Just me, the kerosene heater, a few sharp knives, a Kestrel adze, and a hatchet. 

Now that the holidays are finally over, I’m back in the garage, getting to work on a couple of orders I’ve received. 

Today’s session consisted of knocking out the rough cuts for a Cherry and a Butternut cooking spoon. Mass-production’s just not something I do.  For me it’s all about the work: getting lost in the carving, stopping to admire the grain, practicing my Germanic expletives when things go sideways every now and again. 

While no two spoons are ever completely alike, it’s pretty much a guarantee that many of them have at least a swear word or two embedded in them; especially if the grain is funky or the wood’s a little dry, as was the case with this particular piece of Butternut. 

Swear words are an important part of the process, like a tube of stropping compound, or a first aid kit. Maybe they’re not always necessary, but it’s good to know they’re around if you have to reach for one…