Cedar Spoon Advice Anyone?
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- This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 2 months ago by StephenG.
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Hi Folks,
Backstory first… I just finished framing a house today for a family whom I really like. One of the last jobs I did was to fit some solid cedar timbers under the front porch roof beams and I have a couple of 2 foot offcuts. I’d like to make them a salad bowl and a couple of servers from them as a house warming gift when the time comes for them to move in.
My question is about using cedar to make utensils and, particularly what type of cut would make for either the most attractive or long-lasting utensil. The timbers are a full 6″ x 10″ from pretty much the center of the tree. To make a couple of salad servers I have my choice as to whatever way to saw them. Plenty of meat to quarter saw or any other type of cut.
So, what would be the best way? Longevity is probably a greater concern than looking good. The grain isn’t particularly tight, but it’s clear. The timbers are super dry (seasoned outdoors in Alberta for two years). If anyone has any experience working cedar like this I’d appreciate you sharing your thoughts and knowledge. I’ve built a lot of decks out of cedar but have never fashioned or carved anything from it with hand tools.
Thanks for reading
cedar will be very easy to carve, might actually be a bit too soft for a utensil, and I’d be concerned about the handle snapping or weakness in that area.
I prefer tight grained hardwoods like maple, sycamore, cherry, pear, poplar and beech, they will last a lot longer for sure and they suit kitchen utensils.
If all I had was cedar then I’d just use it to be honest, don’t worry too much, use what you’ve got as long as it’s not toxic.
good luck!
- This reply was modified 6 years, 3 months ago by btyreman.
I’m not saying cedar’s toxic, it isn’t, was just saying that you should avoid other toxic woods for example yew, rosewood, mahogany, bubinga, iroko, some people can have a bad reaction to them, it’s always best to be safe when making anything to do with kitchen utensils or chopping boards.
what kind of cedar is it? cedar of lebanon, american red cedar? or another species, regards, Ben.
28 January 2018 at 7:37 pm #455443I’ve carved a couple of spoons of Western red cedar ( actually a cypres) and California white cedar(aka inscense cedar). I wouldn’t recommend them for wet foods. They both impart a taste. Not unpleasant, but not the food you are eating.(Suck on a pencil to taste California white cedar)
So I shellacked them and use them for decoration and salt and sugar.
They carve like butter, though. And if you orient the straight grain properly, the bowls have nice concentric rings in the grain.
Here’s the Wood Database toxicity chart.
Note some woods commonly used for wooden ware are on the list.
( Myrtle, Olive)- This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Larry Geib.
Thanks guys, I’m not sure of the exact type of cedar. All I know is it was grown near Calgary, Alberta.
I suppose I’m not too attached to the idea of making utensils. The only thing I’m attached to is using the wood from their home. I’ve got plenty material so there are a whole manner of things I could choose from. My first idea was influenced by the fact that it wouldn’t take me too long and I thought the missus of the house would really like it. I only finished building the house last week so there’s plenty time yet before they move in to come up with something.
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