10 Essential Spoon Carving Questions Answered | Andy Spoons

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  • Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
  • www.andyspoons.com
    Thanks for watching!
    0:16 Which wood do you use to carve a spoon?
    1:42 Where do you find your wood?
    2:16 What tools do I need?
    3:40 Which brands?
    4:18 Do you sand your spoons?
    5:00 How long does it take?
    5:39 Do you carve forks?
    5:45 How much space do I need?
    6:15 How do you finish your spoons?
    7:40 Can you make a living carving spoons?
    some makers and links;
    Real Milk Paint Co.
    www.realmilkpaint.com/ref/and...
    Belzeboo Crafts belzeboocrafts.blogspot.com
    Temple Mountain Woodcraft www.templemtnwoodcraft.com/
    Wood Tamer www.woodtamer.com.au/
    Silky Saws - The World's Finest Saws | SilkySaws.com silkysaws.com/
    Morakniv morakniv.se/en/
    Thank you so much for watching!
    all the best,
    Andy

КОМЕНТАРІ • 71

  • @whittler0507
    @whittler0507 Місяць тому +2

    Very well done young man ..Making a living carving is a rare thing ...Just enjoy it ..Thank you for sharing

  • @markluke8447
    @markluke8447 2 місяці тому

    Hi Andy, enjoy your videos and appreciate you sharing your insight in this video.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  2 місяці тому

      Thank you so much! I'll be sure to post a few more of this style video in the future 🙂

  • @philiprogers8620
    @philiprogers8620 7 місяців тому +4

    Thanks for the information! Appreciate you making the craft seem accessible to those of us still working on our 5 day spoon, ha! Would like to see more about that burnishing step.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому +2

      Noted! I'll set up a video about it soon 🙂👌

    • @MarshallProtsman
      @MarshallProtsman 7 місяців тому +2

      I second this!

    • @davidgleason2519
      @davidgleason2519 7 місяців тому +2

      I’m working on my 10 day spoon.

  • @scottlaf1
    @scottlaf1 3 місяці тому +1

    Hey Andy, I'm relatively new to spoon carving. Absolutely LOVING IT!!! I particularly appreciate the comment on not worrying about how long it takes : ) I'm down to the better part of a day but I do hope to get more proficient. I can tell that I'm not getting the axing stage as far as I could which then requires an inordinate amount of time with the sloyd. I'm super stoked to be heading to the Spoonfest in England this summer (I live in Washington). Thanks for your kind, clear and friendly style!

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  3 місяці тому

      Hey there Scott, wonderful to have you here! Really happy to be a part of the journey mate, great to hear you are heading across to Spoonfest, no doubt it will be an inspiring time 🙂

  • @elijahthompson3899
    @elijahthompson3899 2 місяці тому

    The patina on that French press spoon is nearly as exquisite as the spoons themselves.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  Місяць тому +1

      It's a lovely little moment in my day, adding to that patina 🙂

    • @elijahthompson3899
      @elijahthompson3899 Місяць тому

      @@andyspoons I understand, I’m about to have my pour over before the rest of the house wakes up. I can’t wait to carve my own coffee spoon. Thank you for the awesome videos!

  • @wortheffort
    @wortheffort 7 місяців тому +3

    You really are kicking butt on your content lately.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Very cool of you to say, cheers!

  • @elim7228
    @elim7228 21 день тому

    I would also def recommend a Shinto rasp. Inexpensive and simply brilliant.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  21 день тому

      For handling I might agree, but I personally really don't like rasping or sanding spoons. You lose a lot of character from the process in my opinion

    • @elim7228
      @elim7228 20 днів тому

      ​​@@andyspoons absolutely agree about sandpaper. I use Shinto to do general shaping around the handle of the spoon or to flatten the blank, before moving to the draw knife and finally the normal knife. There is not a single spot with rasp marks when I'm done. In fact, my spoons are covered with knife markings. Nothing is polished.

  • @beullele2783
    @beullele2783 7 місяців тому +3

    Thanks for this video, really instructive 👍

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Happy to hear that! Feel free to share it with folks you think it might help 🙂👌

  • @LucOne4000
    @LucOne4000 7 місяців тому +2

    Thanks for the video, keep going !

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Thanks for watching! 🙌

  • @stephaniechatman6281
    @stephaniechatman6281 7 місяців тому +1

    Great vid!

  • @Vince-ml9gw
    @Vince-ml9gw 7 місяців тому +2

    And thanks for an awesome video and channel! ✌️🤩

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому +1

      Thank you for being here!

