Secret Spoon Swap

December this year held the second Secret Spoon Swap where spoon carvers around the world come together through the power of their respective postal services. This is the first year I have participated, I think its a really good idea as it gives you a chance to look at other carvers work and get a brand new spoon for the price of a stamp. I received this lovely serving spoon from JP from Essex, it is Birch (from Ashdown Forest) and finished with seaseme oil and bees wax. The wax gives a terrific finish which is perfectly smooth and is something I might try with my own spoons. It came just in time for Christmas - Thanks JP! 

This is the spoon I carved for JP in return, I hope he likes it. Hazel of course...

Spoonfest 2013

Spoonfest returned for 2013 bigger and better than before...  Extra long, extra wet and extra spoony, it could only be a weekend in August in Edale. With a cracking demo by axe-maker Nic Westermann and talent from all over the world, if you like spoons its not to be missed... Anyway, these are the spoons I managed to carve during the weekend, all in Birch as I never can find any at home.

Pre-purchase (above) and post-purchase (below) of a spoon by Jarrod Stonedahl. The early ones are copies of photos found on the web. The copies of an actual 3D object are a fantastic learning curve as its impossible to see the finer detail and balance of anything through a photo. Although I initially balked at the idea of actually paying for a spoon - when I have dozens of the buggers rattling round - it has paid for itself over and over in teaching and I use it everyday too...

A couple with wiggles from following the grain... (above and below)

Post Spoonfest spoons... All Hazel.

The first crook spoon in a Sundquvist style... Hazel of course...

The mega-spoon-haul... Hopefully I'll make enough to pay for next years tickets.

Long (above) and short (below) pickle spoons in a slightly different (and varied) style.

Getting out of my comfort zone - below are the first few spoons carved from a Walnut that blew over in the recent strong winds. A completely different carving experience but the results are well worth the effort as the grain looks fantastic

Hedgelaying

This post is a summary of the actual process of hedgelaying, for one person in particular who never knows what I'm talking about... You know who you are...

Before...

During...

On training days and at competitions, 8-12yrd cants are allocated and individuals or trainer combos work from the start of their cant. The first pleachers (cut stems) are laid off of the line of the hedge. When your neighbour finishes their cutting, the mass is lifted on  and eventually will look like a proper hedge. Hedgers working on their own have the luxury of continuous laying without worrying about lifting on.

"Untangle, cut, lay, re-tangle..."

The view revealed...

After...

significant brash piles....

Binders in place. Binders hold the hedge together (with stakes) preventing it blowing over, being displaced by stock and lifting up as the sap rises in the spring.

All Hallows Eve...

Not strictly wooden but carved eitherway... Something to get us all in the mood for the season of little oiks knocking at the door...

Hopefully he'll keep the evil spirits away...

Hand Bill Trivia... (That's billhooks if your not from round 'ere!)

I found this slip of an old magazine cutting in a book the other day. I want to post it just for the love of billhooks (don't say it too quickly). The article just had a bit of blurb about the origins but it was this line drawing by the author that I found remarkable. The shear number of hand bills from a tiny island is incredible and the detail appears very accurate. All credit to Jack Wilson 1982.

Beware - *Massive Picture below*

If you have an interest in hedgelaying there are a couple of essential sites to visit:

http://billhooks.co.uk/

http://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/

http://sehls.weebly.com/

Some action photographs of THE FIRST spectator sport... Jackie Gilligan does a fantastic job of capturing the energy and enjoyment of a laying day.

http://www.hedgelaying.info/hedgelaying.info/Home.html

Christening Spoon

A tiny weaning spoon for my neighbours little girl who is 7 months old. We were invited to little Maisy's christening so I thought it was a good chance to try some chip carving.

Carved from Hazel that grows just down from their house.

Jenny's Chair

A special present for a special birthday. From local ash I felled earlier this year.

Danish cord seat

2 Oak pins hold on each side hold the back panel in place.

Wedding Present

A good friend of mine got married this weekend, not thinking much of John Lewis and his wedding lists I decided a personal touch might be appreciated... Finally finished the beast last week, it's all hazel, carved green. The rack base is hewn from hazel by axe and the beam was bent by pouring boiling water over it to soften then setting with rope ties.

The tenons are held in the mortices by small hazel pins. 

Carving 6 spoons all nearly the same was harder than I thought... Here's the reject pile... Don't worry, they'll all live on somewhere.

Congratulations to Geoff and Laura Smith, best wishes and lots of love for the future.

Chestnut Hurdles

This is the current view from my back door...

It all started with a need to keep the sheep from running amok and what better way to do it? Well, with two of my favourite things: a greenwood project, with a regional theme (I'll explain in a bit...).

Chestnut hurdles were used throughout the country for penning stock. 'Down on the Marsh' (Romney Marsh for those not in the know), chestnut hurdles were used as the sole fencing method for many years before wire fencing came about (conditions not being conducive to hedges or other boundaries) young lads would cart several hurdles on their backs over the marsh to fold their wards on fresh grazing. Obviously they had many uses on the farm and came in many different styles: "I had a chap ask me to make some bullock hurdles once," Colin Town, a local woodsman (and my chestnut supplier) told me when I picked up my timber. "six foot to the top they were, 'course you knew it when you had to shift one of those things" he laughed. Colin is an old time woodsman, one of the last few of his era and a wealth of knowledge to anyone who takes the time to listen.

Chestnut was the obvious choice for hurdles, chestnut coppice being prevelant in the South East. Colin sells thousands of chestnut spiles for fencing each year "The local farmers know chestnut's the only thing for fencing, that cheap soft wood only lasts 4 or 5 years before it falls over, the chestnut'll last 25 years before it even looks worn, they used to last even longer when we were allowed to use creosote. Before that we used to boil them standing in tar til the tar bubbled out the tops... Not much chance of them rotting then..."

Under Colin's guidance I split the timber he had selected for me using his scratch (that's a brake if your not a Man of Kent) and his Doll Axe (froe - again if your not from round 'ere). Measuring an old hurdle in a section of hedge he told me it was probably over 50 years old, "used to make a lot of these, time ago - I used to enjoy it, no one wants to pay the money these days... Still, young Tom, you should be making eight of these a day - I'll give you a ring tomorrow to see how you got on...). Maybe not eight but I'll be giving it a go none the less.

Apparently, Kentish hurdles are particular in their use of a metal ferrule on the top of the heads (uprights). "stops 'em splitting out and means you can drive 'em a bit, mind they don't want much pounding, just put your foot on the bottom rung to set 'em in..."

The nails are 2.5" driven straight in, I pilot dilled a few but gave up (too lazy) it was initially abit nerve wracking as we all know how chestnut likes to split... Luckily everything behaved. The nail heads are not driven flush (on Colin's advice) to allow for removal in the event of repair.

The metal ferrules are made from sections of car exhaust pipe, squashed in a vice, drilled and nailed with a short tack to the top of each head. the purple discoloration is a reaction of the metal with the tannins of the wood.

The overall construction was quite quick, mortices drilled and chiseled out and tenons cut on the shave horse. I have made 4 with the pile of timber I started with, I'll be after some more soon as shearing will be coming up and I'll need some more for penning up. Next time I'll take some action shots to up the excitement levels...