Tree & Arbor Supplies

Zen and the Art of Spoon Carving

Sat, 07 Dec 2019 02:06:00 GMT

Learning About Spoon Carving From Customers

We have had quite a number of enquiries for our saws and axes over the last few years. And as you may know, when you checkout your purchase of a product on our site, you can’t actually pay for it. We call you back and have a chat to try and make sure that you get the right product to do the job.

Quite a few of those conversations have been with people who are buying a saw for collecting timber, or making a cut in the spoon to stop the axe splitting the whole length when shaping. They have also been looking at some of the Silky small axes and some have even been buying some of our big axes.

The video below is by Ben Orford and titled How To Carve a Spoon With Ben Orford . From what I have discovered on YouTube, Ben is well known and respected in the Spoon Carving community. After watching I can see why. The title picture is also an image from the video of Ben showing the knives he uses for whittling the spoon.

Chatting with Customers

Chats with clients have been quite inspiring and have made me find out a bit more about the very ancient art of spoon carving .

Like any investigation of something you don’t know, sometimes it leads to enchanting rabbit warrens that you dive into and don’t surface from for days. Not saying that I spend all day doing it, but whenever there’s a spare moment, you find yourself thinking about what you have learnt and looking up another aspect of spoon carving.

Which leads me to Zen. When you start your own search into spoon carving, you will find that the sites that really intrigue you have a story and a calmness. From blogs to youtube and even reddit. Of course I was particularly impressed with the use of a Gomboy on the Reddit post . There are over 90 piccies of his spoon from log to finished. This guy has only been spooning for about 18 months but has certainly got the bug.

Back To Zen

Some of you might be asking, “What is Zen really?” You have a vague idea about calmness, meditation and now is the moment, but what is a good definition? Of course Zen comes from the Japanese and you know that Silky Saws and Okatsune secateurs are created in Japan. Having visited Silky Japan a number of times, we have a bit of a fascination with the culture and quality of workmanship in their manufacturing. A lot of it harks back to their outlook on life and the Zen approach to concentration and being in the moment in their work.

From the website Zen Enlightenment

Mushin is the essence of Zen and Japanese martial arts. Mushin literally means the “mind without mind”, and it is commonly called “the state of no-mindedness”.

Mushin is at the core of Zen and Japanese martial arts . It is a state of mind where the mind is not fixed on or occupied by any thought or emotion and is thus connected to the Cosmos.

The Silky Nata Axe in single or double edge and the Silky Ono Hatchet

Talking about rabbit holes . Anyhoo, I discovered, when I looked at a lot of websites and videos, was that there were phrases such as “it is like a form of meditation when you are working on your spoon”

They use Green Wood?

When I first heard about spoon carving from a customer, I was quite intrigued. But I was confused because this client, when explaining about spoon carving, said that they used green wood. Well I have watched my father work with wood all my life. And from a small age, I learnt that most woodworking is done with dry wood so that the timber doesn’t warp, split and crack.

From my journeys into the the rabbit warren of spoon carving, I have found that spoon carvers prefer to use green wood. It is much easier to work with by hand. It also teaches them a skill to work with the wood and the grain and to take advantage of the natural warp and woof of the branch. This skill grows over time as you carve more spoons. You become the wood whisperer and the wood starts to whisper back.

I can’t say that I have experienced any wood whispering, but I have benefited from the tutelage of a child whisperer, and children definitely whisper back.

Australian Trees for Spoon Carving

The other thing about Australian trees is that they are a lot harder than trees on the other continents. This knowledge doesn’t come just from my father. Back in the early millennium, representatives from Silky Japan visited Australia and wanted to learn about the trees and working conditions. They took back over twenty tree samples and more sap samples to see what their effects were on Silky Saws. These experiences have lead to changes in saw and tooth design as well as steel composition for saws manufactured for Australia.

This quote from The Spoonsmith exemplifies Australian Trees for carving. When you read his post about Australian trees you find that there are gems to be found and ways to take advantage of them.

“And then there’s Australia. And it’s trunk-load of trees. It’s trunk-load of twisted, gnarly, tougher than steel trees.”

So if you have always wanted to tinker with wood, but didn’t know whether you wanted to invest a serious amount of money in a workshop, workshop equipment and tools… perhaps spoon carving would be the perfect entry point. For a couple of hundred bucks, you could have all the tools you need to achieve the serenity of The Castle. Or maybe you just want to be like Granny and enjoy some whittling.

