Lovespoons Wales

Not so long ago, I did a two day lovespoon carving demonstration.  When I go to these events, I take just about every chisel I can lay my hands on, as they are normally too far away to nip back to the workshop because I have forgotten a chisel.  I therefore go equiped for every possible outcome.

This then leads to the subject line - “how many chisels do I need to carve lovespoons?”  or “I would love to carve a lovespoon but I cannot afford all the chisels.”  These two comments are heard frequently during the event.

 The lovespoon below is there for a purpose.  When I have someone coming to the workshop to learn how to carve, the first spoon is really basic, so that a finished lovespoon can be finished as quickly as possible.  The second spoon is the one below. 

This lovespoon was designed to show that like the couple, the two halves are free to move independently of each other, but are held with in the safety of love. 

This spoon looks complicated, but can be carved using a gouge and a craft knife.  The gouge can be replaced with any tool that has a sharp curved edge.  Everyone I have taught has gone away with one the spoons below after their  day in the workshop.  It will probably need to be sanded when they get home, but they have carved the lovespoon.

So to answer the question, you can, at a push, get away with a gouge and a crart knife and carve perfectly acceptable Lovespoons.