Hand carved wood ladle, store wooden serving ladle, 1/2 cup measuring spoon, handmade wood spoon, Bigleaf maple wood ladle, SS18

Truly a functional work of art, this serving ladle was carved from a large crook of Bigleaf Maple. Sporting a generous almost-1/2 C capacity and a sinuous, curving handle, the ladle is thin, lightweight, and elegant.

Wood: Dark Heart Bigleaf Maple
Type: Ladle
Dimensions: 16" x 3 x 2.5"
Capacity: shy 1/2c

THE PROCESS: FROM LOG TO SPOON


I carve my spoons from green wood, most of which I collect within a mile of my home, just outside of Portland, OR. I use traditional hand tools such as a hatchet, straight knife, hook knife & gouge to create my spoons - no power tools are necessary. 


Since fresh cut green wood has a much higher moisture content than dry, seasoned wood, spoons carved from green store wood must be allowed to dry thoroughly before they can be finished and used. This can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the thickness of the spoon and how long ago the wood was cut. 


Once the spoon has dried, I carefully sand it up to 600 grit to ensure that it is silky smooth, then polish with Carnauba wax. 


CARE & MAINTENANCE OF WOODEN SPOONS


With proper care, there's no reason that your spoon shouldn't last a lifetime or more. The cardinal rule of keeping your wooden spoons happy is DON'T PUT THEM IN THE DISHWASHER. Instead, simply hand wash your wooden spoons with warm soapy water, then allow to dry completely. 


 With repeated use, your spoon will inevitably lose some of the lustre of its original finish. A quick and easy way to restore some of this sheen is to periodically treat your spoon with a food safe wood conditioner such as Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner.