wooden bowl carving

I love carved wooden bowls. In Scandinavia there is a long tradition of bowl carving and it is commonly taught as a green woodworking course. What could be nicer than over a few days hewing a gorgeous wooden bowl from a log and then having it to use at home for many years to come.

Whilst in Germany I carved a few bowls and spoons to leave behind as presents but also to try out Michail’s bowl carving blocks and his wonderful old adze.

Bowl carving adzes are uncommon tools and a good one is very hard to find, I have tried quite a few now and this was a beauty.

A few people offer bowl carving courses in the UK but not in the same way as we have seen in Scandinavia. Probably the best known in Guy Mallinson who runs popular courses in Dorset http://www.mallinson.co.uk/carve.html A gorgeous venue but I don’t like the technique of using chainsaw cuts across the grain to start the hollowing, I prefer to teach only techniques that people can replicate at home. The Scandinavian style bowls work much better as a design for carving by hand too, these are two that I carved in Germany from bird cherry.


I hope eventually to offer bowl carving courses if there is interest. In Sweden Saterglantan is the place here or in the US Drew Langsner runs bowl carving courses in the Scandinavian style here.

And now I have to share a few gratuitous carved bowl pictures.