4 day spoon carving course

Description

When is the carving course:

This course is 4 days spread over 4 consecutive Fridays in June.

• 6th June 2025
• 13th June 2025
• 20th June 2025
• 27th June 2025

About the spoon carving course:

This course is designed to be a deep dive into spoon carving covering all aspects of the one day course but in considerably more detail. The outline of the course looks like so:

Day 1: Tool care and self care

• A day of sharpening tools and learning to look after our bodies during spoon carving. We’ll also be looking at wood types, grain direction and other nuanced aspects of spoon carving including spoon design.

Day 2: Axing and knife work

• A day of learning to use the axe and knives safely and effectively. This will include how to add crank to your spoon.

Day 3: Axing and knife work

• A repeat of day 2, where you get to repeat what you’ve learnt on day 2, make small changes to your technique and start to get a deeper understanding of the process.

Day 4: Finishing your spoons

• A day of looking at the final knife work to complete your spoons.  Including a look at burnishing and oiling. Also a discussion about what next – tools to consider and introduction to selling your spoons.

Who is this course designed for:

This course is designed for anyone who has a keen interest in spoon carving. It is best suited to those that have had a bit of experience in carving but would like to push their carving further, including those that would like to start selling their work.

About your teacher:

The course is taught by me (David Hunter). I am a coppice and green woodworker.  I have been carving spoons for over 10 years now and I love the process of it. It is relatively simple and accessible in regards set up – you only need a few tools and minimal space. Yet it offers a lifetime of enjoyment as it is always possible to improve and explore new shapes and techniques.

Skills you will learn:

It’s a long list:

• Safe and effective use of the axe and froe.
• Safe and effective use of a carving knife and hook knife.
• Discussion and experimentation in spoon design.
• An understanding of what green wood work is and why we make spoons from fresh wood.
• An understanding of the properties of wood and how they affect your spoon carving.
• Understanding of the theory and practice of sharpening.
• Nuance around sharpening angles and how they affect your carving.
• How to look after your body when carving.
• How to finish your spoons.
• Advice on selling your spoons.

What’s included:

• Beautiful fresh (green) wood to make your introduction to carving as accessible as possible.
• Quality and friendly instruction in a relaxed, no pressure learning environment. I only take 6 students per course so that everyone has all the one on one tuition time that they want / need.
• Plenty of tea and coffee.
• Ongoing support and advice post course.
• Carefully curated home practice and further reading between course dates.
• A midweek online video answering any questions that may have arisen during your home practice.
• 5% discounts at ‘Woodsmith’.

Please note that this course does not include the use of tools.  Instead you are asked to bring your own tools so that it is your tools that you sharpen and get used to using. You are also able then to carry on carving at the end of the course and in between lessons. I have included a recommended tool list here with approximate pricing (as of January 2025).

Venue:

The spoon carving course takes place at the purpose made venue of Coppicewood College in the stunning Pengelli Forest.

Ages:

Please note the course is only suitable for ages 16+.