Here are some ideas on the right tools for getting started in spoon carving and green woodworking.
Axes
A carving axe is used to split green (fresh) wood into ‘billets’ then carve spoons into ‘spoon blanks’ ready for carving knife and hook knife.
The most cost effective axe is a car boot sale or eBay axe. This also needs the most experience in knowing what to buy and usually how to sharpen the edge to work well for carving.
These are the best off-the-shelf, ready to carve axes;
Robin Wood (wood-tools)
A ready to use, very sharp axe that is a good entry level axe.
Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet
A really lovely, well-balanced axe, perfect for spoon carving. The weight of this is well-suited to female carvers and as a lighter male, spoon carving specific axe.
From then on the Wood Tools Sheffield Axe, Gransfors Large Carving Axe, and Small Carver by female axe maker Kalthoff Axes are all great axes at higher prices. Be aware of axe weight when making a comparison.
Straight knives
Carving knives are ground with long flat bevels know as scandi grind.
The best all round entry-level knives are;
A great first whittling knife with a shorter blade which can be safer for beginners or those with smaller hands.
A slightly longer knife blade with a more versatile blade shape for making curved shapes and slightly larger pieces.
Hook Knives
Morakniv 164 Right Handed Wood Carving Knife
Woodtools compound curve spoon knife (right-handed)
Blacksmith knifes and hook knives
For hand-made, blacksmith carving knives and hook knives see;
Adam Ashworth
Well-priced blades-only and handled tools from talented young UK tool maker.
Gareth Hibbert
A Flintshire, North Wales based tool maker. Gareth makes tools to a high level of finish with bespoke rare wood handles and wooden cases. Things of beauty at a fair price considering the time and skill involved.
Nic Westermann
A North Wales based blacksmith making exceptional spoon carving blades at fair prices with a long waiting list for some items.
Saws
A saw is needed to cut tree sections into the right length to split to make spoon billets.
Bahco 396 Lap Laplander Folding Pruning Saw
A great first saw – folding and able to cut rounds of wood just big enough to make spoon blanks, plus small enough to make ‘stop cuts’ in spoon billets to aid axe work. Also an easy saw to carry on woodland walks.
BAHCO ERGO 4TPI WOOD BOW SAW 24″
A heavy duty saw for cutting bigger green wood rounds.
Cut resistant gloves
Portwest A622 (Level C, PU Coated)
The best all-rounder cur resistant glove we have found for spoon carving is the lightest level of cut-resistance with a light rubberised inner by Portwest. Higher levels of cut resistance are safer but effect dexterity / tool feel more.
Axe block and mallet
The axe block is usefully a round of tree trunk, stood upright and cut at waist height. To make it more portable, often a shorter round with three ‘tripod’ legs lighten the weight.
A wooden mallet is also needed to hit the axe to split wooden rounds. This is best made from green wood using an axe and saw.
Both of the above can be made at home, by a handy friend, by a tree surgeon (bribe with beer) or at a bodger’s meet.