Wooden Spoons

Traditional wooden spoons

Wooden spoons have been in use for many centuries, with spoon carvers adapting the shape to conform to the strengths and weaknesses of wood.

Very short, but wide lengths of wood are easily broken, while long lengths are much more flexible.

The best spoons, therefore, are made out of bent branches, so the wood fibres run down the length of the handle, and along the bottom, sides and, especially, the most vulnerable front of the bowl.

The spoon maker must also avoid using the pith, or the centre of the branch, because it is usually soft, spongy material, not strong enough for the way a spoon is used.

However, making spoons this way requires ready access to a supply of fresh cut wood, which is not always possible in the middle of a major city.

Carving spoons from dry wood

Carving spoons from straight, dry wood requires different designs to those used for bentbranches.

The spoons need to be flatter, with shallow bowls to avoid any weak, short length sections in thebowl wall. Or the spoon can be converted into a scoop, which has no front wall at all.

Spoons made like this will stand up to hard use in the kitchen for many years.

Of course, not every spoon has to withstand hard use. Some sauce or serving spoons might bemade for occasional use, and could risk having a deeper bowl with the weak front wall. I wouldalso use for these a hard, tough wood to add strength to the bowl.

Spoon examples carved from dry wood

Uncarved spoon and scoop in Huon Pine (Lagarostrobus franklinii).

Carved spoon in Crows Ash (Flindersia australis)

Carved spoon in Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)

Carved cook’s tasting spoon in Privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

Carved Scoop in Huon Pine (Lagarostrobus franklinii)

Templates used to mark out the various spoon or scoop shapes on a board. These are then cutout using a bandsaw, ready for final hand shaping and carving.

Spoon examples carved from bent branches

Large serving spoon in Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

Small serving spoon in Privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

Small serving spoon in Privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

Small serving spoon in Chestnut (Castanea sativa)