Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: richardzane on May 01, 2013, 09:51:39 pm

Title: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 01, 2013, 09:51:39 pm
soon to cut and split firewood, (alot of dead standing oak i don't want to rot over summer)
I keep alert for burls for carving bowls and ladles. sometimes a chunk of firewood goes to the workshop instead of in the stove.
here's a few ladles I've made, and in process(two red oak and one elm). in the 2nd pic. they're made from osage and oak.
it's sure handy to have a bandsaw for roughing out the shapes.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: Danzn Bar on May 01, 2013, 10:06:34 pm
Beautiful work !!!!!!!
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: IsaacW on May 01, 2013, 10:59:36 pm
AWESOME!!!  I love ladles and spoons with this type of effigy handle.  VERY cool!
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 01, 2013, 11:40:23 pm
Thanks for the comments guys! :)
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on May 02, 2013, 07:55:31 am
Purty!
How do you do the "bowl" of the ladle? I don't think you could use a normal knife.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 02, 2013, 10:10:28 am
a couple ways i've done it, a bowl is scooped out with a curved knife(like a crooked knife) and with gouge chisels
when green wood this works pretty well, though tools must be sharp. If green, the burl is kept in a paper bag when not carving.

When its dry, its obvioulsy tougher to work, you can burn out the interior , and then cut away the char...
or
 the fastest way : there is a great little burr tool to fix on a highspeed dremel. looks like a spiked ball and it chews away rough wood quickly
     it's a fantastic little time saver
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: Buffalogobbler on May 02, 2013, 10:34:46 am
Great work Richard!!
I like to carve spoons also, but nothing as fancy as you make, thier beautiful!

Kevin
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: sadiejane on May 02, 2013, 10:39:39 am
amazing works of art
and functional too!
well done sir!
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: Stoker on May 02, 2013, 11:02:00 am
Very nice
Thanks Leroy
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 02, 2013, 11:17:57 am
Thanks all,
yes we use these at our Wyandot ceremonial feasts. There's one family that brings their old Wyandot "spoon"
every year for Green Corn ceremonies, the thing is ancient , likely from Ohio before we were evicted from the state in 1843. :(
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: YosemiteBen on May 02, 2013, 05:18:56 pm
absolutely beautiful - want to come to Yosemite and teach me to carve like that? You can stay at my house. We'll feed you!
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: Don on May 02, 2013, 07:44:08 pm
Very very nice work.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 02, 2013, 10:44:07 pm
ha!ha! Tizhameh(thanks!)  Ben, thats a tempting offer! Never been to Yosemite  :)
there's no real secret to it, you just start whittling off wood, taking away whats not supposed to be there
until ...there it is!
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: bow101 on May 02, 2013, 11:06:32 pm
Very inspiring to say the least.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: swamp yeti on May 03, 2013, 07:00:11 am
Those are real nice good job.
Title: Re:carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 03, 2013, 10:06:52 am
thanks for the great comments! Wyandot an all Iroquoian people have a tradition of making special spoons.
Here's a pic of one of my GGGGGrandfathers spoons (Head Chief Tarhe) that he gave to a visitor in Ohio, in early 1800s.
also included is a pic of the osage figure spoon I carved (when it was still bright yellow!) in one of the pots i make.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: darwin on May 03, 2013, 11:17:55 am
Which bit do you prefer on that website you posted there are alot of options
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: YosemiteBen on May 03, 2013, 12:50:22 pm
Very nice pots too!? What would you want in trade for one of those?
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: chamookman on May 03, 2013, 12:51:34 pm
Beautiful work ! Bob
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 03, 2013, 01:19:22 pm
Darwin,
for general hollowing wood removal, especially in burls I'd go for the 1/4 inch coarse on this page
its the one i have and it sure does the job on dry wood!

Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 03, 2013, 02:10:13 pm
heya Ben,
thanks!
eeeee  :-\ ....my pots are a little pricey...but after all... its what pays the bills in this household! :D
usually only make a few a month, depending on the size, and they normally go straight to Santa Fe to Blue Rain Gallery.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: dmc on May 03, 2013, 03:44:32 pm
Very nice. Carving has always intrigued me, but I can't carve a toothpick. I do make a mean paper airplane though. Thanks for sharing. Fantastic work!
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: Olanigw (Pekane) on May 04, 2013, 09:28:10 am
Rick,
Great carving!  And major props for staying in touch with your heritage. Makes a man a little jealous.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: JEB on May 05, 2013, 03:23:18 pm
ARTIST, That about explains your work. Or as we marines say, OUTSTANDING.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: richardzane on May 05, 2013, 03:29:50 pm
Thanks again for the great comments!
In the past when our people would visit another's longhouse they would bring their own spoon.
when the expected pot of corn soup was taken off the fire and set in the circle, everyone would simply bring out their own spoons from which to eat from.
your own clan symbols or personal design made it recognizable. A nice big wide spoon meant you might get a bigger piece of meat to nibble from!
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: Paul F on May 05, 2013, 03:57:36 pm
Both the pots and spoons are really cool looking.  Thanks for posting.

Paul F.
Title: Re: carved ladles, spoons
Post by: RidgeRunner on May 05, 2013, 10:34:07 pm
Richard:
Nice Spoons.
I have carved a few myself.
You are much better than I am at spoon carving.

David