Memorable Quote

One that really stuck was from a video The Simple Art of Spoon Carving

“I tend to do it either sitting at night, I used to sit at night by the fire and just carve spoons and in the summer I sit on the back porch and carve spoons

It’s a very meditative thing to do. If ever you’re watching someone do it you’ll find they could care less what you’re doing. And if you try to pull them away they would rather take one more cut. And that one more cut goes on for hours. It’s a very addictive way of working wood.”

Fascinating and Informative

It has been a fascinating tour through the Wonderland of Spoon Carving and has made me realize why the numerous people I have talked with have been seeking quality tools like the Silky small axes and of course the saws.

Now if I could just get Colin interested so that I could do a video of him shaping a spoon with a Silky Axe.

I’ll let you know how I go.

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Silky Genki Temagari

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 04:26:00 GMT

Silky Genki Temagari, the unknown bushcraft, 4WDing saw, with five different blade sizes from 30 to 50cm. Full tang handle and well designed carry case.

It is perfect for felling trees and cutting them UP rather than just pruning them. The angled neck gives a great cutting position that whistles through trunks and branches.

The extremely long blade, which has extra large teeth, cuts faster and effortlessly through the thickest branches, beams and tree trunks because you get more back and forth movement.

The Genki Temagari is easy to carry in the side of your backpack and can be used for path clearing or in wilderness areas where chainsaws are not allowed.

Watch the video for the complete rundown of all the features and some hints and tips on how to clean and care for your Genki.

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Brilliant solution to problem Possums!

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 06:41:00 GMT

You know, sometimes in this busy life we create for ourselves we forget that the only thing we have in this world is each other. Especially when someone cuts in front of you on the freeway while they are holding up a mobile phone to their left ear.

And then there are the special moments when you meet someone, engage in conversation, and realized that all you have to do is shutup and listen, because they are so interesting and enthusiastic that all your cares disappear for thirty to sixty minutes.

This happened to me recently when I met a “bush poet”, former cowboy, environmental warrior and animal lover who captivated my attention for quite a while in the showroom at Arborlab Tree Care Products.

And for those who know me, keeping me quiet for any length of time is a major accomplishment.

First of all, for the purpose of anonymity we will call this gentle-man (in the true sense of the word) YowieMark. (or YM for ease of typing) oh! don’t worry I’ll give him away later when I link to a poem he performs at the Maleny Music Festival. (it’s hilarious with more twists than a cut snake) Oh! that reminds me, I want to curate a list of the best Aussie expressions ever heard. The best one for me is “I’ve got to rattle my dags.” Which means get up and get moving. If you’ve ever heard an unshorn sheep get startled, you’ll know what it means.

Possum Boxes and other Insights

I have included, with YowieMark’s permission most of a follow up email to his visit that he sent. I have put some of his photos in the reply rather than as attachments.

Hi Nita, ( I had to include the good comments)

Thank you so much for your assistance today, very much appreciated, and always good to check out the product live and even “test-saw” to get a good idea of which Silky works best. I will certainly be back again in the future to grab one of the rigid units to complement my folding saws – and the little survival knife looks neat too! I look forward to testing the medium blade for the Silky Big Boy on some of the dryer harder stuff in the next couple of weeks. (and the gauntlets feel awesome too!)

Possum Territory

I thought I’d confirm with a couple of photos on the “possum box” idea for anyone who has trouble with the little furry fellas. I can’t remember where I saw the article originally, may have been the museum site or one of the wildlife websites, but I know I read somewhere that by installing a “possum box” this will establish a home for one female possum, who will then become territorial and chase other possums away, thus ensuring you will only ever have 1 (or 2 when she has a joey) possums in residence around your house. When her joey gets to a certain size, she will chase it out. They seem to kick the male joeys out earlier than female ones.

Possum Box

When Kath & I first moved in to our Woodford home, there were at least a dozen possums that constantly romped, bumped, banged and clanged all over our roof – we did have a lot of date palm trees close to the house then too, so these all used to be full of possums and bats. Nice to have wildlife around, but there are limits, especially when you like to have a bit of sleep!

Since I put in the possum box, I have only ever had the one possum, plus a new joey each year. I encouraged them to live in the box by leaving some fruit, usually grapes or bananas or bits of apple, in the box. Once they got used to me, they would take food from my hand. Old mum possum disappeared after 8 years (possibly to go off and pass away somewhere), but the box was reoccupied by another possum within a week or so. A couple of possums had a competition as to who would take over and after a short feisty snarling match, our current possum won. She has now had two joeys.

