After everything has been tempered in boiling water, it is allowed to dry thoroughly and then given a fine sanding. At this point, I touch up the bowls and any obstinate patches.
At last, the spoons, forks, and spatulas are given a final wet sanding using mineral oil. I use a “wet and dry” 400 grit sandpaper for this final stage.
Everything is allowed to sit for a day, carefully wiped down, washed off to remove any sawdust, and given a final generous coat of mineral oil.
Sometime after that, I wipe them down again a final time before they are stored.
No, the process is not as simple as carving out a blank—there is actually a good bit of work involved. That’s why a hand-carved spoon can’t be purchased for the same price as that machine-made one you bought at the up-scale big box cooking store.
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These are beautiful, Lou. The function and form is well worth the price I pay at shows for these workhorses.
I hope so.
Also no two are alike. The stuff in the big box stores are one size fits all. Look through this batch and you’ll find family resemblances, but identical pairs.
They are lovely.