Five tips for better finishing cuts | Understanding Knife-Finish | Greenwood spoon carving tips (#4)

00:00 - #1: Moisture Content
00:52 - #2: Sharp Tools
02:16 - #3: Light cuts
04:43 - #4: Take your time!
07:20 - Importance of natural light
08:50 - handle facets
11:40 - Outside rim of the bowl
12:30 - Cleaning up small jaggies - bottom of the bowl
13:10 - Handle symmetry
14:20 - Chamfers
17:13 - #5 Burnishing and oil/wax finish
A good knife-finish is something that baffles most newcomers to spooncarving. It takes a lot of practice to achieve, so lets put away the sandpaper, and here are five tips to help you along your way!
If you're practicing your knife finish and it just isn't turning out how you like, it's time to accept the spoon as it is, and move onto the next one with lessons learned. My advice is to not be precious or fuss endlessly over your spoons - each one is a learning opportunity and the next will be better.
I've talked through my whole finishing process in this video, while I work on a black birch long handled teaspoon / parfait spoon. Check my previous videos on sharpening if you need a brush up.
The biggest takeaway from this video should be to keep your knives as sharp as you can get them, and to do your final cuts in good natural light.
Happy carving!

[@andreakirkby]

I have found this video just when I needed it.Really well explained and will help me get my spoons looking less rough and much more elegant.

[@matthewowen8676]

The best detailed spoon I've ever witnessed. Truly fine honed skill.i just started carving two months ago and struggle a bit. This is very inspiring. Thank you for sharing your experience

[@diannakessler2745]

What kind of open curve knife are you using? Absolutely superb video and instruction. Thank you so much for sharing

[@curiousgeorge555]

Watched again. Good stuff!

[@AlbertaPepper]

Thank you so much, I was really struggling with my finishing cuts. I feel a lot more confident now and will try to employ these tricks.

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Great!

[@Menelaz]

Probably the thinnest spoon I've seen, great work! You got me frightened a few time seeing how much it was bending, I've broke a few spoons before whilst finishing myself. Gotta train that delicate touch

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Haha, I've carved thinner! This one is just about at the limit of practicality though! I break spoons all the time, it's just part of the rub if you want to push the limits of your skills.

[@rickschuman2926]

I scrape everything (including tool marks) smooth and burnish.

[@ronmccarty7537]

What an absolutely fantastic video! Superb instruction! Thank you!

[@margotjerome2738]

Great video on finishing - just what I needed.

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Thanks Margot, very happy to be of help!

[@vibesmom]

Excellent video, very helpful and detailed. Thank you!

[@davidholm3350]

Great video! Very informative. I really need to get myself an open curve spoon knife.

[@jaymurphy9127]

Thanks for the very informative video mate !

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Glad you found it helpful :~)

[@Haasteublift]

Really nice video, useful and nice to listen to with your calm voice, thanks for sharing your process. Can i ask you what are your 3 knifes we see in there? the blades look great!

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Thanks! The two hook knives are from Peter Trott @von_trott and the sloyd knife was custom for me from Timothy Henry @timothy.j.henry (on instagram)

[@andreasheij]

I was looking for a way to get my bowl rims a bit more consise.... Still need quite some more practice. This video realy helps I hope. :-)

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Thanks Andreas

[@mycophil]

If burning the wood (pyrography), would you recommend doing that before or after oiling it? Great video, super helpful and informative

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Before

[@mycophil]

I ended up going ahead and burning after oiling, before I'd read your comment. Worked out great though!

[@Max-yv3ok]

Great video, and channel! Deserves more views, will you do kolrosning? Have done some but would nice to see how someone else does it.

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Thanks! I'm a beginner at kolrosing myself, but I can share what I know.

[@ArtGirlJan]

I see a broom straw burnishing tool on your table. Would you show how to use it? I have one but think I am clueless about what to do with it. Edit: Oops. Commented too soon. Boy, was I using the corn broom burnisher wrong!!!

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

😂

[@curiousgeorge555]

Excellent tutorial! What is the finishing knife you use?

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Thanks, I now use the same Adam Ashworth 10cm sloyd blade for everything.

[@griffedwards9159]

Brilliant video, I am trying to learn how to sharpen my Mora 164. Should I sharpen the inside with a dowel or the outside?

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

You can see the method I use on my video 'how to sharpen a hook knife' '

[@griffedwards9159]

@@jones_trees_and_treen Thank you, but the knife in that video has a different grind to the one that I use. Mine has a flat back with two bevels on the front as yours appears to have rails. Is the technique the same?

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

I use the same technique, it just takes longer on a knife without rails. I only sharpen the inside, and strop the outside to remove the burr.

[@griffedwards9159]

@@jones_trees_and_treen Thank you!