Simple Spoon Carving

In this Instructible, I will teach you my simple method for spoon carving. This is by no means the only way to carve a spoon, but through trial and error, I have discovered that this method is the simplest and most efficient way to carve a spoon.

Materials:

•1in. x 2in. Board, preferably a softwood like pine or cedar

Tools:

•Carving knife

•Carving gouges (I used a 1/4 in and 5/8 in straight gouges, but any will work)

•Mallet

•Clamp or vise to hold project still

•Pencil

•Marker

•Sandpaper

•Scroll saw (optional, this part can be done by hand)

First, plan out what your spoon will look like on paper. It helps to look at spoons in the kitchen for inspiration. Once you have a drawing that will fit on your board, cut it out to make a template you will trace onto the wood.

Next, trace your template onto your board using a marker. You can just draw your design straight onto the wood if you prefer.

This step can be done by hand, but using a scroll saw is a lot quicker.

Clamp the spoon to a table edge then slowly carve out the bowl using your gouges, checking periodically to make sure you maintain even thickness.

Being careful to cut away from yourself, shave away small pieces of wood until the desired shape is achieved. Keep in mind that wood can be removed, but not added. As you carve, think about the symmetry of the piece.

Sand the spoon using increasingly fine grits of sandpaper. When the spoon is all sanded, it's nice to rub in some food safe mineral oil or butcher block oil. Now you can enjoy your beautiful and functional handcrafted wooden spoon.