Seeing this photo with the summer sun warming the flowers beside the fence makes me, on this frosty November morning, think about the changing of the seasons. The sun this morning casts longer shadows onto the lawn strewn with golden Norway maple leaves. They’ll crunch and dance before the tines of my rake this afternoon.
In that summer photo, I was carving a long ladle from a neighborhood Norway maple tree. I sent that ladle, along with a few other spoons, to an exhibition in North Carolina which has now ended, so I have some spoons for sale. If you’d like to purchase one, you can email me at dandkfish@gmail.com or leave a comment. You can pay by sending a check or with paypal.
First is that one I was carving in the photos, a long slender slotted ladle carved from a Norway maple crook. This stuff is lovely for spoons; harder than silver maple with a very tight grain. The characteristics of the wood and the flow of the fibers allowed for a thin and graceful design while remaining strong and flexible. The color will deepen over time. It is 17 1/2 inches long and 3 1/8 inches wide.
The second one is from a rhododendron crook. A nice wide serving spoon, 7 5/8″ x 3 1/4″. “Stay Awhile” carved into the handle. $200 includes shipping. SOLD
The third one goes back to the Norway maple. The branch above a sharp crook was bent and twisted in a sinuous curve. I went with it and kept the fibers true through the handle. The handle takes a winding road, but still has a good relationship to the bowl when held. Unlike the others that have a surface straight from the knife, I finished this spoon by sanding to a fine polish. 14 3/8″ x 2″. $230 includes shipping. SOLD
David Fisher, Carving Explorations 
beautiful as always–
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Thanks Marie. Wonderful to see Peter’s post todayabout the Plymouth tapestry project and how it will be tied in with a class in embroidery. Very exciting. I’m still in awe of that tapestry since seeing it in person last summer. https://www.pilgrimhall.org/plymouth-tapestry-project.htm
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If still available I’m into the “Stay a While” (rhododendron crook) spoon. Thanks. Ed. >
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Thank you, Ed. I’ll send you an email.
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Hi Dave,
I’d like the curved maple spoon if it’s still available.
Phil
Philip Derrow President / CEO Ohio Transmission Corp.
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Thank you, Phil. I’ll be in touch.
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Dave,
Three very awesome and beautiful Spoons. All three are special but I have to say the 3rd one with the long and twisty handle is special and a true one of a kind! Tad (very inspiring)
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Thanks Tad. That one, even more than the others, certainly relied on what the tree provided for the design.
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Beautiful work. When I am at my father in law’s cabin in the Sierra Nevada foothills, I can’t woodwork. Your work is the main reason I want to get into spoon and bowl carving. Small amt of easily portable tools and plenty of free fresh wood there. Plus, it won’t make me seem like a hermit when visiting.
Who makes a good Sloyd knife and a hook knife? Ideally I’d like to buy from a small maker to help support them.
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I’m happy to have played a part in your leap into spoon and bowl carving, Joe. Sounds like it will fit right in at the cabin. You can certainly carve a spoon while relaxing in conversation. Wille Sundqvist felt that it even enhanced the conversation. I agree and feel like it encourages listening and less rushing.
Regarding your desire for a sloyd knife and hook knife from a small maker, at the risk of leaving some folks out, the first names that come to my mind for excellent tools in the US are Reid Schwartz, Del Stubbs, and Jason Lonon. There are others overseas like Robin Wood, Ben Orford, Nick Westermann…. Anyway, there are lots of others. You can find each of those folks in a quick internet search. Maybe there will be some other replies with people mentioning some good small makers of sloyd and hook knives.
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Hi David
We met at Spoonfest, I hope you remeber. Al; three spoons take my breath away. Did you sand any part of the spoons, or are they completely tool-finished?
Regards
Philip
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Hi Philip. Yes, I do remember. Nice to hear from you again. The first two are straight from the knife, no sandpaper at all. That’s by far the usual case for me. The third spoon departs from that. All of the surface of that serpentine spoon were finished by sanding through very fine grits. I alternated near the end by raising the grain with a little water, sanding, wetting…. Did a few cycles of that to reduce any future grain raising. Based on that particular design and the figure in that piece of wood, I decided that surface was what I wanted.
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Thanks David.
That makes perfect sense to me. Up to now, I have generally clung to the security of my pile of sandpapers. Tool-finishing is where I want to get to. I have just received some Nic Westermann blades and have found the difference in performance to be quite stark. Here’s hoping I can crack out a few tool-finished spoons in the next few months.
Regards
Philip
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I’m sure you will. I’m not surprised to hear that Nic Westermann’s blades are excellent. I’ve never tried one of his sloyd knives. I’m still plugging away with my Mora 106.
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