utensils and spoons

[Sharon of the Dell]

I finished these last night. I've been working on them since right after Christmas.I started off by cutting them into the sizes I needed with a pruning saw.Some I roughed out with an arbortech power chisel, some with my arbortech professional carver on the angle grinder.Some with my die grinder and kutzall burrs and high carbon burrs, I have a flexable shaft carver for my dremel which is a wecheer(didn't even realize it was wecheer) that I used my flexcut gouges.The big scoop I mainly used non power hand tools.I also used two cherries scrapers to smooth out the roughness of the kutzalls. I hand sanded with 60 grit on up to 220 grit sand paper, Them I used the scrubby type pads to buff them up. Each one got at least 5 or 6 coats(probably more like 10) of walnut oil. The darker red ones are chinkapin(a native hardwood here), the small scoop(coffee), not the little tiny spoon, is spalted holly,and the rest are oak that I scored on our hunting camping trip last fall.The holly was a fairly young limb. It wasn't too white like the older wood from the holly tree. Anyway comments and suggestions are welcome, and thanks for looking! I included front and back views.Hope you like em!

[tucker1931]

Sharon you devil. Ya ain't supposed to show 'em till the first of March. What's up there girl. Oh, by the way, I love every one of them, they are so hand made and rustic lookin. I think I try too hard to make mine look like the pros and to me yours look so much better. Thing is "I think" yours are made mostly out of found wood, where as with mine I draw them and shape them from boards. It's just a totally different style, but really I guess that is what our craft is all about, different strokes for different folks. Any way, I really like your style girl. Now what are ya gonna show for the great spoon challenge?
Cliff

[CarverFromNoWhere]

Great work Sharon they look excellent, I finished one Crab Apple today and decided to try some kolrosing well it looks like someone gave ym spoon a tattoo ROFL.
Carl

[schizoidlogger]

Very nice job Sharon. It is evident that they were crafted with love.
I just finished my (one only - I'm not the most productive guy) spoon but will not post it until March. Hey I love rules - gives my life purpose and direction. Ha.

[Sharon of the Dell]

Thanks, Cliff, Carl and Schizoidlogger.I started carving these for late Christmas presents for family and friends that live far away.And I was going to set up an etsy site.But we had to hire our electrician neighbor for 4 hours.So when he found out I carve spoons he said trade labor for spoons.So I finished these for him. Tomorrow I will give them to him.Hopefully he likes them.Cliff and Carl, I love your guys spoons.I lood forward to seeing more from you both.Schizoid, look forward to seeing what you carved.I'm going to try to carve one for the challenge.Thanks again!

[backporchcarver]

Love the natural shape of your spoons Sharon, they look compfortable to hold. Well done, and I think your neighbour is a lucky person!

[Joy]

Me, too! I love your "organic" spoons. Great idea on the labor exchange.

[Thor]

Sharon, they are wonderful. Your free form designs look as though they will be a pleasure to use.
I have done a few in the past, and have a pair of salad utensils on my to do list for this week.

Funny story:
I am going to a "couples shower" for my daughter and her fiance this weekend. It is at her soon to be inlaws house...
They have a LOT more money than we do, and I'm sure their shower gifts will be very expensive. I will bring the salad utensils, hand carved with my carving axe. I cannot compete with their money, but I can sure come looking like a bad-**s artist who carves with an axe!
Christina

[toycarver]

Love all of them Sharon! You do have a great freeform rustic style. I think that's neat that you used them in trade for the
electrical services.
Thanks for sharing them.

Thor/Christina... If the future inlaws don't appreciate your handmade gift they are crazy. I bet your daughter will love them though.

[Mottles]

Ahhh, a woman with tools be they hand or power who knows how to use them.......Sharon of the Dell
Hey Sharon, just saw your wonderful wooden utensils they are just beautiful. I love the wood and the design, shape, colors are just great. Love them all!
Oh and hey, Thor you go girl!
Kathy