Table of Contents
What wood is used for kuksa?
Birch is an ideal kuksa wood and is historically the most common wood used for this purpose. The ultimate kuksa wood is a birch burl that has the same curvature as the cup you are going to carve, but other woods can be used as well.
What do you need to make a kuksa?
Kuksa carving is basic craftwork. All you need is a saw to cut the burl, a hatchet to rawshape, a knife (traditionally a ‘puukko’ or a special ‘crooked knife’) to dig it out and some sandpaper to fineshape. Basic craftwork, everyone can do it.
Should I carve green wood or dry wood?
Although carving wood dry is harder, the likelihood of dry wood to crack open is much lower as it does not hold moisture, making dry wood the preferred state of wood for carving. Green wood is however preferred when using very hard woods that are difficult to carve such as apple or alder.
Is birch good for carving?
Birch is perhaps my favourite wood to carve. While green, the wood is easy to cut, but close grained enough that when dry it gives a fantastically smooth finish. Most of the time I carve spoons in batches, repeating the same cuts on each piece of wood before moving onto different cuts.
What is kuksa cup?
A kuksa is a wooden cup made of birch burl. These mugs are made with true craftsmanship following the ancient tradition of the indigenous Sámi people of Lapland. The ‘Kuksa’ name derives from Finnish, and can be also called Guksi (Sámi) or Kåsa (Swedish).
How big is a Kuksa?
You can find tiny little kuksas or ones big enough to use as a soup bowl. Most common size is around one cup. Kuksa is great for for hiking, camping, kitchen, outdoors or a gift!.
What is a burl cup?
The kuksa is a hand carved drinking cupmade from birch burl. Laplanders have a personal Kuksa that stays with them throughout their lifetime and has been used by Laplanders for as long as anyone can remember. They use it for everything they drink; coffee, tea, vodka and water from the stream.
Is Red Cedar good for carving?
In short, Cedar can be used for carving. However, only a few types of cedar, like Eastern Red Cedar, Yellow Cedar, and Eastern White Cedar are good for carving and Cedarwood can´t be used to carve integrate details and it is hard to get a smooth finish because of its loose open grains.
Should you soak wood before carving?
Soaking Wood In Water. Carving the wood after soaking it in water is not quite the same as carving it green, but it is also much easier to carve than if it was rock solid and dry. For this method, all you have to do is leave the wood in water for 2 days and wait for it to be a little softer.
What happens if you carve wet wood?
Carving wet wood is easier than carving it dry as the moisture in the wood allows the knife to glide through the wood easier. By wetting the wood down before carving will make for a more enjoyable carving experience.
Is Pine good for carving?
A Clean piece of White Pine is generally best for carving. It is also very easy to machine and one of the best woods for chainsaw carving. So when you want to carve Pine I would generally recommend staying away from any variants other than White Pine if you want to keep your sanity.
Is Oak easy to carve?
Oak is also a popular wood for carving, with a range of features that make it almost ideal. It is a strong and sturdy wood. With power you can more easily carve a hard wood and get great detail while the same hard wood might be very frustrating for a hand carver. So choose accordingly.
Can I use a Dremel to carve wood?
A Dremel tool has a rotating head with interchangeable bits that you can use to cut and carve a variety of materials. If you want to carve designs or letters into a piece of wood, a Dremel tool will easily cut through the material and make intricate lines.
How do you care for a Kuksa cup?
Kuksa Cup Care Tips Hand wash & dry it before initial use. Oil Regularly: Dry wood has a tendency to crack, so keep you Kuksa oiled up to avoid this. No extreme temperatures: Give your boiling liquids a few minutes to cool down before pouring it into your Kuksa. Also avoid microwaves and dishwashers.
Should I boil my Kuksa?
Sanding sponges- grades 180 and 240 for fine sanding. Pan, salt and water- to boil kuksa to remove tannins from the wood. Oil, cloth- i used olive oil as it doesn’t contaminate whatever you have in the cup, unlike linseed.
What can I use to seal a wooden cup?
Protect your wooden cup with oil, as an alternative to sealant. Redo the the oiling process frequently, because it is not a permanent waterproofing solution. However, oil does endow wood with an appealing aesthetic quality. Linseed, Danish, teak and mineral oils are all ideal for wood products.
How do you clean a kuksa?
Cleaning Care Washing by hand with warm soapy water. Wipe with a soft sponge. Drip dry, to prevent wood from absorbing water. Don’t leave to soak. NOT suitable for the dishwasher of course.
What do you call a wooden cup?
So what is a kuksa and what’s so special about it? It is a wooden cup that has almost sacred status among traditional hikers, bushcrafters, fell-goers and so on.
What is a birch burl?
Burls, spherical woody growths on the trunks of spruce, birch and other trees, are commonly found throughout wooded parts of Alaska. Many are removed from trees and used for furniture making and for decorative roof or mailbox supports or just to set out in the yard as curiosities.
What is wood twist?
twist or wind: a distortion in which the two ends do not lie on the same plane.
What can I make with a burl?
A single burl block can be resawn and mounted on a substrate to make a small-to-medium sized veneered panel, or added as an inlay into a larger project to contribute visual interest. Luthiers often use burl tops for guitar bodies or headstocks, and turners love burl pieces to make smaller items like pen blanks.
