Notes from a Swedish Kitchen. David Western
This close-up shows the gentle arch shaping of the handle’s back surface. The top face of the spoon is flat; the bottom face of the spoon bows slightly outward from center, as you can see.
Woods
Each region of Europe has a species of tree that supplies carvers the main lumber for spoons carved in that area. The most popular woods tend to be deciduous (hardwood) timbers, which are on the softer end of the hardness scale while remaining sturdy enough to take detailing and withstand the forces of repetitive carving activity. Softwoods such as pines, fir, or cedars can also be used, but they have to be carefully selected, as they are frequently too soft and stringy for use as spoons.
For modern carvers wishing to emulate the woods of yore (detailed below), the most commonly available woods today are birch, linden, sycamore, bigleaf maple, red alder, cherry, and walnut. Boxwood and holly are good for smaller spoons that will be inlaid with wax, but these particular woods can be difficult to find, so fruitwoods and maple make a good substitute.
Generally, woods of lighter color tone and homogenous grain tend to be more suited for the elaborate detail common to romantic spoon carving. Woods with heavy grain patterns, such as oak and ash, can sometimes overwhelm delicate designs, so these are best used only for robust carvings.
In Scandinavia, the main wood used was birch, which, with its creamy coloration and even grain, is perfectly suited for the complex chainwork and intricate detailing so popular among carvers there. Birch cuts smoothly and rarely splinters, which makes it particularly suited for both bowl carving and incised detail work.
In Wales, the most popular wood for lovespoons was sycamore; it also features a light, creamy color and an even grain. Both birch and sycamore are relatively quickgrowing species that were popular for fuel and were utilized to make everything from boxes to furniture.
The Bretons were celebrated for their remarkable and complex wax inlay work and so gravitated to denser and more homogenous woods, such as boxwood, apple, and cherry. These woods are harder and much more difficult to carve than birch and sycamore, but they cut extremely cleanly and leave the nice, smooth cuts that are so perfect for accommodating wax inlay.
In the Alpine regions of Europe, the classic woodcarvers’ timber was linden (also known as lime in the UK and basswood in the US), but, at higher altitudes, several species of spruce and pine were also commonly carved. Birch grows in the lower regions and was also used for spoons and kitchen items.
Bigleaf maple
Birch
Cherry
Eastern maple
Pine
Poplar
Red alder
Tools
Although it is easy to get carried away when it comes to acquiring carving gear, it’s important to remember that during the golden era of the romantic spoon, the vast majority of designs would have been carved with only the most basic of tools. Over the years, the growing accessibility of quality hand tools and the invention of power tools have changed everything for woodworkers of all stripes. Unfortunately and somewhat strangely, along with the ease and efficiency of machining seems to have come an equal loss of elegance and beauty. Today, the best spoons largely remain those crafted by hand, but this is not to say that power tools don’t have a place in romantic spoon carving. As the Shakers discovered while building their remarkable furniture, machines can deal with the drudgery and monotony of many tasks, leaving the crafter more time and energy to devote to creating high-quality works of art.
THE ESSENTIAL TOOLKIT
This simple collection of tools is similar to that which might have been available to farm workers from Wales and the Continent during the 1600s to 1800s. It will serve you just as well.
Straight knife: The straight knife is the tool most used in spoon carving. Whether used for rough-shaping, tidying, or the finest detail cutting, the straight knife is tremendously versatile. Larger knives are more suited to rapid stock removal, and smaller knives are most useful for detailing and delicate cutting. Most carvers will eventually accumulate a number of straight knives in a variety of lengths and shapes, but a good-quality knife approximately 1 inches (3.8cm) in length with a finely pointed tip is an ideal tool to begin a collection.
Adze and axe
Bent/hook knife: As the name implies, a bent knife has a curved blade that allows the cutting of concave surfaces. The ideal tool for shaping the spoon’s bowl, it is a vital part of the toolkit and is very nearly as important as the straight knife. In Wales, carvers would often make their own bent knife blades from broken bucket handles, files, or scraps of metal from plowshares. On the Continent, the knives tended to be more of the hook knife style with a deeper and more circular blade shape. Either works fine and will also allow you to carve other detailing, such as textured surfaces, curved foliage, and deep hollows without the need for masses of expensive carving gouges.
Axe/adze: For removing stock rapidly and rough-shaping spoon blanks, there is no better hand tool than the axe. Although it is very much a learned skill and carries some inherent dangers, swinging an axe is an efficient and swift way to work wood during the initial stages of a carving. A straight-bladed axe will carry out the same functions as a straight knife, only on a much grander level. For concave cutting, such as shaping a curve into a handle or even roughshaping a bowl, an adze is the perfect hand tool. Sometimes, it is possible to acquire a sculptor’s adze that conveniently combines an axe and an adze on the same handle.
Straight knives
Bent/hook knives
Sharpening stones/papers: To properly maintain cutting edges and ensure that all tools are in top working order, you must have some good-quality sharpening tools on hand. At the very minimum, a combination 1000X/4000X Japanese waterstone will keep tool edges refined and very sharp. Adding some super-fine paper abrasives that have been designed for tool sharpening allows for a very economical but highly efficient sharpening system. The addition of a leather strop and polishing paste will enable you to hone blades to a razor-sharp edge.
ADDITIONAL TOOLS
As mentioned earlier, it is easy to get carried away with tool purchases, especially when it comes to carving