I'm 54 and just picked up woodcarving. I've searched through what what feels like thousands of videos, probably more like 50-100 to find the detail you had here. I appreciate the time you put into making this video and the explanation. At my level of carving, to me this was perfect. You provided just enough definition and pointed out things that I hadn't thought of yet. It really helped me see the different "phases" or "dimensions" as you called them of the process. Thank you and I'll be following you and watching a lot more of your videos! Thank you, -dave

I did it! I followed the directions on this video and a carved very nice spoon, all with handtools. I carved my spoon like our forefathers Have done, with no power tools, for that I am so very proud.

Carving a spoon or a lesson on the philosophy of life? Develop sight ridges, understand where you're going, the spoon isn't the destination, the journey you make to craft the spoon is, and strop often (keep yourself sharp), etc. I'll never carve a spoon or a bowl (I turn wood) but I love these videos! Thank you, sir.

We are witnessing years of practice wielding an axe. Very impressive! Nobody can just thrust an axe with that kind of agility and accuracy. Masterful shaping of the spoon. Fun to watch.

As a new carver I have been watching video after video on how to carve things- including many a spoon videos. You are by far the most insightful, clear, and knowledgeable carving teacher on the internet. I have been learning incorrect techniques!! Until now, that is. Gonna bookmark this video so I can keep referring back to it. THANK YOU for producing this!

Mycket informativ och bra video Pettson

I really love the efficiency of your actions. No energy is wasted, each cut either makes a score or knocks off a chip. Very little over strike into the block. Your ability to cut to the line is superb.

Skills our grandfathers took for granted would be lost knowledge without fellers like you. Thankful this exists, truly.

I have just started carving and this is what I have been longing for. To have someone who is seasoned who shares what they have learned to make the process more enjoyable. I also really like your style.

I am often guilty of picking the wild grain wood and wondering why it gets so tedious trying to get the shape right, and I struggle with symmetry due to not sticking to one dimension at a time. Despite years of carving, I still keep thinking that the wild grain will somehow magically make it better in the end. But as you just showed, the beauty comes from doing a good job, and I thank you for the lesson.

Incredibly well done. I just witnessed a master craftsman in his element.

You're a REAL craftsman, a rarity in this modern world- I've learned from you and am subscribing now. Thank you!

Easily one of the most informative and useful spoon carving videos out there.

I'll probably get a cutout sometime, slice a finger, trash the spoon and end up with nothing, but I'm sure this video made me better at it. What a fascinating way to spend over an hour of my time. I love watching craftsfolk and artisans doing the craft they've mastered over years and years of practice.

Kudos to the camera operator. Great job getting close enough and the proper angles. 👍🏽

Absolute masterpiece! I love the sounds of woodcarving, it's so calming. We can see the spoon from the beginning, I mean in a previous video you pulled these logs with your tractor, now you carved the spoon and then you upload it to etsy. That's what makes it more unique. Great job.

Brilliant, your not only an amazing craftsmen, but a great teacher

Das ist. der Naturmann. Ohne. Säge. mit. Rasierbeil und. Schälmesser Danke für die. Wunderbare Vorführung

I appreciate all the detail. Just finished my first spoon/spatula (with dried maple, feel like I got a great lower arm work out! Will get some green wood soon). I was having trouble finding someone show the light sanding process to keep the facets and I’m glad you showed that part. Thanks!

great video,

This is by far the best video on woodcarving I've ever seen ... just awesome, really really great work many many thanks for showing and please keep up the good work ;-))

Thank you SO much for taking the time to teach us how to safely and properly carve a beautiful spoon. The wisdom you share about how to develop skill during each step is precious.

My wife loves the left handed spatula, made by Carving paths, for her birthday. Quality folks with quality talents. Thanks. Skip

I enjoyed watching this video again and again and again. It is a marvel to see a master at his work. Truely and remarkably well done.

There are few things more satisfying than the feel of a sharp tool cutting into wood and the sounds of wood chips flying off a project. So happy I discovered your videos. Going to make time to do some carving this weekend. It's been way too long and there are more important things in life than "work". ~Harris in Texas

I’m 30 minutes into the video. I’m amazed. Your teaching skills are as finely honed as your axe. Thanks.

I appreciated your video, I’ma self taught spoon carver. I learned a lot from this video. I turned 78 today, so old dogs can learn new tricks.

Got to admit looks like you've done this before. Love watching people that know what there doing. Good video ,

You are a great teacher.

I can't help but instantly appreciate the craftsmanship and the lessons you are teaching here. Even if I never pick up a carving knife or a hatchet. I look forward to watching more.

You can tell this guy is a great father, husband and dude in general. Cheers, great content and insights.

This came in the mail. By your recommendation, this spoon is in a Dutch oven of beans. They got cooked down with a pork shoulder bone, a bit of brown sugar and splash of vinegar. Put some cornbread batter on top, a lid over the Dutch oven, and finished it in the coals. Many taste tests were had, and burned mouths. My son is 4. He didn't know why it was special, but he knows it was a spectacle. It was over 100 degrees and cooking indoors was last thing I wanted to do, despite the fires. The walnut and wax smell incredible. It really is of the finest workmanship. Thank you for it.

Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for letting us see your craftsmanship.

i love the crisp sound of wood being smoothly. gently and deftly cut...

With 320 comments made already, what could I possible add to the truths that you are indeed a great crafts-person, and superb teacher!! Grateful for the time you so unselfishly invested into guiding everyone who is interested in spoon carving!! Well done indeed!

I have just watched this video a second time after trying my hand at a small spoon carving. There was so many things I missed the first time and so many mistakes I made by not following your advice. This is a superb tutorial. Thanks

I just learned SO much! I've done a lot of carving just with a Swiss Army Knife that I never sharpened and I can see that I did it all wrong. Now I'm surprised I didn't cut myself more with it. I really like your eye for the dimensions of what you are carving. I have a 3D eye too but I have been a terrible whittler, but since I got this carving kit and didn't know how to really use it, I found your video so, while I'm sure I'll still make some bad carvings, they'll be a little better and definitely a lot safer. Thank you! Beautiful spoons you've made too!

Always enjoyable watching someone who knows what their doing and can explain it very well. Thanks

best spoon carving tutorial on the internet,first class!

This to me is a great wood carving class by a great teacher. Thank you 🙏

Layout is EVERYTHING! 🥄

Damn! Your precision with the hatchet is spot on! So cool to see the entire process. Great video!

Stumbled on to this, but I was impressed. Thank you. Extremely informative and helpful.

Man, very impressive. Amazing how much of that you got carved with just the axe. It looks great.

I learned a lot. I've had stitches in my fingernail from an older axe lesson so this was a bit more enjoyable

Totally enjoyed watching this with my 12 year old, fun to watch and we learned something....thank you

My paternal grandfather worked with wood and I think he would have loved watching this man.

You are a great teacher. Your knowledge is much appreciated. Stroping is a vital practice to all carving. Your skill with the hatchet is impressive. Thank You so much.

Thank you for your expertise and also thanks to the person operating the camera. I suggest they are also an expert as they know what angles to shoot at and how close to get when your talking about a certain cut etc. Well done to you both.

I really love your carving and black smithing videos you are seriously a wonderful teacher

You sir make this look ridiculously easy.....which I know it's not. And how quickly you do it just blows my mind. True craftsman for sure. You are a gentleman I would like to meet. Excellent work sir

Fantastic tutorial! Working on my first spoon in which I had no plan or layout for. Learned that lesson! Great tips here I’ll take to use on spoon #2!

This is the best hatchet carving tutorial I have seen. Really clear, well explained. Thanks!

This is heavenly stuff to watch. I'm enjoying all your videos immensely. I'm actually a cabinet maker and furniture restorer by trade, so a lot of this looks familiar- except for your insane axe work. I'm bluffed! You take this to the next level. I have just one remark to make concerning the finish aspect: firstly, thank you for sharing the ingredients you use yourself. When I use anything similar products I apply them hot (hot air gun)- especially beeswax. This method really helps the wax, or even oil, to penetrate much deeper, therefore longe lasting. When I carved my oak chimney surround here in France (450 kgs- about 1,000 lbs of freshly sawn oak) with quite a few details, because I DON'T sand carved stuff, I burnished the whole structure with various bits of hardwood (ebony and boxwood) till every millimetre shined. Push very hard. This gave a nice sheen to the wood. Then came the hot beeswax treatment with some earth pigments. 3 weeks to dry then I removed excess wax and buffed the whole lot. By heating you get a deeper finish. I hope this information will be useful to some. Please keep your fantastic videos flowing (just like the beautiful lines you use on your spoons). God bless. Greetings from France

Following a circle's line with a hatchet is quite the skill. And crazy scary, too. I don't get surprised often, but this one did it. Congratulations for developing this skill to such level.

Appreciate the safety note on angles, hand placement, and stability. Our ancestors had this down. Moving from high tech to low (better) tech comes with hazards that the transition introduces.

Beautifully done and I love how you explained step by step! Exactly the video I was looking for today.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. I really learns a lot from you. Once again thank so much. And have a blessed day.

Second time I've watched it. I see more detail each time and will refer back. Thank you so much for sharing your craft and knowledge. I am a practicing blacksmith and will have a go at the blades as well. Well done.

Very interesting. Your precision is amazing. Will take me many years to get there. God willing.

This is hugely inspiring. Thank you.

Your accuracy with the carving axe is actually unreal. Great video!!

Best video on carving spoons I’ve seen. Thank you

Thank you for such a thorough video. I wanted to carve my own spoon but wasn’t sure I could get a good enough lesson on KZfaq to do it well. I stand corrected. I can’t wait to make mine!

Takes a piece of black walnut "eh, this is is garbage, I'll burn it." Every wood carver west of Missouri: "NOOOOO!"

