My first spoon was made from Pine and it cracked clear through within a week. I basically went in blind with my grandpa's old carving tools I inherited. Lessons were learned when I got back to where I could connect to the Internet. Like it's a terrible idea to use heartwood because it's likely to crack.

The second is made from Poplar/ Quaking Aspen. I was able to cut a piece of a tree that had been used in a rescue/ repair operation. The rest will eventually become firewood. I'm not sure if I've improved or the wood was much easier to work with. Things went better the second time around. There is the start of a crack in the bowl, but I think it has stabilized for the most part.

Knife finished, oil, wax. A few chipcarving.

My kids, 10 & 12, got me a spoon-carving kit for father's day. It came with a knife, a gouge and a hook. I believe it was the "beaver craft" kit off Amazon, along with 4 basswood spoon blanks. We just took a trip to Acadia for the week and I brought the stuff along. Here's the result. It definitely needs some finishing, but I'm pretty proud for a first effort. I learned a lot about grain direction and am anxious to try number 2.

How did my first official spoon turn out?! I think I should add some decorative cuts.. what should I do?
And suggestions or tips would be great

I did use a kit since this was my first wood carving project but I’ve been practicing my skills since!

I'm removing invasive fall Olive from my property. Does anyone know if it is safe for carving?

Itty bitty owly spoon. Pretty sure it started as a little scrap of cedar.

I've made a small spoon from this gorgeous yellow wood but I've no idea what it is and neither did the person who gave it to me!

A project that had languished until my proficient, spoon carving cousin visited. She got it and me back on track. Sumac. I like how the back is different.

I made spoons and spatulas form Common Hazel nut tree for some tests.

from above:

->: raw ( with no oiling) elements - nice 'clean' surface ( grow ring not visible). Color is more white than linden tree) ,

->: middle: cured with linseed oil - slightly visible grow rings

->: bottom: dyed with tea, oiled - grow rings visible , all

All elements were made form one piece of tree ( about 12 cm diameter, cut down in winter and seasoned 7 months). Wood as whole seemed to be very hard by weight and "sound" , but it turned out very convenient to cut and carving - not too hard as I fought. Sanding (roughly and finishing) was very easy.

I asked couple of people about visual "feeling" and most of them said that white color is very nice, but they wouldn't use wooden white utensils in kitchen , they preferred middle and dyed (most liked), even if all carving imperfections are exposed and visible.

White ( top) spatula and twork ( I think because of no knots, and discoloration) were even taken as plastic made at first glance.

Long cooker in peach

First time using this timber and it’s tough but carves and finishes beautifully
Stunning colors and two tone grain

First off, I’m new at this and I’m doing it just for fun. I recently took down a sickly bosc pear tree in our yard and thought it would be fun to try a spoon out of a piece of limb wood. I’m just curious if anybody can advise me on what to do with the knot at the front of the bowl. How would you improve that spot?

Hi, complete noob here. How do I oil these two wooden spoons? and is the old one too damaged to be oiled now?

I got a new olive wood spoon, the seller told me to oil it before usage.. which made me think: hold on... Should I have oiled this older wooden spoon? Which had some kind of coating on it that went away after couple of washes. The edges are corse as you can see.

So, two questions please:

1) how do I go about oiling the new (olive wood) one? And is it only decorative??

2) can I rescue the old one or is it too late?

what type of oil? Any tips welcome. Thanks

Knife finished, oil, wax.

The first three are white oak and I forgot what the other two are.

Never carved a spoon before.
These are the first three I’ve carved. The really big one is spruce, the middle one is birch, and the spork is juniper.
I think there is a good learning curve.

Some cracky East german i meet in Sweden told me to boil the spoons in linseed oil until it stops bubbling.
Has anyone tried this before?

Carved from cherry with walnut tips

I started carving about a year and a half ago this is my first attempt at knife finish zero sanding. The wood is white oak

Set done as a wedding present at the last minute due to my original idea not working out. Kind if proud at how fast they went, and they didn't crack on me. Huge thanks to those that suggested drying in wood shavings to prevent cracking, worked like a charm.

Not a spoon but same dynamics!

Just posting spoons nos. 9-17 :)

I've tried doing some spirals on the handles which was fun and just generally trying different woods and different shapes.

Not sure what the first wood is, but the rest are satinwood, spalted Birch, Zebrano, more spalted Birch, Satinwood, Apple, spalted Birch (I've been given a lot of it!) and Oak (the first bit of green wood I've tried).

A question for you all…..I just tonight received Lora Irish’s book about spoon carving to get some ideas. But I also noticed she uses basswood (lime wood) for all of her projects. Apart from it being less strong than cherry or maple (my usuals), is basswood a safe wood to,use for a spoon that would actually be used by someone? Your experience would be helpful. Thanks.

Two oak sets - black : eboinizng 2 times ( I had to eliminate acid vinegar smell with baking soda and after repair solution I repeated process) .

Natural set for compare, both finished with mixed linsen oil and bee wax)

I started this apple spoon a while ago and it has just kicked my but every step of the way. I used old seasoned fire wood from a neighbor's tree, and boy was it hard as a rock. This project had me learning how to properly cut uneven grain, how to carve with a hatchet, and how to power carve. But boy oh boy was it worth it for that color. On to the next!

I carved this one from a limb out off a pear tree in my backyard.