How to Build an Axe Block for Spoon Carving

Learn to build an axe block to make spoon carving easier! An elevated axe block or chopping block provides a chopping surface that is more comfortable and safer than stooping over your work piece. It's also a great bushcraft project that can be used around your campsite for variety of tasks.
➤Materials List:
Chunk of Log at least 12" long
Sapling or other material for legs at least 8ft in total length
➤Tools Used:
Draw Knife
Axe
Folding Saw
Hollow Auger
Spoke Pointer
Wooden Mallet
Brace and #8 Auger Bit
Power Drill
1" Boring bit
➤Follow Me on Social Media:
/ crowhollowwoodworks

[@PoppabearsCave]

thank you for teaching me the trick of getting the leg to floor angle correct! It's the simple things that make the biggest impression.

[@trentnichols5075]

That has to be the most comfortable carving horse!! 👍🏼

[@TheMetamarx]

Thank you. Great use of hand powered tools.

[@carpy1970]

Wow, I never knew that silent Bob was into wood carving 🙂

[@MartinMMeiss-mj6li]

Nice project. Here are some tips from my experience. 1. Larger holes for the legs would have been better for strength. They make larger auger or flat bits, or you can enlarge the holes with a gouge if need be. It helps to have an in-cannel gouge for this. 2. Sanding and Anchorseal for tenons that will be buried in the top seem useless to me. 3. Trimming the "feet" at an angle to be flat on the floor is not necessarily a good idea. Leaving them with a corner to dig into the ground helps keep the legs from splaying out further and breaking under heavy load. 4. I find it convenient to saw a step about 4 inches deep about a quarter or a third of the way across the top of the block instead of leaving the top flat. This accommodates longer work pieces, and provides a convenient stop when the direction of the hewing blows makes the work piece tend to slide away.

[@peterellis4262]

To point 3, it depends on the surface the block is standing on. Corners dig into dirt, but skate across hard floors. On my sandy soil, it doesn't matter how the feet are "finished", any narrow foot is going to sink in and inevitably become uneven. I have to add pads to keep them from sinking right in with every blow to the top of the block. On point 4, agreed that a flat smooth surface isn't the best option. Everyone finds where they want their stop(s) and maybe a notch in the edge, for setting the neck of the spoon in and getting the bowl right on the top for safer chopping.

[@jamesbreeden3140]

That was awesome

[@JeepsterDave]

Really good tutorial. Not seen that pencil on a block trick before; very simple and effective. Thanks a lot.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you very much!

[@jamesmerriss8244]

Nice

[@pauloaten]

I’ve been wanting to build one of these for ages. You’ve inspired me to get on and do it!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

That’s so great to hear Paul, I’m glad the video was inspiring! Your back will thank you😁

[@MartinWorkshop]

I like the way you work, like the old fashioned way. Congratulations.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!👍🏻

[@wildlandfarmstead]

Thanks! Clear and helpful!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you, hopefully it helps!

[@jcgarzao]

Thank you !!! Clear

[@congamike1]

Thanks!

[@KBTurns]

Nice work and I LOVE the background music. let it shine

[@11261966]

Nice! Thanks.

[@patrickabadie5613]

bonjour je viens de découvrir. je ne parle pas anglais et ne le lie pas, mais en suivant la vidéo tout est claire👏 🙏

[@jamesjr5500]

Awesome that would make for a very cool looking table!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you! I hadn’t thought of that, but it could be used for a rustic end table design.

[@michelegrand3921]

Bonjour et merci de cette vidéo instructive. Vous avez de bien beaux outils efficaces et anciens. Bravo pour cette belle application. Vous avez enfin répondu aux questions que je me posais quant à quel angle il fallait pour creuser l’emplacement des pieds. Merci déjà pour cela. Je vois je vous travaillez sur un banc d’âne qui a l’air bien pratique. Est-il démontable ? Avez-vous une vidéo pour expliquer comment puis-je m’en faire un qui soit démontable ? Merci pour le partage et pour votre réponse, Michèle

[@terrywinnop1487]

Nice flow, really getting excited to make one myself

[@marcmaclellan3503]

7.23 brilliant thanks going to make mine

[@tombryan720]

Love this, thanks!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@alisonburgess345]

Superb job...

[@trentnichols5075]

Great video! It reminded me of the simple, calming, informative, & most of all it was ENTERTAINING 👍🏼

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

Very nice. Thanks for showing us. Take care.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@alfiewhiteside]

Good work Brett...great photography and clear technical instructions make for very useful turtorial...thanks brother

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@Sam-rz4rd]

thank you kindly sir :)

[@markcummings6856]

Outstanding video! Thanks for sharing.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@StuffUCanMake]

Great stuff!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

StuffUCanMake thank you!

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Cool !

[@jplamb77]

Dude,,, You’ve got some amazing tools,,,!!!!! Iam slowly rebuilding my woodworking setup. I really like your design,,,!!! Great Video,,, Joshua

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you! Years of flea markets, yard sales, and antique stores.

