apple-wood ladle

[stuckinthemud]

I had a piece of nasty-looking apple wood, about 3-foot long, bent at a big knot, heavily splintered from when it was cleaved, but with a lovely streak of red heartwood and every time I tried to put it out for the neighbour’s log-burner I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, almost like the wood was begging me to carve it into a spoon and not burn it.  Anyway, I finally succumbed and after a few hours with a carving axe, rasp and a couple of big gouges this is the result.  I let the wood do the talking, just following all those big splits, you can see there’s a couple still left in the bowl, though they are glued tight shut now.  Finished with sunflower oil.  Nice big ladle, with an 18″ long handle, the wood twisting through about 60 degrees meaning it is really comfortable to use.

 

   

 

[Bob Morris]

I had a piece of nasty-looking apple wood, about 3-foot long, bent at a big knot, heavily splintered from when it was cleaved, but with a lovely streak of red heartwood and every time I tried to put it out for the neighbour’s log-burner I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, almost like the wood was begging me to carve it into a spoon and not burn it.  Anyway, I finally succumbed and after a few hours with a carving axe, rasp and a couple of big gouges this is the result.  I let the wood do the talking, just following all those big splits, you can see there’s a couple still left in the bowl, though they are glued tight shut now.  Finished with sunflower oil.  Nice big ladle, with an 18″ long handle, the wood twisting through about 60 degrees meaning it is really comfortable to use.
 
   
 

Nice to see some spoon carving photos; "letting the wood talk" - good job![emoji106]