While I was in Derbyshire the other week, I had some spare time to carve, using some beautiful, fresh cherry wood. After splitting the log and marking out a pattern, I carve using an axe to create the shape. As with when I teach spoon carving, the axe is used to get as close to the final shape as possible.
Then I use a straight knife to refine and smooth the shape along with a hook knife to hollow the bowl. This is the stage where I am assessing the shape, balancing the elements and adding facets for decoration. The colours in the wood are so gorgeous that it doesn’t need anything more.
The spoon looks great already but, after a few days of drying, I apply a light coat of pure, cold-pressed linseed oil which protects the wood and makes the grain pop.
There are more photos of the cherry eating spoon in my etsy shop where it’s available to buy.
If you’d like to learn to carve your own spoons, join me on one of my workshops, dates and more details on Eventbrite: Craft Workshops
