How To Finish A Carved Spoon
Butcher block olive peanut or vegetable oil.
How to finish a carved spoon. After the spoon has been hollowed out finish shaping the handle and adding any details you may want. Milk has a kind of protein called casein that forms a sort of plastic coating. Turn on the bandsaw and slowly push your blank through the blade.
Move confidently from the bowl to the end of the handle but dont cut deep. For my standard spoon finishing I cut the tung oil 5050 with a citrus based. You can use polymerized tung oil if thats whats available and I occasionally.
Youve now sealed your spoons with milk. It may be silly no it is silly but not using sandpaper can be a source of pride for woodworkers of all stripes spoon carvers included. For the first video all about axe work go here.
Carving a spoon can be a meditative job that allows you to take a block of wood and end up with a piece of art. Use it for a touch up on spoons it is a finish that builds up layers fast. Ive never been able to call a spoon finished without sanding especially the bowl of the spoon.
Follow closely along with the outline of your spoon so its easier to carve later on. Once you have the general shape of your spoon finished turn off your saw and wait for it to completely stop before grabbing your spoon. Dunk your utensils in a vat of skimmed milk bring to the boil simmer for a couple of minutes then turn off the heat and let cool.
The penetrating finishes are far better suited to protecting the wood spoon not only from water but from heat and even stains spaghetti sauce and the such. In my flat work I dont let this trivial nuance get to me. Do not let them soak for a long time in water and never put them in the dishwasher which will cause the wood to deteriorate quickly.