Homemade Wooden-Handled Flatware

Sources for Handmade Flatware

• As with most hand-crafted items, hand-carved wooden flatware is typically harder to find through major vendors. Don't entirely discount general houseware shops, but center your search around craft markets and independent gift shops. For example, Chicago's chic Branca Boutique (branca.com) sells distinctively hand-carved spoons, forks and knives as one of the store's own flatware lines. Online sources such as etsy.com offer access to artisan carvers from around the world. If you're open to second-hand collectible items, check the listings of bidding-based vendors such as ebay.com.

Carving Flatware Handles

• If you're new to carving, flatware handles provide a relatively simple project, ideal for practicing your new hobby. To simply practice your whittling technique, you may find it simplest to start with all-wood utensils, such as salad tongs, spatulas or serving spoons. As you progress, you can also design wooden handles to fit into ready-made spoon bowls or knife blades. The standard technique requires you to make two flat, equally-sized strips, then to sandwich them together around the base of the utensil. Depending on your particular design, you might use a wooden or metal peg to hold the two halves together. Careful sanding is usually necessary afterwards to ensure that the flatware is comfortable in the hand.

Care

• It's generally advisable to keep your wooden utensils out of the dishwasher, simply washing them with hot water and a gentle dish detergent. Instead of leaving a wooden utensil to soak, simply scrub it down gently, rinse, then leave it to air dry. Depending on the finish of the wood on your flatware, you may occasionally wish to oil them to restore their original luster. When you oil, use a soft cloth to vigorously rub the entire wooden part of each utensil until there are no more shiny areas. Otherwise, unabsorbed oils will pool at the surface, creating an uneven and blotchy pattern or coming off on your fingertips and tablecloth.

Popular Woods

• Wooden cutlery may come in a virtually endless variety of woods, from cherry to birch to bamboo. Bamboo enjoys particular popularity for shoppers in search of the greenest products. Given bamboo's rapid growth, its wood ranks high among the most easily renewable materials for flatware.