Full Circle

A good portion of my foundation, inspiration, and knowledge of carving were forged at the YouTube University of Crafts, Cats, & Controversy, a place of many educational delights and unfortunately way more un-educational horrors. 

Over time, perusing hundreds of videos it’s possible to find some real gems. Integrity, shown through deep explanations of techniques, stories of the tutors mistakes and growth, and of course the finished item. Be that a sharp Axe, or a beautiful spoon.

I found a fantastic group of creators sharing top notch advice, showcasing what is possible and what to avoid. One in particular stood out from the rest and that was Zed Outdoors. Zed has travelled the length of the country filming who I consider among the UK’s best spoon carvers, pole lathe turners, amongst a wealth of bushcraft experts and other crafts. Zed has created what is undoubtably the best free online video resource within this ever growing field. The mixture of advice and techniques within the spoon carving videos is vast. I strongly suggest watching every video he’s shot that is relevant to your interest, and then go and binge the rest, what’s to lose!

Earlier this year I had the honour of being filmed by Zed at the beautiful Bedfords Park Walled Garden, where I hold the Essex APTGW meets. We shot 3 videos. The first, during the heatwave in July captured in depth the carving of an eating spoon. Later, in early autumn we made two other shorter videos, a simple butter spreader and a small salt bowl.

I feel incredibly blessed to have experienced a full circle of learning, growing, and ultimately giving back to the source. I really hope my contribution helps at least one person to grow and enjoy their own woody journey.  It’s a lifelong journey too, everyday there’s more to learn, objects to make, connections, friends, and of course a lot of tools. Be warned!

I’ve met, learnt from and made friends with a lot of amazing carvers over time, but the list below are those who I encountered at the start of my journey, most via Zed’s videos and some through their own portals or in person. Huge thanks to them for getting me started in the correct lane.

Lee Stoffer, Adam Hawker, Maximilian Neukäufler, Alex Yerks, Paul Adamson, Chris Allen, Jill Swan, Anna Casserley, Martin Hazel.