How to make a wooden spoon, the viking way

Step 3 The wood

You need a log of wood. It needs to be 10-15 cm longer than the spoon you want to make. It needs to be newly cut. The wood you don't use right away you can leave it some high grass. Then it will be wet and workable for 2-4 weeks.

All wood can be used, but fruit tree are best. For this spoon I'm using applewood. That's a very good wood for spoonmaking. It's hard and very durable in use. And it looks nice with the all white grains.

Comments

[vincent7520]

only 6 spoons … what a waste !!!…
can't you find a way that is more environment friendly ?…

[The Metal One]

the wood is never wasted....you can always save it for later and carve from the seasoned wood, or use it as firewood, smoking chips, etc. apple also makes for an excellent mallet-head.

[snowgoat]

Wood grows back, you know.

[rick.leasure]

renewable resource...

[vincent7520]

I know … still, I'm not convinced : we are far more numerous on this planet than ever before : we don't let trees grow (worse the trees we plant in place of the one we cut are fast growing species thus narrowing natural diversity…).
Anyway, your spoons are nice ! …

[bowmaster]

Yeah, cause importing plastic spoons from china is better.

[vincent7520]

Plastic is not the solution, for sure.
Wood is : I have nothing against that at all !…
But I'm concerned by how much wood is used. I got the feeling the this insntructble uses as much wood as the do in the funny cartoon where a guy chops dowh a tree to make a tooth pick !…

[morfmir]

It is possible to make the spoon in a way that use a lot less wood.
Look at the picture of the first spoon in step 10. That design uses much less wood.

But the woodchips that I carve away isn't wasted, I collect it and us it for smoking fish and mead. So instead of buying factory made smokechips, packed in small plastic backs, I make my own.

/Thomas

[vincent7520]

great : no waste, all resources are used…
Keep on the good works tnen … 

[rick.leasure]

You could also note that the apple wood was probably destined for fire wood, had you not rescued it to carve out a few beautiful spoons...

[XxZombiexX]

Besides the fact the author saves the "scrap" pieces for other uses, this is labeled as a traditional Viking method, not a eco-friendly method. Just to think that every utensil they owned took this much time, energy, and skill is almost unfathomable to us now!

Great work! This inspires me to do more of the same :)

Also, my Father always had a spoon knife in his carving box, and it was always useful...never realize you need one till you do!

[rick.leasure]

Where did you get your spoon knife? Can one be made easily?

[XxZombiexX]

I'm a little late here, but I'm pretty sure his just came with a carving knife set and you can find them most anywhere that sells carving tools.
As far as making one, I would think it would be a little harder than making a regular knife because of its curve and such; however the author refers to his as "hand forged" so it must be doable with some skill and patience. Besides, they did it way back then, right?

[red-king]

 would maple be a good wood to make a spoon like this out of?

[morfmir]

Hi
Yes, maple are very good for spoon making. It is a bit hard but the result is worth it.
/Thomas

[red-king]

 ok. thanks.