Taj Mahal

A possum box can be either constructed from wood or can even be just a bit of hollow timber (bit of an old branch or trunk) that can be built in, or against, or suspended from, a building or a tree in close proximity to the building. In my case, I have it on a shelf actually against our house wall – this was only because a possum used to stay in the little alcove between our old downstairs laundry roof and the newer patio roof that extends out above it (see the photos). I wanted to move them out of there, so now it is just used as a highway to get to the residential box. Originally, I just put a board from the alcove to the box for the possum to traverse, but then I got an interesting inspiration from an ebay advertisement. Or, if you listen to my wife Kath or my old mate Brenden, I went stark raving mad! There is now a cat play tower where the original box was, which the possums use to climb down to what is now the old box, or sometimes even sleep somewhere in the cat tower! I was accused of becoming a tree-hugging greenie hippie and going soft on a creature that, ten years prior, I would have shot and eaten! Perhaps I am just mellowing in my old age, but it is nice to share a residence with Australian wildlife.

We have a lot of birds, even a cheeky scrub turkey, and the occasional kangaroo and long-nosed bandicoot. The only thing Kath particularly objected to was the 3-metre carpet snake that lived for a while in our garage/shed. I called her Julie, she was quite docile and didn’t mind being handled, but that did nothing to endear her to Kath!

Anyway, I am prattling on a bit – sorry for the long-winded email – I have put a link to a recording on youtube of myself and my good friend Ian performing a poetic duet at the Maleny Music Festival hope you enjoy:

I bet you enjoyed this, I did. And I enjoyed the opportunity to share it with you. All comments are welcome. Send them by email if you wish to silkysaws@hotmail.com Title them Hair of The Dog and I will know immediately that you are chuckling and thinking about a chihuahua. So if you haven’t listened to the poem, you won’t know what I am talking about.

Take care and keep smiling and if you are after a fantastic tree lopper or arborist in Cairns, give Talitha or Alan a call. 07 4058 1873 or 0403 551 169

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Pruning Olive Trees

Tue, 28 May 2019 05:40:00 GMT

Who knew there was so much to learn about olives and what sort of saws are good to use when pruning olive trees. I don’t like olives and I always thought there were only 1 or 2 types of saws. As I said, who knew!

Apparently, because olive trees are evergreen, they will produce olives all year round. Did you know that olives shouldn’t be eaten directly from the tree because they are extremely bitter? They need to be processed with brine before they can be eaten. All olives start off green and then turn maroon or black as they ripen.

The following tools are the ones that have been tested and recommended by commercial olive tree growers.

Silky Gomtaro

AMAZING GENERAL PURPOSE PRUNING SAW! Have this saw on you at all times when pruning olive tree branches (medium-large branches).

Silky Sugoi 360mm

The Sugoi makes easy work of pruning any large limb and it’s out of the way when the scabbard is attached to your leg with the BONUS straps

Silky Root Cutting Saw

This is the saw you use when needing to trim the extra growth at the bottom of the tree because it won’t go blunt if you accidentally slip into the dirt.

CASTELLARI SECATEURS –

Light weight and strong, these secateurs have been designed in Italy for use when pruning olive trees.

TAIA Secateurs –

The hot-forged steel construction of these shears makes them very robust. Thanks to the double blade, these shears are ideal for use with fruit trees, providing precise and clear cuts that prevent bark scarring or the creation of new sprouts .

B12 Secateurs – Double-blade shears with an interchangeable cutting unit

The aluminium handles and high- percentage carbon steel blades are hot-forged. The traditional grinding face with its flat back is ideal for close and precise cuts, while the branch blocking plate speeds up pruning operations.

UNIVERSALE Secateurs –

Kick-back on the wrist is prevented by the striking shears and their curved shape allows the user to keep the branch still during cutting. The universal grip of the shears allows both right-handed and left-handed operators to use them. As the name suggests, these secateurs are suitable fruit harvesting and general gardening.

Ergonomic Secateurs –

The ergonomic grip and cutting head, when aligned with the branch, allows the wrist to maintain a natural position, thus reducing the effort used by the operator during cutting operations. The curved shape allows the user to grip the branch during cutting.

And I thought there were only 1 or 2 types of saws and secateurs! Here’s to the next blog when I’ll learn a whole lot more about gardening. Until now, the closest I have come to being a gardener is my maiden name(Gardner).

PS If you are after a professional arborist/lopper in Cairns don’t hesitate to contact Talitha or Alan on 0403 551 169 .

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Knowing Your Teeth

Tue, 28 May 2019 05:38:00 GMT

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Silky Gomtaro Hand Saw

Thu, 02 May 2019 08:46:00 GMT

If you want beauty and quality look no further.

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WORLD’S BEST SAWS!!!

Thu, 02 May 2019 08:45:00 GMT

Crafted in Japan by a company that has specialised in this industry since 1919. Their research has produced an extensive range of saws with a superb cutting ability.

