Go Carve a Spoon

Let's get into it a little more! After carving a spatula • Wood Carving: Spatula,...
I decided we should step it up a notch and carve a nice spoon for the woods.

[@TheScrawnyLumberjack]

You're the only person I've seen who can make a knowledgeable spoon carving video under 13min. I've watched 1 hour + videos on spoon carving and I think I took more away from this video than those.

[@TheShurikenZone]

I know I'm 6 years late here, but... what are you talking about, brother? This guy doesn't know the first thing about carving a decent spoon, and he has no business... NO business... trying to make an educational video on spoon carving. Would you want to eat your cereal every morning, with the thing he came up with? Quality craftsmanship aside (since there isn't any present), the design of that spoon is completely inadequate... no crank, no keel, etc. He starts out with a piece of advice that immediately demonstrates his ignorance of spoon carving. When he pulls his tools out, you can see that he doesn't know how to use those, either. Call me crazy, but I think it's immoral to set yourself up as an expert, then abuse the trust of your viewership. Sorry for the rant, but... I've ended up being the person who has to unteach the bad habits taught by others, many, many times. It's absolutely maddening.

[@blackhatbushcraft]

Carving a spoon or spatula is one of my favorite activities in the woods. It is just relaxing and usually means that I have time to just sit and work with my tools which is a real joy for me. I have been practicing this more lately and I seem pick up something new with every different design I make. The best feeling is seeing something you are halfway proud of appear out of the wood. Great info and presentation as always Dan!

[@TheScoundrel70]

Dan, you called it right on the money. My first spoon actually looked pretty good, but was much too deep, and should have had a longer handle. It makes a great coffee measure, but a poor eating tool. Spoons are great projects to develop knife skills and carving techniques since they have straight, angled, round, flat, concave and convex surfaces, plus make you conscious of grain and the natural properties of the wood. From what I've learned from spoons, I'm going to try and apply that to making a kuksa which will be my biggest bowl/hollowing project so far.

[@LGSkywalker82]

Brilliant Dan. Covered the vital basics I want as I look toward the spring and getting out to enjoy some first carving attempts

[@brianstone8271]

The Bob Ross of bushcraft! I love you man! I watch at least one of your videos each day. Thank you for being awesome and I look forward to taking your class in the future.

[@robnance1683]

Hey Dan, good video and easy useful information on how to carve eating tools from natural materials.

[@lynnkinsman2325]

Thank you for the great tutorial! I have wanted to learn how to carve a spoon...now I have to buy the tools and find some green birch...and give it a go!

[@waynewolfe4848]

The best and most understandable that I have seen to date thank you

[@lifewithlindsey1920]

You make it look so easy! Awesome explanation.

[@josephkahlich3326]

My favorite spoon carving video by far. And, I have seen MANY.

[@timberdogz]

I’ve been carving spoons lately, enjoyed your tips! Thanks again for another practical and fun video!

[@kimkona7647]

I'm finding myself listening to this video, (your soothing voice reminds me of Bob Ross)....the day before the 1st Christmas I have nothing to give, no way of celebrating Christmas with/for my children. As I fight back tears daily, after two years of complete and utter loss after loss...your videos, for some reason give me a sense of peace. I simply wanted to say THANK YOU for creating content that I can stomach in these dark days. ❤💔❤💔

[@ericfisher7220]

Awesome once again this vid will come in very handy my pop is wanting to make some spoons for our bushcraft site, I just ordered him the carving tools thanks again for the great knowledge

[@reneschaap8091]

Ik leerde het al toen ik 8 jaar was van mijn opa en doe het nog steeds met veel plezier!! je legt het ook leuk uit ,! groeten opa

[@kentmooney54]

Keep the jokes coming. No one needs a super serious bushcraft video. Good Jobs

[@ScottRauber]

Awesometip on making the bowl first. I too make spoons and somehow I accidentally figured out oif the spoon is "approved" then we can proceed with the rest. I always make the bowl first! Great tip! TY!

