Hand carved Birch Dragon Kuksa.

Hand carved Birch Dragon Kuksa carved by Jon Mac using Axe, knife and open hook. The Dragon has been given chip carved and kolrossed decoration along with the addition of gold leaf highlights. The paint used is 'milk paint' and it's finished with Tung oil. The Dragon sits atop various Birch spoons, some carved with Axe and straight knife only. A technique I've been experimenting with for the last few years. I'd also like to mention that www.spooncarvingfirststeps.com passed 1000000, yes one million hits. Thank you all.... J

 

KuksaCamp. A brief overview.

We've been busy here at Spoon Camp.

The sun has been shining and we've had a steady stream of wonderful students.

We will be striking camp the week after next when we'll be moving up to Scotland and the Scottish Crannog Centre.

I will be available for spoon carving courses at the Crannog on the 29th 30th 31st July 1st August and the 6th August. Contact the Crannog or email me at jonmacbookings@gmail.com to secure your place. 

A one day spooncarving course will cost £80 per day.

See you there... J

Pete gets acquainted with Kuksa carving.

Sarah and I will be back in the Shire and available for courses around the 1st September.

Drop me a line at jonmacbookings@gmail.com with your available dates and we'll make sure to adapt a course to your liking. 

Jon Mac demonstrates a spot of chip carving.

Rebornferal (Martin) carves at Spoon Camp.

Martin (rebornferal) starts his knife work.

A photograph Martin took of my working knives.

Top to bottom.

My MiniMac carver.

My Typhoon Bushcraft knife.

A utility/splitting knife.

My favourite camp knife and food prep knife, the Macro.

And finally, the Grandfather MaChris bushcraft/carver.

Jon Mac's carving and camp knives.

 This wee lightweight Axe made by James Wood was a pleasure to use.

Go visit his web site to find his stock line.

https://www.jameswoodblacksmith.co.uk/products

Jon Mac using a James Wood Axe.

Spoon/Kuksa Camp.

Lunch at KuksaCamp.

Jon Mac hollows out a Kuksa at KuksaCamp.

Martin chip carves his new Kuksa.

Nic Westermann detail knife.

Jon Mac's stock at Spoon Camp.

 Linda came all the way from New Zealand.

She's an accomplished beginner and thoroughly enjoyed her course. 

Linda and I stop for a brew.

Splitting with a froe.

Hollowing out a Kuksa with a hook knife.

I've gone and snapped my beetle.

Peter hard at it.

 Martin is a skilled Bushcrafter who goes by the monica ( rebornferel ) on Instagram.

What an enthusiastic young man !

Martin gets in close whilst finishing his Kuksa.

 Martin took a photograph of my very first Kuksa alongside my latest.

I think I'm making positive strides.

My first and latest Kuksa.

 Peter is a Forest School instructor and decided to spend longer with me than he originally planned.

We carved Kuksa and spoon, we also touched on the sharpening aspect of carving.

Jon Mac and Peter discuss Kuksa shapes.

 Our Tentipi and Canvas Camp shelter here in the Shire.

We try and make the orchard as welcoming as possible.

We can accommodate a small group of camping carvers here. We'll even lend you our older tipi.

Kuksa/spoonCamp.

 Mish and Derek.

What fun characters these two were.

We have two new friends .

Mish and Derek show off their newly carved spoons.

Mish and Derek with Jon Mac.

Martin hard at work.

Don't forget to email me if you wish to learn more about spoon and Kuksa carving.

Enjoy... J

Jon Mac's spoon carving movie.

We've been busy here at Spoon Camp.

The sun has been shining and we've had a steady stream of wonderful students.
This movie was shot by Mish and Derek, my most recent visitors, whilst I showed them the stages of spooncarving before I let them loose on some green Birch.

We will be striking camp the week after next when we'll be moving up to Scotland and the Scottish Crannog Centre.

 I will be available for spoon carving courses at the Crannog on the 29th 30th 31st July 1st August and the 6th August. Contact the Crannog or email me at jonmacbookings@gmail.com to secure your place. 

A one day spooncarving course will cost £80 per day.

See you there... J

Kuksa-Camp !

I recently took bookings for one to one carving tuition here at Kuksa-Camp.

To be honest, we had a Spoon-Camp too.

Spoon/Kuksa Camp in the Shire.

We set up camp for two students, one of whom contacted me as she was visiting from New Zealand.

We've had a great time carving and teaching, we also had time to shake down some of our equipment well be packing for our tenure at the 

Scottish Crannog Centre.

Jon Mac. Spoon carving camp.

Sarah and I will be at the Crannog from Monday 29th July to Tuesday 6th August.

I will be demonstrating the fine art of spoon carving over the course of the 'Celts are coming' event, Friday 2nd August - Monday 5th August and I am available for courses at all other times. Contact the Crannog or email me at

jonmacbookings@gmail.com 

for further details.

Getting to grips with Kuksa hollowing.

Sarah Mac will be on hand to demonstrate her super skills in the art of wool felting and natural dyeing. She's a mine of information.

One of our students, Peter, from Preston, spent three days with us learning Kuksa and spoon carving techniques using only Axe, knife and hook knife.

We also lightly touched on the aspects of achieving a fine carving edge on ones knife.

Peter goes through the motions of knife sharpening.

The hook knife is central to my freestyle form of Kuksa and spoon carving.

Such a simple looking tool that one would imagine its use as minimal.

After some many years of using one I have managed to wring pretty much every advantage there is to its use whilst Kuksa carving.

I always try my hardest to pass these skills to my students.

Hollowing a Kuksa with Peter.

Peter successfully hollowing his Kuksa with a hook knife.

Kuksa carvers are go!

Spooncarving class begins.

Sarah and I are gradually establishing the camp to include a limited space for students to camp over for weekend classes, we have a spare Tipi for your use and there is space for perhaps three normal sized tents.

Sarah and Jon Mac.

Working under the shade of a CanvasCamp tarp.

The aftermath of a Kuksa carve.

Peter and his Kuksa.

Peter gets to grips with his spoon carve.

Peters newly carved spoon.

Spoon carving.

 We had a super sunny day with Linda who traveled all the way from NZ.

She wanted to learn how I went about carving my freehand spoons.

We had a good time and lots of laughs. She returned with her partner a day or so later and took me up to the local and bought me a pint or two. 

Thanks Linda!

Linda and I enjoy a cuppa at spoonCamp.

Linda carving her spoon.

Linda's newly carved spoon.

Left to Right, Lindas spoon, one of my spoons and the spoon I carved as a demonstration.

Prepairing the timber.

 If you wish to join me here in the Devon countryside have a look at the timetable I have posted in my previous posts, pick a day or weekend and if possible I will change the course heading to suit your requirements.

Drop me an email at jonmacbookings@gmail for further information.

Jon Mac.

 Cheers for now.

Enjoy.

J.