HAND CURVED WOODEN SPOON

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There's something special about handmade wooden spoons, some quality that lifts them head-and-shoulders above the cheap imported utensils which line the shelves of discount supermarkets. Perhaps the value of these carefully crafted cooking and eating tools stems from the bond that they create between the carver who shapes the wood and the generations of cooks who will dip and stir with it. Unfortunately, such fine hardwood kitchen utensils are hard to come by in this day and age.

To bridge this "supply gap", I've been making wooden spoons at home for the past few years. I got my start at the craft when I carved a scoop for one Kathleen Alatalo ... before she became Kathleen Arten.

At the time I didn't plan to make more than the single crude (though heartfelt) gift. And, once I'd decided to attempt that first project, I pawed through my dad's scrap lumber pile and found a piece of hard maple—about 18" long, 4" wide, and 1-1/2" thick—which seemed to have a spoon inside just waitin' to be carved. In order to try to "second guess" the hunk of lumber, I drew a narrow oval bowl and a tapered handle on one side of the board, and a slightly different spoon on another of its surfaces. Then I chose the shape that best "fit" the maple's grain ... and started to work on it.

Of course, my initial wood carvin' experience produced a stove-top tool that was far from perfect ... with a knife slip here, a rough rasp mark there, and so forth. In fact, now and then I think about redoin' that original spoon ... but I always wind up decidin' against it. After all, the thing works well enough, and It's kind of a monument to my apprenticeship at this "hobby". I'll never make those same mistakes again (and, after readin' this article, you shouldn't have to make'em at all).

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

A supply of hardwood (I use red oak and maple) is, of course, the first requirement for spoon carvin'. You should be able to scrounge all of this lumber that you'll need from high school and college shop classes, furniture factories, or local lumberyards. These outfits often discard "spoon-sized" scraps, so they're not likely to charge you for 'em. At least, I've never had to pay for my materials.

You'll also need a few basic tools ... though how many you require will depend upon your talent and patience. I use a wood rasp, a good pocketknife (it must take and hold a keen edge), an X-Acto handle with a replaceable gouge blade coarse and fine sand paper, and a handsaw. The latter isn't absolutely necessary, but it sure comes in handy once in a while.

STEP BY STEP

Sometimes the idea of puttin' tools to wood can be more intimidating than the actual job ever will. Because of this, I've found it best to just "jump right in". You should, however, draw a "pattern" or two on your piece of board (let the grain and color of the wood do most of the design work for you). And don't expect the sketch to be just like your finished product . . . the shape will change as the spoon "comes out" of the lumber.

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