It has a Janka hardness of 3,N. All maples have a beautiful grain to them. You can narrow down your selection with the following sweeping statements. Also, talk to local woodworking clubs and they may share some leads. And a creation that often must cooperate with what nature gives us.

Granted, not all of them live in Wisconsin. So theres a lot of wood out there to carve. For beginners, this can be a little overwhelming. You can narrow down your selection with the following sweeping statements. Of course, you can carve a spoon from any wood but diffuse-porous wood tends to work best.

I really like Betula papyrifera. For me, the wood is the perfect level of hardness for spoon carving. Easy to shape with hand tools, but tough enough to stand up to use in the kitchen. It has a Janka hardness of 4,N. The Janka hardness test measures the force required to embed an I love weird forms of measurement like that. Acer saccharinum is very common here. It might be my weakness for maple syrup, but the sweet, fresh scent of recently cut maple is my happy place.

Come into my workshop unannounced and you might just catch me huffing the recently cut surface of maple like some sort of coke addict. Silver maple is sometimes called Soft maple. It has a Janka hardness of 3,N. All maples have a beautiful grain to them.

This adds to the beauty but can be a bit of a bugger to get a nice tool finish. I was shocked the first time I came across someone cutting down a Prunus serotina. The thing was massive. They can grow over 30 meters ft tall. Cherry trees I saw back in the UK were rarely over 10 meters 30ft. Things really are bigger in the States. Black cherry has a lovely pink heartwood that contrasts nicely against the pale cream sapwood. The heartwood will darken over time to a reddish brown, but the contrast against the sapwood tends to stay.

The heartwood and sapwood also have a different texture to them when carved. The sapwood feels thicker and more elastic, kind of like carving through plastic. These stores will normally have traditional hardwoods and many exotic hardwoods. You may be able to find basswood or other carving woods at local craft stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels. The home centers tend to carry pine, poplar, cedar, and red oak. I have used cedar for spoons, but have not found it to be the best material.

There seems to be a lot of debate or discussion about wood toxicity. Yes, certain woods may be more toxic than others, but it seems uncertain what affect they have on the whole population.

Each person has different reactions to toxins in their environment and that may be based on their genetics. Then again, some toxins affect all of us to some extent. Some exotic woods — like cocobolo for example — have a reputation for causing strong reactions in some people. Does the toxicity continue constantly over time or does it diminish with time and use?

Is it the dust that causes problems or coming into contact with the wood itself? We all know that breathing in fine wood dust is not good for your health long term. It shows how the wood may affect you and the potency of the toxin. As mentioned in this article, not a whole lot of woods are known to be extremely toxic. And some people may be more sensitive than others to these woods.

So check out the site and the article and then make your own judgement on what woods to use or avoid. This will make for easier carving and stronger spoons. Ideally, you want the grain running the length of the spoon. As you get more experience, then you can pick different kinds of wood.

Maybe you want to carve a ladle or serving spoon. Then you may want to pick a green hardwood that branches at some point. This branch often leaves a convenient crook in the wood which is ideal for certain spoon designs. Who says every spoon has to be straight or totally symmetrical? Spoon designs will also play a big factor in wood selection. There are several different kinds of spoons you can make. If you decide to make a kuksa for example, you may want to use wood from a burl.

The grain pattern will usually be irregular and very tight. Remember — making spoons is a craft and a labor of love. Each spoon is a unique personal creation. A creation that reflects on you, the maker. And a creation that often must cooperate with what nature gives us. Just download for free. In the book, I cover basic safety tips, carving knives, carving techniques, grips and 7 beginner projects. Let me know if you have any questions.

Hand Carved Wooden Coffee Scoop. Hand Carved Wooden Spatula. Easy to Make Wooden Spoon. A Wooden Spatula on the Lathe. How to Carve a Wooden Serving Tray.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this article, and hopefully, it helps give you some additional information on wood selection for carving a spoon. If you have more insights or experience with this, please leave a comment. If you like this content, please subscribe. You can also follow me on YouTube.

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