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Thread: Tried my patience carving Apple wood

  1. #1

    Tried my patience carving Apple wood

    I just finished hand carving an Apple wood spoon. The wood was dry and tried my patience with the slow going. Green wood is definitely an advantage while hand carving.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Mathews View Post
    I just finished hand carving an Apple wood spoon. The wood was dry and tried my patience with the slow going. Green wood is definitely an advantage while hand carving.
    What did you carve? Have a photo?

    I haven't carved apple but I've carved dry bradford pear - a lot harder than basswood but still not a huge effort. I've never tried green wood.

    JKJ

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    What did you carve? Have a photo?

    I haven't carved apple but I've carved dry bradford pear - a lot harder than basswood but still not a huge effort. I've never tried green wood.

    JKJ
    The spoon on the right below is the one made from Apple wood. It's just a simple, functional spoon that's already been used in the kitchen. So far I've carved spoons using dried Walnut, Basswood, Poplar, Birch and Apple wood and somewhat green Olive wood. The Apple wood was by far the hardest and most difficult to carve by hand.
    Spoons 003.jpg

    PS So far I'm having a lot of fun carving, particularly spoons. It's a different kind of enjoyment than turning on the lathe, flat work, etc.
    Last edited by Steve Mathews; 02-05-2019 at 8:29 PM.

  4. #4
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    I make spoons from dried Walnut and have tried Apple and Maple. Apple was almost impossible, Maple somewhat better. I will carve Walnut anytime it is great.

  5. #5
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    I finished four spoons in Eucalyptus last week. Sometimes I like the harder woods so I can appreciate something softer.
    Aj

  6. #6
    What did you carve it with, knife, palm tools, full size?

  7. #7
    I have a pile of apple wood I have been planning to use for "something." Whenever I pull a piece out to plane it, I am reminded how tough it is. Even on surfaces that look like they are going in one direction, I often get tear out. Very tough wood.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Foster View Post
    I have a pile of apple wood I have been planning to use for "something." Whenever I pull a piece out to plane it, I am reminded how tough it is. Even on surfaces that look like they are going in one direction, I often get tear out. Very tough wood.
    Thick stock? PERFECT for woodturning!

    JKJ

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
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    Cincinnati, Ohio - north
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    Can feel your pain. I'm having a lovely time with a set of cherry cooking utensils. This is my first experience with cherry so I did not realize how hard it is. Started with 2x4x12 inch blocks I had in the woodpile. Band saw didn't really like blocking them out. Further carving with spoon gouges, straight chisels, carving knives, spoke shave, and rasps - getting there gradually but cutting edges better be sharp. They do finish up nicely, though, with a simple mineral oil finish.
    Last edited by al heitz; 03-26-2019 at 12:27 AM.

  10. #10
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    Jan 2011
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    Montfort, Wi.
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    those apple spoons are beautiful. Well done.

  11. #11
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    Never thought about using olive. How has it worked out for utensils? I have several large olives and often get 4" to 6" prunings that seem ideal for spoons.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Cannon View Post
    Never thought about using olive. How has it worked out for utensils? I have several large olives and often get 4" to 6" prunings that seem ideal for spoons.
    Haven't used the olive wood spoons much so I don't know how well the wood will hold up. The wood is nice to carve and turn though. Love the smell. The apple wood spoon has been used regularly and seems to be holding up well. Wish I could get more of the wood.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Cannon View Post
    Never thought about using olive. How has it worked out for utensils? I have several large olives and often get 4" to 6" prunings that seem ideal for spoons.
    What kind of olive? I have some pieces of Russian Olive and it's nothing like the true Olive from Europe. For one thing it's ring porous (very porous) and has a coarse texture. True Olive is diffuse porous with tiny pores, very fine, smooth texture.

    I wouldn't use Russian Olive for spoons or anything in contact with food. The true Olive, on the other hand, is perfect for spoons and such. I love using it for platters, bowls and such, recently made a mortar and pestle for the kitchen.

    When in Athens, Greece I found a shop that sold nothing but things made from Olive. It was incredible. They hand hundreds of spoons, forks, cutting boards, rolling pins, platters, bowls, stools, chairs, picture frames, and much more. I couldn't find any Olive to bring back from Athens but I did find some in Italy. (A carpenter gave it to me. With all that olive around guess what his favorite wood is? White Pine!)

    I haven't carved any spoons yet from Olive but I plan to this summer. it's a dream to turn and I suspect it would be wonderful to carve. I made this from Olive:

    penta_olive_comp_IMG_7459.jpg

    JKJ

  14. #14
    True olive makes wonderful spoons. They’re my favorites since boxwood spoons are next to impossible to find. I’ve. It tried carving it yet - couldn’t bring myself to sell out the $$$.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Barney Markunas View Post
    True olive makes wonderful spoons. They’re my favorites since boxwood spoons are next to impossible to find. I’ve. It tried carving it yet - couldn’t bring myself to sell out the $$$.
    Barney, you don't say where you live but if you are in or near east TN stop in and visit and I'll cut you a spoon blank of Mediterranean olive. I still have about 1/2 of the slab I got years ago.

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