[@matthort1719]

Im convinced that Birch is Dan's favorite wood at this point.

[@ginafuller1654]

Every spoon I’ve made has been very simplistic because I didn’t really know what I was doing. I’m going camping next week and can’t wait to try again with this knowledge!

[@kristinb9420]

Wow these are excellent tips for beginners! Thank you

[@eivindb.sandnes9550]

Great video, nice tips! I started my first teaspoon yesterday, and as you (painfully 😖) pointed out, bowl too deep = rookie mistake 😆 But! I'm gonna finish it just to get a feel of the process, and improving skills along the way :) Thanks for awesome and useful content! 💗

[@Timothy_Jones]

Great tutorial! I’ve carved a few spoons with decent success but I’m going to try your way tomorrow! Thanks!

[@joshsquash9917]

I’ve done this out in the woods but made a beard comb! If I could send a pic on here I would, I turned out so cool. Used a small file to make the teeth. It unfortunately lost a couple teeth over the years but man it was relaxing to just sit in the dirt and make something from nothing. Great vid man!

[@darel470]

Great video Dan, I really like your videos. It's good to have someone closer to wv than Alaska, so I can actually see things in this area!

[@grimreaper6557]

awesome craft thank you for the tip and Dan keep up the great videos there very helpful

[@johnf7017]

Love the new intro really cool. Instead of carving a spoon you could have called your buddy Zack Fowler and had him mail you one because he carved about 238 while in Patogonia. He has about 4000 chopsticks too I think! One phone call and you could have been having an IPA by the yurt instead of working... Just kidding sir! Awesome video once again , you make it look so easy. Once again the best bushcraft teacher out there. I got my patch you sent me today . Thank you so much! 😀😀

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

Dave C. just put out a forge video of a working gouge to carve the bowl on a spoon, another option. I often will use a hatchet to shape the rough shape of the spoon or whatever, then work the bowl and finally tune with the knife. Pat the cat, get the grain going with the flow. Nice thinning on the bowl, I see a lot of spoons the many are afraid to thin out the bowl. Scrappers are a cool tool to finish with too.

[@swampdog]

I had a few in the Everglades when running over night charters

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

Great tips and instruction. Thanks and take care.

[@underthecarolinasky2363]

The best tutorial on spoon carving I've seen -Mike

[@jeremyhicks6367]

Great work! Thanks for sharing!

[@outdoordauber]

Those extreme close-ups make me laugh! 😂

[@johnbryan9743]

Thanks for a great educational experience. You are an excellent teacher. I've seen several spoon carving videos from "masters". Yours is for me--a beginner the best by far.. A kuska video would be much appreciated.. Jim

[@3nails1cross65]

That was actually very relaxing ju$t watching you do it, now I have to. thanks for such awesome vids

[@nml5536]

wood choice is also important for carving.. info regarding this would be nice. the wood you are using looks nice.

[@lesliesadler8524]

Excellent video. I never tried cutting wooden tools. Very enjoyable.l

[@fightingfaerie]

but what if i don't have a tool specifically for carving scoops? tbh i was disappointed when you pulled out that curved carver tool. i was hoping to see how to do it with just a knife.

[@guns4funcajanajustin]

Well done nice crafting

[@anthonybianco8690]

Nice job, informative and to the point.

[@Trafficaloco]

So simple and helpful. Ty.😊

[@ron78]

Great video and tips. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@joetaylor2932]

Thx again always informative.

[@kidbach]

Awesome job, Prof. +20 to all future shameless plug rolls. ;-)

[@Edcognito]

Thank you, nice basic intro - much appreciated.

[@libertycowboy2495]

Outstanding video!

[@fryeguy9939]

Now that was pretty nifty ... I think I am going to try that, just for the fun of it... BUT ... Where did you get the knife to cut the bowl of the spoon ???

[@linklesstennessee2078]

Good video done a good job on that spoon Dan

[@hihu7200]

It would be a fun project to carve a set of plates and silverware by carving it.

