Whittling for Beginners: Carve a Wooden Spoon

Whittling is a hobby I've always wanted to take up, but have never had the time for. I did recently learn how to carve a wooden spoon. This project is simple enough for whittling beginners, requires few materials and can be completed in a short amount of time. When you're done whittling, you can use the wooden spoon during mealtime, give it as a gift to a loved one, or put it on display in your home.

Materials:

-Small piece of wood

-Pencil

-Hand saw

-Carving knife or jackknife

-Sand paper

-Mineral Oil

Select Wood and Trace Pattern

Choose the type of wood you want to work with. Ideal types of wood for beginning whittling include hawthorn, basswood, cherry and elm. The size of the spoon is your choice, but you'll want to find a piece that will be long enough and wide enough to carve a wooden spoon from. Once you've chosen your material, use a pencil to outline the shape of the spoon. You can either freehand it or trace around a spoon that you already own.

Cut and Carve a Wooden Spoon

Use a hand saw to cut out the wooden spoon along the lines you drew earlier. If you prefer, you can do this with a band saw with a small blade. For the inside of the spoon, you may want to draw a line to guide you when carving. If the wood is too hard to scoop out with a carving knife, try using a carving mallet. Be sure to check your progress periodically so that you do no carve too deep into the spoon. When you're finished with the spoon bowl, carve the handle of the spoon, keeping it smooth and free of edges.

Sand the Spoon

After you've carved the spoon into shape you like, it is time to get the wood nice and smooth. The goal of sanding a project is to smooth out the wood and remove any flaws. For this project, you'll want to sand the wood with a piece of 80 grit sandpaper. Be sure to go with the grain while you're sanding. Once the wooden spoon feels smooth, use a small cloth to wipe off any dust. Finish by applying a drop or two of mineral oil. This will create a glossy appearance and protect the spoon's surface for years to come. If, at some point in the future, the spoon begins to lose its gloss, you can always apply some more mineral oil.