Welcome to Woodcraft
As a beginning woodworker, woodcrafter, carver, or slöjdare (Swedish for handcraftsperson), the new information is overwhelming: “What tools do I need?”, “What were the knife grip names?”, “What did the instructor say about wood grain?” Well, here is a great blog post to bookmark for reference. It is meant to be a pretty comprehensive post to get you started carving green wood wherever you live. If you have attended a recent carving session with me - THANK YOU. I hope you find this page helpful to continue your journey. If you’re new to carving and found this page another way - welcome to the community.
General Resources
“What if we stopped buying stuff, and started making things?” Why make anything? Get inspired.
Best knife carving tutorial on the internet, taught by Jögge Sundqvist, who wrote the book Slöjd In Wood.
Slöjd In Wood by Jögge Sundqvist
This is the “New Testament” of slöjd and green woodworking. The book is amazing and so is the publisher. It will inspire you.
Online subscription knowledge bank on spoon carving. It's basically the University of Phoenix - except for spoons.
Find @bayareaspooncarvers on Insta or Facebook. We meet monthly to learn and carve. You can also get wood and tools at the meet-ups.
Basic Tool Set
Basic kit includes: Just a slojd knife, hook knife, folding saw (spoons, chopstick/coffee stirs) will enable you to process small branches and wood into functional items.
Extended kit: Add on a carving axe, make a wood mallet, board or stump for chopping will open up new ways to process wood round to make larger items.
Advanced kit: brace/bit for drilling holes, a froe for splitting stool legs will open you up to the world of chair and stool making.
Knife and Axes
Morakniv slojd (straight) knives and hook knives are hard to beat. Stick with them if you can! Some Beavercraft tools offer great value too.
Hatchet/axe - should weigh between 400-700 grams with a handle between 10 - 15 inches. Cheaper cost axes generally need grinding or sharpen out of the box or have a funky handle. The Council Tool Belt Hatchet for $45 (below) is a fantastic starting point.
Buying tools
Mora 164 hook knife (left or right) - stay away from any Mora hook knife that says “double edged” for now.
Beavercraft Sloyd knife with sheath
Beavercraft hook knife (right hand only)
Robin Wood knives and axes (great hook knives, and a great inexpensive axe ready to carve)
Hook knife: recommend the compound curve in whatever left/right you need (you can get blade only and make your own handle too)
Axe: Definitely the Robin Wood axe
Council Tool Sport Utility Belt Hatchet - The cheapest US-made hatchet made today. It's great for carving and general use.
Silky F180 folding tree saw, large teeth. Carry it in your car and you’ll never go without wood.
Sharpening your tools
Sharpening your sloyd (straight) knife and a hook knife is tricky, but not hard. Emmy Van Dreische has the most simple method that I think is most effective and accessible.
WOOD
Mail order green wood!!
Email me or on Instagram (@wood_and_bark) and I will send you some blanks (chopped out spoon ready for the knife) or billets (no splitting required - ready for some light axe work). For free (plus shipping)!
The Spoon Crank is a one-stop shop and network of carvers who sell spoon blanks and tools - all over the world.
Wood scavenging tips
It goes without saying that sometimes the wood collection process is a privileged process. Myself, a large cis white dude with a midwestern build, may have an easier time collecting wood out of some residential yard or on the side of a busy road. It could be a challenge, so please proceed at your own comfort level or go with a friend.
An arborist can save you wood from their jobs, and often for free, but you may have to split the wood into usable sizes.
Nextdoor app! (Maybe more helpful in suburbs, but try it!)
Facebook Marketplace has been my biggest win lately. It’s not anonymous, which is great, and often you get wood for free with no human interaction needed.
Craigslist - I always search for “log”, “wood”, “tree” or some combo of the terms to see if anyone has wood they want to donate to a craft or wood project.
Go hiking or for a scenic drive and prune some downed limbs yourself! Buy a folding saw to bring along (see above). Be discreet.
Parks with large green spaces often have a section where they drop branches they prune off the trees
Wood that’s good
Generally, skip any wood from evergreens (pine, spruce, Christmas trees, etc). Redwood is a bit soft for spoons, but nice for other things. Oak and ash are hard, but beautiful and plentiful options around CA. Birch, sycamore, walnut, and fruit tree wood is best for spoons, bowls, tableware. And, they’re common.
Storing wood
Seal the ends of thick branches or logs with Elmers glue and keep out of the sun. Any split pieces or in progress carvings should be kept in a plastic bag while working, in the fridge over night, and in the freezer for a while.