[@jls191]

How did I miss this video!! Nice looking hook knife who made that if you don't mind me asking? One little tip tho, the neck needs to be thicker the narrower you make it. Does that make sense? When looking at the spoon from above it can be thin as you dare. From the side profile that neck area needs to be thicker to help keep it strong. It is a great spoon Dan thanks for all you do!!!

[@gregskolozdra]

Another awesome video! Thanks!

[@magicbeetle2292]

Hey could you use a controlled burn to make the bowl of the spot?

[@willybee3056]

Good job,, and thanks.. If the wood is green and full of sap,, what keeps it from splitting and cracking when it drys out? And do you think a hot beeswax treetment would help? Keep up the good work and thanks again. ..

[@edieboudreau9637]

Willy Bee - great grampa used to put bearfat on his wood utensils to keep them from cracking. Just cause he had a lot of that type of fat. Great Gramma always had good utensils that didn't crack. So I guess today you could use any good fat available.

[@coalcracker]

Let them dry at outside temperatures and the normally won’t crack.

[@patriciafrazier8739]

Love the vids and the shameless plug. Great stuff! We know nothing about carving…not yet anyway

[@justinmercer1244]

Hope to see the finishing

[@ButchCassidyAndSundanceKid]

You should use the corkscrew on swiss army knife to make a lanyard hole on your wooden spoon handle. Next challenge is to carve a fork and knife out of wood.

[@ecmo2007]

Dan thank you for the awesome videos sir. How do you keep your utensils from cracking or checking when you're done?

[@coalcracker]

I don’t let them dry quickly. I keep them in a cool dry place. Where I store my gear is basically same temperature as outside so they just dry with time

[@adamslater4592]

Love the show tho bud. I watch em all. Thank you.

[@denelll.bennettsurvivorwar8224]

I’m gonna try to do this. I don’t know how or if I will actually be able to... *I need that hook knife first, right??!* Unless I can do it with a regular knife...? Hmmm.

[@owenmorgan1967]

You can always burn out the bowl of the spoon with a hot coal saves buying the hook knife

[@Bushmanschool]

Nice job and review bro

[@GetUrPhil]

Do you just use the spoon s is or do you coat it with anything? I have made two spoons and the first one was terrible, the second one came out like if been carving spoons for years. I'm so proud of the second spoon. I used Birch for both but didn't do the second one with fresh wood and I took a lot more time with the second one so it was hard wood when carving.

[@traviscreamer1267]

Have been carving this winter. How did you know? Thanks great video

[@williamkeil8414]

Excellent video, very impressive.

[@trevorhill8612]

great video, another project to start on thx

[@tmbushcraft]

Thanks, great video !!

[@59chevt]

Nice job, very educational.

[@dominicschmidt4988]

Tryed it, fit’s really good

[@g-palloyd3600]

Does green wood give a problem after it cures i.e. splitting? Not much birch around here...oak too hard to carve?

[@K0ester]

g-pa Lloyd a piece that small should be no issue. As long as you don't dry it beyond natural means, i.e. By time.

[@g-palloyd3600]

K0ester ..Thanks, gotta try it .

[@EdwardKowalski]

Nice, a 13 minute master course on spoon carving! Sequence of steps is the best method, technique is correct and safe. I think it is worth adding this, do not leave the very center of the tree as part of the finished item. It is almost guaranteed to split or check. Great content Dan.

[@UnkleAL1962]

I had to back up when you were doing the back of the spoon.....at 9:55 a woodpecker goes off until 10:15 on one breath

[@Incubansoul]

Tried carving utensils in the field one time. First I made a spatula, then a fork, then a spoon. The next time I went out I just made chopsticks lol

[@seanzeringue1327]

Cool carving!

[@petersymons7817]

Thank you

[@nikschreiner6182]

Any suggestions for the right carving knife?

[@mbmyfamilybouthillier5465]

Hi Dan Could you tell me what kind of axe/hatchet you are using in this video? Thanks Mark

[@dennym1172]

Love it!