Hello do you Booth, it's amazing how you present the precision of your work and how to prevent mistakes. You are a very very good teacher as I never have seen before. I am from Germany and I do wood carving since almost 40 years in hazelnut walking sticks. And hard wood turning on a bench. I'm a mechanical engineer . And I did forge as well some chisel and knives to develop my work. But the last months I have seen many videos from British spoon makers , working with green wood,, but never seen so professional then yours. I like your positive behavior under all your daily Circumstances you share. I wish you both all the best.

Wow, this is amazing. This morning I started out by thinking maybe my mom would like a wooden spoon for Christmas, and now I'm here watching this hoping that when COVID is under control I can take a spoon carving class.

It was an absolute joy watching this.

your explanation on how to handle the checks and still get a good piece of carving wood out of it is what made me instantly subscribe to your channel. well done

There are so many techniques out there, but this one just talks to me as true. Love it.

Wow! A fine job of carving and explaining the process. Thank you. It makes me want to have a go at it.

This is an excellent lesson. You are really a great teacher. Thank you very much!!!

I’ve done a lot of wood carving with mallet and chips and knives but I never thought to use A hatchetThat’s a wonderful thing thank you I will have to try it

When I sell or gift a turning of mine I represent it as hand made. My logic for the past 35 years has been that the chisels and gouges are held and manipulated by my free form hands. The lathe merely spins the stock. I've always been a bit smug about that. After watching just two of your videos I'm reconsidering that claim and will definitely loose my undeserved smugness!.😉😉😉You are a Master Carver sir! Wakodahatchee Chris

I have much respect for a craftsman's work or works of art.

That was really great. You're an excellent teacher.

Wow I thought you took about 30 minutes or so to carve the spoon, then I realized the video was an hour and sixteen minutes long. Time flies when you are watching or doing something that grabs your interest. Really enjoyed the video and yes I hit that subscribe button.

Brilliant video and the camera person had their job near perfect. :)

Down in new-zealand watching your video carefully! Lots of things have been said thanks you so much for sharing your knowledge and your passion!!!

Such a comprehensive tutorial, Thank you very much! Enjoyed every second of it.

I found your video 2 years after it was uploaded. I’m looking for a spoon video because I’m having trouble with symmetry. You sir are a very good teacher. This video helped me to understand and apply what I learned successfully. Thank you very much for your help.

Watched the whole show. I will say I learned more here than any other channel. So I'm now subscribed

Brilliant teaching and explanation skills! There are many craftsman in any areas of Life but so few of them can explain what they want to explain in simple particular fashion! 👏👏👏

I stumbled upon your channel through youtube "suggestions". You do an awesome job of explaining the processes and instilling your vision. "A systematic understanding of what it is we're doing" if only more people understood what that means. Anyway, I love your channel, I'm going to put it on auto play for a mini marathon and then go check out your Etsy.

I learned so much from watching that video! It’s not the first time I watch it and won’t be the last! Thank you! 👍

Absolutely wonderful instruction. Very useful.

You are such a good teacher. Thank you very much. I want to watch more of your stuff. I am hoping you have done or do a ladle spoon video.

At minute 28 you are working like a wild cowboy... 😂 Thanks for the good work!

Am very new to the craft. This was 1hr 16m of wonderful learning. To a contemplative, meditative level. Thank you. My Quest is just beginning!

Before I watch the video I want to say that I just received my wood carving kit today with a walnut spoon block. Excited to get started.

new alcohol poisioning game: take a shot every time he says "sight ridge" or "flow." but for real, great video. very informative. i thouroughly enjoyed it

Your videos are just full of excellent information! I've never seen someone who can carve out 3/4 of a spoon/ladle with a hatchet before. Incredible control. I've watched copious amounts of videos on spoon carving and all of that information goes out the window with just one of yours. Thank you for sharing your skills! PS- I didn't have a small scorp, so I took an old wrench I got for .25 cents at a flea market, the type with the round end and the other end is 3/4's open, I think they are called a mechanics wrench?? I turned it into a scorp. I cut off the end that had the 3/4 wrench end and then made a handle for it. The cut end was apoxyed into the handle. Then I took a rotary tool with a cylindrical stone bit and ground down the internal section until it was thin enough to put an edge on it. When I got it sharp enough I used it to carve out bowls on a spoon. It works great!

That was the most impressive hatchet carving I have ever seen. I can only guess how many hundreds of hours it took to get there. I love your channel!

I’m amazed that a spoon can be that aesthetically pleasing. Great great video

I am glad you explained how to understand what you are doing in one dimension from your eye's point of view. It is clear to me from watching, doing is how I learn mostly.

Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for all your tips especially safety... already had stitches twice in 2 weeks lol

Thank you so much for this great lesson!

Thank you so much for this life lesson!!! Love love love !!

Hi, this video was worth watching. I'm getting more into carving when I'm out doing bushcraft. Many thanks.

And again, BEAUTIFUL work!!! What I said on the bowl video. But hey, it does bear repeating if the product is as beautiful as this spoon is. Thank you for showing us, and also explaining to us all you do, and why you do it as such. You must be a teacher, either in this life or your last one? I just find your videos to be so calming and most of that is because of your explaining things in such a calm and quiet voice. Thanks!!!