  • @flokrau2300
    @flokrau2300 7 місяців тому +1

    Thanks a lot Andy! Very informative! 😊

  • @sc00zy
    @sc00zy 7 місяців тому +1

    Thx for this useful information Andy.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Plenty more where that came from, thanks for watching!

  • @DaveCollierCamping
    @DaveCollierCamping 7 місяців тому +1

    Outstanding information

  • @zone1content
    @zone1content 7 місяців тому +2

    Thanks for the video!
    I am interested in seeing grain pattern relatet content.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому +1

      Fantastic, I will absolutely set up a video covering just that 🙂

  • @yuhsieh3106
    @yuhsieh3106 7 місяців тому +1

    THANKS Andy

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Thank you for watching!

  • @Atonal777
    @Atonal777 7 місяців тому +2

    Food for the next Q&A: What were some of your entry points into the craft? What are the chances Roy Underhill and Peter Follansbee are somewhere along your path? I often wonder where this apparent renaissance has come from, I wonder if it can be traced back to that episode. It does for me. If you haven't come across those two, great amount of fun, knowledge, and inspiration there!

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      A great idea 🙂 I have only watched the Underhill TedTalk, and heard great things about him, but I will need to dove deeper!

    • @Atonal777
      @Atonal777 7 місяців тому

      @@andyspoons pretty much his entire pbs episodes (public broadcasting service - as close to national government funded media as we ever have gotten in the states...) are available online, possibly region blocked, I suppose, but also likely available on many different sites. Thirty years of hand tool woodworking! His episode with Peter follansbee on "Swedish" spoon carving is pretty much what got me into carving. Nothing new, just a great primer. Peter has an extensive blog with lots of great stuff. Roy underhill's show is crazy broad and deep! Hours, nay, days! of hand tool goodness!

  • @Vince-ml9gw
    @Vince-ml9gw 7 місяців тому +1

    Hey there Andy, great Q&A. Definitely a helpful video. Up here where my wife and I live next to the Canadian border I have access to Birch so that is wonderful to learn it’s a suitable carving wood. I’m looking forward to learning a new skill and just enjoying some quiet no stress wood working. I have a small bit of Huon Pine a friend brought back from a boat building school in Tasmania. I’ve had it stashed away now for over 25 years…😂 maybe it’s time to make a small spoon out of it.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому +1

      Wonderful to hear! I would recommend becoming really comfortable with grain direction in Birch before tackling that Huon Pine. It is a magical timber, but it can be a masterclass on grain direction changes!

    • @Vince-ml9gw
      @Vince-ml9gw 7 місяців тому

      Thanks for that advice Andy. Yes this bit of Huon Pine has a lot of sentimental value to me. But even more importantly the Huon deserves respect and recognition. I think George Nakashima’s book The Soul of a Tree gets to heart of it.

  • @biophiliac9
    @biophiliac9 6 місяців тому +1

    First, thanks for all this great info Andy. I’m curious, after you’ve found green wood, how long does it stay green for? I hear you can freeze wood or store it in water, but I’m curious if you don’t. I.e. someone says they cut down a tree a few weeks ago; is that worth bothering to work with? Some guidelines here would be great. Thanks!

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  6 місяців тому

      Great question! So the wood shifts from green to seasoned over an indeterminate period of time, the trick is to leave the wood in the longest lengths of log possible so that you slow the moisture escape as much as possible. Once you have split the log, that's when you can think about freezing/soaking/plastic wrap to hold in the moisture. I will post a longer video about this soon!

  • @curiousgeorge555
    @curiousgeorge555 7 місяців тому +1

    thanks mate

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Thank you for watching!

  • @Alberto1993
    @Alberto1993 7 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for your work. Can I ask how i prevent the greenwood from cracking? I’ve finished a spoon using greenwood and now is split in an half😅thanks

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому +1

      Letting it dry slowly is key, keep it out of the sun, try putting it in a paper bag with some woodchips, and give it time

  • @frederikbruck5210
    @frederikbruck5210 3 місяці тому

    On question #1, might be worth mentioning:
    Please keep in mind that some wood-species might be poisonous and you don't want to eat with them.
    For example, in my region: I could literally drown myself in cut-offs from Robinia, which is a great wood for making longbows,
    but even inhaling the dust from sanding that stuff (!) could possibly kill a child of 2-4 years within an hour.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  3 місяці тому

      A very good point! Always do your research on toxicology 👌

  • @bennysabrowski8625
    @bennysabrowski8625 7 місяців тому +1

    Hey Andy, i love your content. Been into spoon carving for a few weeks, and i love it!
    How long can I store my wood until it is too dry? I have cherry wood and walnut wood that was felled about 4 weeks ago. The pieces are quite large.
    Do you have any experience?
    Many thanks and best regards from Germany

