End of the holidays

Well, it's the last day of the half-term holidays and I don't have a lot to show for it, but Ju says I need to post more often, so here goes.

Firstly, I was lucky a week or so ago to get a new axe. It's a common enough axe - a Gransfors Bruks Swedish carving axe with the carved handle - probably one of the most popular amongst the greenwood carving community, but it would usually cost more than I would want to pay for an axe. Especially as I already have a perfectly good Nic Westermann carving axe that was given to me when I left my last job. This particular axe became available from a chap on Bushcraft UK who, after a nasty accident with an axe, decided he didn't want to use it and so sold it for less than half the retail price.

I was interested to see how it worked compared to my other axes so had a go at a couple of spoons - neither of which I actually love, but I guess I'm out of practise at the moment.

 

 

All in all I'm happy with the axe. It weighs about the same as the Nic Westermann axe, so felt pretty good. It's no sharper, but due to the offset grind, it has a tendency to bite deeper when carving, so I had to make a conscious effort to not let it, but I soon got used to that. A good addition to my carving bag.

 

I also got his rather nice Del Stubbs left-handed spoon knife from Ju for my birthday.

 



I haven't had a go with it properly yet, but I'm hoping it will make carving a spoon bowl a little easier.

Here is another eating spoon a did in the week. I've tried this 'spades' shaped bowl before and thought I'd try it again - it works really well for a shallow bowl. It's made from a straight grained piece of cherry so I cranked it myself - I shouldn't really as it supposedly makes the spoon weaker, and I have had them delaminate in the past, but I just love them heavily cranked.

And lastly, whilst these are not new (I made them a year or so ago) I thought I do a quick review on my handmade knife sheaths. When I bought my first Mora carving knives I was concerned that they only came in those cheap plastic sheaths that fall off really easily. If that knife is in your bag and reach in to get it, only to find the plastic sheath has fallen off, you are most likely going to find out the hard way - and those knives are sharp!! So I made these:

It's thick veg tanned leather - a bugger to stitch, but like iron once it is cased. They work really well, I just don't know if I can face doing it again for new knives.