This is either the best spoon I’ve yet made, or the largest. I think it’s both, but I should have been using my good glasses while making it because I missed a hairline crack on the end of the handle, only spotting it toward the final finishing phase. While it isn’t striking for its design or shape as some of the others might be, it is a very well balanced, solid and generally fine spoon.
The piece of cocobolo was another one of medium density, perhaps on the slightly harder side, but far from the hardest. The photos don’t quite reveal the colors, but there is orange and yellow present with the standard browns and blacks.
Despite the size, which is over 16 inches, the handle is nicely tapered and elegant. The bowl is large and deep, enough to I suspect, hold half a can of beans.
It is exceedingly well balanced in the hand, with a proper appetite. This isn’t a spoon you’ll have to dip many times to procure a generous serving.
Although not readily visible, I was highly disappointed to discover a hairline crack in the handle near the very end. I doubt it will affect the spoon or cause issue, but I had been hoping to insist on a fair price in exchange for this spoon. By ‘fair price’, I mean factoring my time, cost of materials, supplies and the final result — if all considered, which even at $75, would have me paid somewhere near $15 per hour. The cost of cocobolo makes it a poor choice for selling, but a great one for aesthetics. It’s also pleasant to work with, until it’s time to sand.
The little shop that had been offering my small pieces (mostly made from scraps), had spoons, art and chopsticks. All pieces are on the honor system and range from free to whatever someone wishes to pay. Not much sells, but that might have to do with the context of the shop, which is not art or kitchenware. Of these items, I had a few things that were explicitly marked as free, one of them being really short cocobolo chopsticks, which someone insisted on paying for and using as hairpins. This got me thinking, because lately, I’ve had trouble with the practice (thinking) without some form of nudge.
I have begun crafting hairpins. All have vanished into hands of others but one, which was based on a concept that seemed probable to fail. Caricatures, faces and other detail oriented features tend to be time-consuming and are not yet my strong point. But I went with it anyway and found the results pleasing enough for a first attempt.
The concept is abstract, consisting of a slightly risque female figure with long legs, some kind of face, hair and a very salient arse. If I stick with this idea, later versions will certainly improve. What is needed is a balance of well executed but limited detail, with an end result that doesn’t require a description. It’s close, though there’s plenty room for improvement. As for functionality, they work well and have been tested on willing subjects.
I need some coaching on faces, something I have trouble with and have never well understood. Practice may suffice, though guidance would be ideal. I need a mentor.