[@jondunit6232]

Why birch vs other wood ? Also when you're scooping out the spoon part why do you go against the grain ?

[@drmiles7546]

question .. if you could only take 10 tools with you for ever .... your choice ? not including haversack or wool blankets

[@edfaringer8671]

Great video presentation, easy to understand and follow. Do you sand them after all the carving or just use them as is ?

[@coalcracker]

Yes I normally sand them

[@TheNaroCroc]

Hook knife? I won't be carrying that 😞

[@kz900dohc]

Super Video Sir.

[@heatherwind]

Okay, noob question: when carving out the bowl, why is it crucial to cut across the grain as opposed to with?

[@nettedevine5167]

If you cut with the grain it will most likely split. Noobs are welcome 😁

[@kevinm7370]

Header should read as "WhittleCracker SpoonCraft"

[@edieboudreau9637]

So looks like you got 3 blanks there?! (Most folks have forgotten how important oil cloth is.) If don't have that bowl cutting tool is there another way to do that part?? The chipping away with the grain I got back as a kid. Just couldn't figure out how to get that bowl area without ending up with a spatula.

[@TheScoundrel70]

Edie Boudreau , one alternative, traditional way is to put a small ember from the fire in the bowl part, and blow on it. It will burn a depression and leave char that can be easily scraped off by your knife. Burn, scrape, repeat until you have the shape pretty close to what you want. You can finish by rubbing a small, smooth stone in the bowl (some folks also use coarse sand and use the stone or round an end on a stick to grind the bowl with the sand). Alternatively, you can use a bow drill (same as making a fire) and make your divot(s) that way, then again finish with scraping with your knife, or use the stone/sand method.

[@edieboudreau9637]

Sean Lewis - Thanks! That helps lot!

[@coalcracker]

Slow and steady chips with the tip of your knife is the best you will be able to do for the bowl

[@tullahomaC]

Great video, what kind of knife are you using? Not the hook knife but the other one?

[@ddudley2066]

Will the green wood crack as it drys?

[@ddudley2066]

Sorry, you already answered that question.

[@Athreehourtour]

great advice for a noob thanks man

[@jasonkendrick6616]

Bro were you on Alone? I recognized your voice. Lol

[@TheStraycat74]

I don't have a hook knife, can you blacksmith one for me so I can see how they are made?

[@inthefield35]

Such a Sharp knife 🗡️

[@randallflagg3464]

You should have gotten rid of the pith splitting the billet radially rather than transgenial makes a much better end product imho

[@ericcoombs]

Who the hell is disliking this video?! This is cool!! Thanks Dan!!

[@almollitor]

I like the way the sun shines through the thin material of the bowl. What tools were you using?

[@paulie2685]

You know I like watching all your videos you have a way of having awesome video you draw my attention not what it is questions So I got turned on by Uk are being spoons and statue so I went here with me my knifes. So me and my dog Tuggy We Drive checking trailer and I brought my kit with me so I can widow thank you thank you God bless

[@erikwignes7777]

do you treat the spoon with anything?

[@northernwoodsman]

Ive been watching your videos for a really long time and something has been bothering me, so il ask. What is your axe...? Its different, looks beat up, looks awesome!

[@coalcracker]

It’s a vintage Soviet Union trappers hatchet from the 1950’s. It’s actually in great shape just well used

[@NHHUNTNH]

Ive been carving spoons for a bit now, its very relaxing. What was that spoon knife you were using?

[@coalcracker]

A blacksmith from Portugal made it for me

[@squatchburger1580]

Nice !

[@docash2107]

Awesome! Can you carve me up and 8 piece serving set!?!?!?!

[@irfanahmed9112]

Why green wood meed to carve?

[@keetaracoleman769]

Irfan Ahmed, green wood is easier to carve.

[@irfanahmed9112]

Is this specific wood? Every sort of wood can use?

[@joeytan5297]

you should carve chopsticks next