Replies

1. 
   Splintie | Jan 12, 2003 10:44pm | #1

   Depends on whether they are for decorative use or as a food delivery system. If the latter, the fine-grained woods like beech, cherry, and maple turn well and won't cleave in a narrow handle along a ring or ray like oak will. Avoid yew, walnut--more allergenic than the lighter woods. I've seen some beautiful exotic woods like purpleheart made into gorgeous spoons, but i don't know what percentage of the population is allergic to some of these woods. A friend of mine who makes flutes had to quit using bubinga for the embouchures and switched to solely using fruitwoods like pear and apple. He also had problems with rosewoods, which is a pretty commom allergy. From personal experience, i think you can rule chechen out as a contender, though it turns beautifully if you're making a decorative piece.  

2. 
   Shepherd1800 | Jan 13, 2003 01:55am | #2

   Olive wood makes nice spoons and has some folklore.  Sycamore isn't too bad for cooking or food spoons, not too stable.  Beech is good, again not too stable, but makes a nice spoon.  Dogwood is a decent wood for spoons.

   If you are going with decorative then almost any wood that can be easily worked will do.  For culinary purposes stay with those commonly used like maple, sycamore, beech, dogwood, white birch, willow, cottonwood are safe.  If the spoon is not left in the cooking pot for too long most of the exotics can be safely used.  Some may flavor or effect the soup, so use caution.

   Stephen Shepherd

   http://www.ilovewood.com

1. 
   bobhallsr | Jan 13, 2003 06:58am | #3

   One of the old sawyers here in Southern Maryland directed me to sweet gum for food utensels.  Has a clean white color with no flavor, resistant to splitting, and is closed grain.  It is inclined to extreem warpage while drying but doesnt seem to be  problem after it has dried and turned into spoons.

   BJGardening, cooking and woodworking in Southern Maryland

2. 
   ownersrep | Jan 15, 2003 03:05am | #4

   Stephen,

   Great Site!

   Jim