Kuksa Carving (for Lazy Carvers)

Wazza kuksa?!

A kuksa is the traditional wooden cup made & used by the Sami people in Lappland - northern Scandinavia. Traditionally they are made of birch burls - kind of halfround three growths you'll find on a number of species but particularly on birch.
Those burls ('broussin' in French) grow as a reaction on a stress - can be an injury, a virus or a fungus - compare it to a tumor as you want. The wood in those burls has no traditional growth rings and is very dense.
Kuksa's are beautiful pieces of art. Not one kuksa is the same bacause the shape of a kuksa depends on the shape of the burl.

For years I planned making one my own, but until a few weeks ago I didn't got the chance to find the right burl.
Until a few weeks ago, so.
I found a lovely burl on a dead olive three, making me the luckiest person on earth - at that moment.

So I started carving.

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.
But, I forgot one other thing you need: PATIENCE.

I've got a wife to love, a crazy dog, some even more crazier cats, unconventional parents, some great friends, a good health, a mind filled with crazy plans and two hands to realize them. I've got it all.
But I've got no patience.

So instead of making a kuksa with a knife I made some shortcuts - as always.

Sorry to all those who claim that a kuksa shouldn't be made with power tools. This I'ble is no propaganda for the use of electric power, it's just the way bricobart did it. Free to decide.

The hardest thing in kuksa carving is finding the burl. Or better: finding the RIGHT burl.
In northern countries this might be quite an easy job. Burls are very common on birch, for example.
If you're spending a lot of time in southern spots the task becomes a bit more complicated, and almost impossible if you're looking for THAT species in particular like me.

I wanted to make my first kuksa in olive. Hundreds of trees I inspected before - after three years (!) - finding my luck on a dead olive tree in the outback of south France.

The first pictures are from the dead tree and so the one who served to make this kuksa, the second series are from a truly alive 'n very kicking tree where I could harvest two beautiful burls. In full city center, no kidding!!!

When you're cutting off a burl from a tree that's still alive, make sure to harvest it properly. Use a handsaw, make a proper cut and put a lot of woundcare (pine tar is perfect) on the wound. The wound will heal, and the tree will live as before.

NOTES:

• DON'T FORGET TO CUT THE BASE OF THE BURL, this part will serve as handle!!!
• TRY TO HARVEST IN SUMMER OR AUTUMN! During wintertime the sapstream slows down and the wound will heal a lot slower - opening the door to infections. In summer & autumn the tree is at full power and with the help of the pine tar the wound will heal quickly.

Fresh wood is softer and thus easier to carve than dried wood. If you don't have the time to carve the burl immediatly, cover it with bees wax or polyurethane glue to slow the drying process. Fast drying will surely split the wood, and destroy the burl. Let it dry in a well ventilated place for a few months up to a year - until the day you'll decide that it's ready to go.

NOTE: If you're working with a 'fresh' burl, don't forget to store it in a plastic bag every time you take a break, just to avoid splitting, again.

I used an angle shaper with big grain (40 to 60) to rawshape the burl. Be careful, the disc makes no difference between wood & meat.
Give it the shape you want, carefully looking to the opportunites the burl is giving you.

Traditionnal kuksa carving is in fresh wood. The fresher the wood the easier it's shapeble.

Having no patience to dig it out with a chisel or a knife, I decided to give it a try with a router.
Routering was fine, but didn't give the smooth rounded inner cupshape I wanted.

So I made my own tool: THE LAZY CARVER (see my next I'ble).

Lazy Carver did a great job. Fixed to a column drill and turning at high speed it took only 10 minutes to carve an almost perfect bowl.

NOTE: BE CAREFUL WITH THIS TOY. NO NEED TO TELL TO HOLD THE KUKSA WITH BOTH HANDS, WEARING GLOVES ETC. IT'S A MONSTER!!!

Use grain 80 to 120 to give it 80% of it's shape.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
...

When the rawsanding is done the protokuksa is boiled in very very salted water for an hour or so. This will evacuate the tanines (bad taste) and will densify the wood.

Rinse with clear water & let dry.

Only 20% to go!

Starting with grain 80 & gowing from 120, 180, 240, 320, 400 to 600 & 800.

Even if it's called 'lazy carving' you'll spend hours & hours in this step...

The easiest part: fill your kuksa with vegetal oil (lineseed or olive - guess what I used) and 'massage' it strongly.
Wipe the excess, let it penetrate and start it all over again a few times.

After the oiling your kuksa will be ready, finally!!!

Ready to be used! It will be a great companion on all your adventures and serve you as long as you live.

Treat it with respect, it's so much more than just a cup...


Hope you loved this I'ble - I spent a great time carving ;-)