How to hand carve a wooden spoon

Simple or fancy, a hand-carved spoon adds flair to your utensil collection. Spoon carving is something anyone can learn, and it can become a rewarding hobby. With a few simple tools and a few simple cuts, you can be on your way to carving an everyday utensil, a thoughtful gift or your next family heirloom.

Tools Required

Hook Knife

Straight Carving Knife

Materials Required

Wood blank

Meet the Expert

Charlie Eiler has been carving wood since he was six years old, teaching his first carving class at the ripe old age of 14. He’s now a lot older than that.

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One straight knife

For most of my carving projects, I use a straight knife like this Flexcut roughing knife. How a knife feels in your hand is more important than the brand. If you’re able, try before you buy.

One or two curved knives

For carving spoons, you need curved hook knives. The right-handed knife is pulled toward your body with your right hand or pushed with your left. The left-handed knife works the opposite way. You may want both to work with changes in grain direction.

Woodworking knives aren’t the same as sharpening regular knives. Carvers use a secret weapon to keep their knives sharper longer – a strop.

Make a habit of routinely drawing your blade on the strop as you carve and you won’t have to go to the stone nearly as often.

Pro tip: I use a little oil on my leather strop.

With a pencil, trace the pattern on a 20mm thick wood blank.

Pro tip: If your pattern doesn’t fit the wood blank, trace the top and bottom of the profile, then draw the stem to fit.

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A band saw makes this step a breeze, but you can do the rough cut with a scroll saw or even by hand with a coping saw. Cut as close to the line as you can.

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Carve the concave bowl of the spoon first. With a curved hook knife, start in the middle and work your way to 6mm from the edge.

Once you’ve carved the inside bowl to the desired depth, start shaping the outside with the straight knife. Leave the bottom about 6mm thick.

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Taking small cuts, trim the inside edge of the spoon bowl to create a thin lip.

Ease the edges on the back of the leaf with your straight knife. Use your opposing thumb to push the knife in short, repetitive cuts, creating a slightly rounded profile.

Cut a groove down the centre of the back with the knife tip. Draw it down one side, then come in from the opposite side to trim the “V” to the desired depth.