They are made from the best materials and undergo rigorous quality controls. ALL parts are replaceable and can be purchased at a reasonable cost from our Brisbane or Cairns store which we can ship to you overnight.

Replacement nuts and bolts

Replacement saw heads

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SAW NOT WORKING?

Thu, 02 May 2019 08:43:00 GMT

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KEEPING A SILKY SAW CLEAN

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 06:56:00 GMT

STOP THE RUST TODAY! When pruning, we recommend using an anti-bacterial spray like EASy Spray on your tools. This keeps your saw free from sap build up and prevents the spread of disease.

Good hygiene practice with your tools prevents cross contamination and the spread of disease.

A build up of resin can lead to rust which SLOWS DOWN the cutting ability of the BLADE, and if additional force is applied during the cutting, then you might bend or break your tool.

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PRUNE PALM TREES?FORESTER POLE SAW:

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 06:29:00 GMT

Are you after a saw that can prune palm trees and reach high into trees or palms?

We all know red cars go faster and red Silky Saws must go faster too! This pole saw has ALL the qualities that a home gardener needs! Professional arborists / tree loppers have a soft spot for the Forester and love it to bits! But then again, who doesn’t love a lightweight, easy to use saw that you can use when climbing a tree!

It is a lightweight pole saw, but still really strong – you can even climb up a tree with it!

It can transform into a hand saw! (Not by itself, but with your help)

Our facebook page has some great examples of these pole saws at work. treearrangments & nqtrees facebook page .

If you decide that to prune palm trees is difficult, because they are too high or too big, then we can do the job for you. We ensure that it is done properly and will also give you an assessment of the palms health and any measures that need to be taken to ensure they stay healthy.

Call Talitha on 0408 581 873 for advice and a quote.

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Deejo Knives

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 01:12:00 GMT

If you want beauty and quality look no further.

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Tree Lopper Cairns

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 01:10:00 GMT

Who or what is a tree lopper anyway? Tree lopper Cairns

Common misunderstandings

Tree lopper or arborist

Ok I agree, nobody in the arbor industry likes the term Tree Lopper. However everyone in the world knows what it means and what, in their mind, a tree lopper is.

To some of the industry people, the word tree lopper describes someone who doesn’t know anything about how to shape and prune a tree, or maintain it. A tree lopper is an insensitive cretin and all they do is reduce the height of a tree to what the client wants without taking into account anything regarding the health or benefit or non-benefit to the tree. (You and me know that’s not true and that there are some excellent tree loppers out there that know as much about trees as any university trained tree surgeon. Like any industry there is good and bad – we’re human).

They’re Annoyed

They are also annoyed that anyone can be a tree lopper without going through the learning and levels of accreditation required so they can say on their website that they are an accredited Level 1,2,3,4, arboriculturist.

It’s all perception. You have the public on one hand who want a tree removed or reduced in height, who over many years have become accustomed to the term tree lopper as someone who does this job. And the people in the industry who feel that tree lopper is a “dirty word”.

Arborist or Arboriculturist

The funny thing is the term they first came up with is arboriculturist as their defining moniker. Which nobody could pronounce, let alone spell. I mean, I thought it was arborculturalist until I decided to look it up and had to change the spelling where I had written it. I reckon the term came from the States as they are quite particular that they don’t have a description, that in their eyes demeans them.

Aussies aren’t as particular, though there is a bias toward not being called tree loppers. The closest we can get to arboriculturist though is arborist. Which I am sure came about because of the Aussie way of shortening every name. There’s no y on the end though.

It’s like calling a gum tree

Scientific name : Eucalyptus deglupta

Order : Myrtales

Kingdom : Plantae

They are not Photo-shopped

We know it as a Rainbow Gum . Which by the way I only found out about recently and thought it was a photo-shopped piccie.

So I have got some growing in our nursery and one day I will have them up on the site and you will be able to purchase one if you so desire. They are a big tree though and you will probably need me as your arborist to keep it under control and growing the way you want it. Gotta keep ourselves in business somehow.

Ok, I got off track, but I hope you got the gist of what I am trying to say. We are certified arborists, but we don’t mind being called tree loppers.

If you are interested in trees and the progress at our nursery, make sure you add your name to the mailing list. You will get infrequent emails from time to time with some pretty good information from trees to tree care and sometimes biodynamics to permaculture.

Get In Touch

(617) 4058 1873

arborlab@ozemail.com.au

3-5 Johnston Street Stratford Cairns q 4870

Send a Message

Let’s Build Your Dream Garden Together

Talitha, Alan and all of our many wonderful people at nqtrees are genuinely looking forward to meeting with you and helping to make your dreams of a tropical oasis come to life!

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