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Hi there! Thank you so much for being here 🙂 so I would recommend sealing the ends with some sort of pva glue to slow the drying process, and then honestly you could leave it for a year! Keep it in the shade, and try to only take off a length that you can split out and work on quickly, as soon as you split the wood, it dries out incredibly fast. At that point, a bucket of water and some vinegar, or a plastic bag in the freezer is your best friend 🙂

    • @bennysabrowski8625
      @bennysabrowski8625 7 місяців тому +1

      Hey Andy, thanks for the answer and for the tips! All the best for you

  • @williamniven2021
    @williamniven2021 7 місяців тому

    New subscriber here. Thanks for your awesome videos.
    In this video, you show a high-end carving axe.
    Can you tell me the brand?

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Thank you for being here! That axe is a collaboration between "The Woodtamer" an Australian green woodworking tool store, and "The Farmers Forge" an Australian blacksmith 👌

  • @stormilha
    @stormilha 7 місяців тому +1

    Hey, apartment quarters over here. Can you tell more about your old setup? I've already got complaints from my downstairs neighbour :P

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Hey there! So first thing; become best friends with your neighbor 😂 if that is out of the question, figure out when they aren't home. The block itself was literally a footstool, a 6" square of industrial foam, and a small log. It is not safe, and I wouldn't feel responsible recommending it, especially if you are just getting started, but my main point here is you need to figure out some out of the box thinking (axe work in the back alley in batches, a friend's garage etc.) and do what you can!

  • @revbharvey5046
    @revbharvey5046 Місяць тому

    "My first spoon took about five days" YES!!! Me too 😁

  • @hananeibenamar8381
    @hananeibenamar8381 7 місяців тому +2

    Will I be able to use commercial wood, since I cannot find fruit wood, like beech wood

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому

      Beech is great! Like I mentioned in the video, just try what you have access to first!

  • @simianprince
    @simianprince 7 місяців тому +1

    Excellent as always, but I have a nagging question that's been eating at me a lot as I delve further into spoon carving - what's the long term effect of axe and knife work on your wrists, elbows and shoulders? I'm noticing more and more experienced carvers talking openly about chronic pain they're experiencing and I won't lie and say it doesn't give me a lot of pause.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  7 місяців тому +1

      It certainly should give you pause if it's already a concern. I have worked in trades for almost 20 years now, so I deal with varying degrees of long term physical injuries. Axe work is an impact based process, and the knife grips definitely put strain on your wrists. I am definitely planning to post a video on some safe stretching techniques

    • @davidgleason2519
      @davidgleason2519 7 місяців тому +3

      After just 2 years of on and off spoon carving (so I’m no expert), I’ve experienced the tightness of newly exercised hand muscles. Stiff, but no real pain, and I’m 65. I watched a video of an English woman who has carved spoons for years, if not decades, and is certainly older than I am. She could carve and carve with no fatigue. She must have built up seriously strong hand muscles. So, I think there’s some physical benefit to this work too -besides the calm and peace it brings to the mind.

    • @simianprince
      @simianprince 7 місяців тому

      I appreciate the encouragement David!@@davidgleason2519

    • @elim7228
      @elim7228 20 днів тому

      The secret is in relaxed, yet firm grip. As soon as you tense - stop the work immediately, relax the muscles and then restart. If you're tense you can't do a pull cut with an axe (or a hammer if you do b- smithing)

  • @saraservant
    @saraservant 6 місяців тому +1

    Burnishing rod?? Do show and tell... Thanks

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  6 місяців тому

      You can use a piece of marble or smooth metal or as long as it's harder than the material

  • @syang1116
    @syang1116 3 місяці тому +1

    good point is no sanding,,,

  • @elim7228
    @elim7228 21 день тому

    Re the ax- do yourself a favor. Pick a GB Swedish carver. You won't look back. No, it is not too expensive. It is worth every cent of its price.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  21 день тому

      While it is absolutely worth the money, it's also very much out of some people's reach. It always pays to have options 👌

    • @elim7228
      @elim7228 20 днів тому

      ​@@andyspoons I understand the price might sound too high. But, it's way better to start with something designed specifically for carving. Because it will allow you to develop proper technique faster. For me, I was initially using a GB wildlife hatchet and Hults Brook camping axes, and it was a total waste of time (and money). The hatchet was sold so I could purchase the carver. Which brings me to the second point: should the person not like it - selling GB carver is not a problem. People are always on the lookout for that axe.

    • @andyspoons
      @andyspoons  14 днів тому +1

      A fine point!