops at either end of the workpiece. Then I hollowed out the bowl with spoon gouges. The hook knives worked great for final clean up.
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/_Tc0t8CgyXiI/ScvqAq_cm7I/AAAAAAAACwg/2_yc_jxAm8Q/s200/side.jpg)
The decorative elements on the maple spoon were carved with a gouge, chip carving knife, and stab knife.
And after finishing the second one, I hope I've moved up to the middle ages.
The second sp
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Tc0t8CgyXiI/ScvlWWscnpI/AAAAAAAACv4/xFyAGi3VMI8/s200/Jig.jpg)
I rough shaped both blanks with my new BTF (Best Tool Forever)—a hewing axe—and a slojd knife at my outdoor bench.
The cherry was
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Tc0t8CgyXiI/ScvrQPJuXBI/AAAAAAAACwo/111zXY_0aFM/s200/Spoon.2.jpg)
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Tc0t8CgyXiI/ScvqAq_cm7I/AAAAAAAACwg/2_yc_jxAm8Q/s200/side.jpg)
The decorative elements on the maple spoon were carved with a gouge, chip carving knife, and stab knife.
And after finishing the second one, I hope I've moved up to the middle ages.