Introduction: Hand Carved Wooden Butter Knife

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About: My name is Anna-Liisa, I am a DIY woodworker and spoon carver from Berlin. Together with my partner I design solid wood puzzle furniture. We want to make sustainable, affordable and stylish furniture available…

I`ve been at the wood workshop assisting my boyfriend who is a professional carpenter with smaller tasks for almost two years. Though I was always admiring his work and enjoying spending time at the workshop, I did not think I would make an project on my own. Why not? Because it is too difficult, too dangerous, too complicated, I have no skill and the list of excuses may continue without an ending. Until I decided just to get started.

I know it is not a big thing (literally!) but I have to admit I`m very happy with myself and the way how it turned out.
With that being said, I make a step further and write an Instructable. Who knows, it might inspire someone like me to start with woodworking.

THINGS YOU NEED:

A sharp knife
Piece of wood (about 15 x 4 cm) Mine is oak, but you may want to choose something softer, like a pine or ash.
Wood wax
Sanding paper nr 120 and 240
A pen
Band saw or if you don`t have it you can use a hand jig saw

Step 1: Draw the Lines

I suggest you first to draw on the paper, cut it out and then draw it on the wood. But you might want to skip it and draw immediately on the wood.

Attachments

Step 2: Cut the Wood

Using a band saw makes the knife carving so much easier.

Step 3: Carve the Knife

Gently carve the unnecessary wood from the knife.
Instead of pulling the blade towards you and potentially cutting your thumb, carve with the blade away from your body. You can push the back of the blade with the thumb of the hand holding the wood.
This results in having lots of control and strength behind your cuts and less trips to the medicine cabinet.

Step 4: Sanding the Knife

The thinner you will carve with the knife, the easier will be the sanding part. First you will need the sanding paper nr 120 and then the 240 to make everything nice and smooth.
Tip! When you are satisfied with your sanding, make your knife wet using a towel and sand once again.

Step 5: Finishing the Knife

Remove all the dust from the knife and apply the beeswax. I also use it as a moisture my hands which may go pretty dry from the sanding process.

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