A slideshow of some recent work...

The project...

A few weeks ago I was asked by two local chaps ( Alan and Dave ) if I could teach them some spoon making techniques.

We organised a day when we were all free and met up in the garden...

We had a very productive day making spoons and eating sausages cooked on an open fire...

Some weeks later Nikki popped round and asked if I could make a large Kuksa for her husband Dan. It would soon be his birthday.

It needed to be big enough for his morning porridge. 

I said it wouldn't be a problem...

Nikki wanted me to carve a 'JonMac' style Kuksa with the distinct beaver tail...

In the meantime Nikki had asked Alan if he would make some porridge spoons to match the Kuksa...

Alan has come on leaps and bounds since his course with me a few weeks ago...

I think between us we have done a great job...

I'm sure  Dan will enjoy his early morning Porridge...

Well done Alan, a splendid job...

Enjoy...J

Alan and Daves spoon carving work...

A few weeks ago Alan and Dave took a spoon carving and knife sharpening lesson with me.

Here is Alan with one of his first Kuksa...

And close up...

A small Kuksa made from Laburnum...

And a selection...

 He is improving at a great rate....

I think I'll have to 'Up my game'...

 Here is Dave with his first Kuksa...

 And a beautiful spoon...

And some of his more recent work...

I think these are very good...

I think you'll all agree they have both done some fabulous work...

Enjoy...J

Hen and Chips...

Recently I have been carving  Ale hens.

These hens are simple to make, and once you have confidence you can make them as stylised as you like...

I have decorated some of my hens with a very simple line of chip carving.

Using the back of the knife gently score a guide line around the cup.

You can just make out the scratch in the photograph.

Then push the tip of a very very sharp knife into the wood at the top of the triangle. If you have trouble sharpening your knife then head off to the art shop and buy a scalpel. The scalpel tips are fragile so be careful. The blade must be angled toward the bottom left of the triangle...

And keeping the blade point in the top of the triangle rock the blade toward the bottom left...

Pull the blade out and replace the tip at the top of the triangle.

 This time the blade must be angled toward the bottom right of the triangle...

And rock the blade down...

Now the tricky bit...
Carefully push the tip of the blade into the triangle, at a slight angle. Push until your knife tip has reached the pinnacle of the triangle...

Once you think you have cut the wood fibres up to the pinnacle, swing the blade to the right...

The chip should easily come free...

Done !

I have seen some extremely ornate chip carved treen.
This is the start point...

I use the same three cut technique to form the eyes...

And with a hot nail I burn in the pupils...

The finished Hen...

Not quite...

Now Dolly says it's finished...

I'm sure you're going to have fun with chip carving...

ENJOY...J