[@wizewoods9130]

nice video, well done, thank you

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@alphasigmasezon8597]

Great

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Alpha Llus Ere Ctus thank you!

[@pizzawarlord9232]

Awesome

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@BrosephRussell]

Sweet

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you!

[@robertlockery3454]

Silent bob I had no idea you did woodwork lol nice block though good video

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

He’s a man of all trades lol

[@diyeverydaylife]

Great video, nice tutorial, only the sound is a bit low on my end.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you! I appreciate the feedback about the sound, I’ll see what I can improve the next one.

[@vancamerawoman7399]

Good....fast but with a few watches I think I'll get it. Thank you

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Great! I hope it helps.

[@vancamerawoman7399]

Crow Hollow Woodworks - I've done it...made my axe block and I love it 😊

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Awesome! I’m glad that the video was able to help! Enjoy it👍🏻👍🏻

[@salam.arabic.course]

Hey what r the first pilot holes helpful for? The bit you drilled with is much bigger anyway so how do they help you keep the angle?

[@crossgrainwoodproductsltd9230]

How did you decide on the angel or splay of the legs? Nice job!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you! I based it on my camera tripod, I don’t remember how many degrees it was but I think I mentioned it in the video.

[@AtEboli]

I love that spoke auger you had- I've never seen one of those before. They look like they would come in handy. Also, if you set the legs at 22 degrees, wouldn't the angle you cut the bottom of the legs at be the same? Couldn't you just use the bevel to mark that instead of using the pencil taped to a block method?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Thank you, and yes that would work as well.

[@peterellis4262]

You could, but the pencil method is a scribed to fit cut and inherently a more accurate match than using measurements. In this particular application, it doesn't matter much at all which you use ;)

[@stirfrywok2927]

Great stuff, thank you for the upload. Any suggestions on the log to use? I have an abundance of ash, here, not much else (sycamore, maybe). Thanks again

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

Ash would be fine, sycamore also.

[@michelegrand3921]

Les pieds du billot sont-ils de la messe ce que le billot lui-même ? Merci de votre réponse, Michèle

[@abstractbybrian]

@4:30 I couldn't hear you describe the attachment. What is that cone attachment? I love that thing.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

It was a spoke pointer followed by a hollow auger.

[@PandaSay]

Could you check the captions on this? This is such a cool video, but the captions were all messed up..

[@justinsmith4157]

Does anyone think it makes sense to oil the top? Mine is outside all the time and I sometimes wonder if it makes sense to oil it. I appreciate any advice

[@emilygaughan1417]

What, if anything , do I need to seal the top if I used it as an outdoor table?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

You could just use an oil based product like boiled linseed oil, it should penetrate the end grain and provide good protection.

[@8stringmonkey]

What kind of carving axe would you suggest for someone wanting to get into spoon carving?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

The Council Tool Camp Carver is a good axe for spoon carving. I have it and would recommend it.

[@suzannesimpson1672]

How do you determine the optimum height for the top of the block? Is it like blacksmith anvils...about the height of your hand almost extended straight down? Or a bit higher? Considering making one like yours, but also have a couple of thinner rounds that can be used on worktops.

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

The height of mine is almost right at groin height, that way the chopping action puts your arm perpendicular to to your body when chopping on a spoon blank. I think it’s about like what you say, the height of your hand extended straight down, but not the tips of your finders in that scenario, closer to the palm. Hard to explain😅

[@suzannesimpson1672]

Crow Hollow Woodworks thanks. I got it now. Makes sense.

[@SpudmeisterThe1]

Do you treat the axe block in anyway ....linseed oil or similar? Do you keep your block outside? Do you protect it from the weather in any way ?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

I didn’t treat it, it was still fairly green so I don’t think it would have taken oil very well. I keep it inside, but I know several people keep them outside also. To a degree they are disposable, so if it does wear out you can always make another one.

[@SpudmeisterThe1]

Many thanks for getting back to me. Will it dry and develop deep cracks?

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

It will likely develop a few radial cracks as it dries, but they shouldn’t make it unusable.

[@SpudmeisterThe1]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks OK, thanks again.

[@clayguinard3651]

What neck of the woods you live in

[@kenickity]

Am I okay using hardwood for a block? It's very difficult in my area to get access to large sections of tree, so I'm having to opt for shop bought kiln-dried hardwood

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

That should be fine.

[@MacKinnonVids]

Could you tell me what kind of wood you used for the block and the legs? Thanks!

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

I used sycamore for the block and ironwood for the legs, but you could really use just about any wood you have available.

[@MacKinnonVids]

@@Crowhollowwoodworks Thanks!!

[@ludwigoefele]

😅😅

[@birgerolsen1702]

Hi! The tool you are using who makes the end of the legs cylindric on the hand-drill, wath is it called? And where can i by it?? I have been searching on Internett for some time, but no luck in finding one... Biggen (Norway)

[@Crowhollowwoodworks]

It’s a combination of a spike pointer and a hollow auger.

[@abaddon2479]

Silent Bob.......😬

[@erikaszaszak7567]

:)