best wood for a wooden spoon

Paul Wheaton · #41 03/16/10, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

I have a friend who is a wood carver. Just last week he told me that lilac is popular with spoon carvers.

Any mention of why?

Wisconsin Ann · #42 03/16/10, 10:45 AM

Lilac is soft enough to carve really well when green, doesn't warp as it's drying, and hard as nails when it's dry. also, I don't think it goes brittle like some of the other woods. It's also easy to get in the areas around MN and WI.

eta: forgot to add the most important part...the outer wood is light in color, with the heart being darker, sometimes purpley. VERY attractive, but needs to be sealed to keep the color...good for knife handles, etc. very dense wood.

Paul Wheaton · #43 03/17/10, 09:31 AM

So you could have a spoon that is half dark and half light and there would be no problems with that?

Wisconsin Ann · #44 03/17/10, 12:30 PM

wood wise? no problem. although they generally carve it so that the heart goes down the center with the color and the lighter wood is carved as embellishment, I believe. Although I've seen some really pretty ones where they've used the darker center as the BACK of the blank, and carved down into it...so you have a lighter top carving, with dark showing thru..and vice versa. I've carved a few branches over the years into things...and while you have to be careful that it doesn't split off when you're carving, I've never had anything separate during drying.

They call it a very dense, but porous wood. (sounds odd, but it's pretty descriptive)

Remember..lilac is not a large diameter usually. Sometimes when you cut down an old one, you can get 4" diameter pieces, but generally we're talking up to 2" diameter branches.

http://www.spoonsofwood.com/ladle-lilac.jpg shows a good representation of a hand carved spoon/ladle using the heart for dark with the lighter wood. http://www.spoonsofwood.com/gifts.html is his gallery of spoons..various woods. 4 or 5 there of lilac. oh..he's also got a "how to finish and treat your wood spoons" section somewhere or other on the site.

Wanted to add: If someone is any good at carving spoons and ladles, you can make a bundle. They're always selling great guns at art fairs and farmer's markets when I see them, and they are wonderful as gifts. I SUCK at the detail carving (too impatient I suppose) and finishing. But there are some people who can see the exact RIGHT way to use a piece of branch.

NCLee · #45 03/17/10, 01:09 PM

Take a look at this alternative to carving out the bowl of a spoon. http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/surv...n76/index.html I've referenced this site, rather than the original source, due to the other information that may be useful for people who want to be more self reliant, for whatever reason.

Another option for making cooking utensils is with a scroll saw. I've accumulated a number of patterns over the years for making spoons, spatulas, forks, etc. on the saw. The forks, for example are good to use as salad forks. It's called compound cutting when you cut both the outline and the profile of an object. Candle holders and Christmas tree ornaments are two more examples.

Scroll saw work is a good way to turn scraps of wood of all kinds into useful and decorative objects. Did you know you can scroll discarded CD's? Plexiglass? Cardboard? Blackwalnuts?

By mixing both modern techniques, such as using an electric scroll saw and ancient techniques such as burning out bowls, gives a tremendous range of potential, regardless of what the future holds for us.

Just 2-cents on an interesting thread.
Lee

sirquack · #46 03/17/10, 03:06 PM

FarmerWilly, if it was not so expensive to ship, I would gladly throw you some hickory for your smoking needs. I have about 6-7 acres of mostly hickory woods at my country property.

woodsy · #47 03/18/10, 08:33 PM

Beech is also a suitable and food safe hardwood for spoons, bowls etc.

IndianaWoodsman · #48 03/20/10, 09:57 AM

I use poplar for everything. It carves easy green or dry and lasts forever. I have a chunk sitting in the shop right now waiting for me to get the tools to turn it into a bowl.