The next job is to start removing some material from the upper (bark) surface. Essentially, we will be working down from the top of the handle towards the bowl, but first remove 2 or 3 inches worth of material from the top end so that the chopping will be done well below where the fingers will be holding the blank.
As mentioned before, we are just skimming the bark off at the shaft of the handle. This first cut can continue right over the bowl to remove the rounded surface. Be careful though not to cut too deeply and thin the material we have left to form the bowl.
I'm now going to remove more material from the handle and start to delineate where the bowl will be. I've marked on the blank where I will be chopping. Note the first chops must be working AWAY from the bowl, otherwise there is a strong possibility of cleaving off the side of the bowl and creating firewood!
Note how I'm supporting the blank on an edge directly below where I'm chopping in.
Now I can work down the handle, being careful only to lever out severed fibres so that the aforementioned cleaving is avoided.
The basic shape of the spoon blank is now starting to emerge but there is still more axe work to to to remove as much material as possible before moving on to the refining tools.
JM
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