WOODWORKING: An old handmade cheese tray gets a second lease on life using my grandfathers old style carving tools. Upcycling old things. How great is that? Lets go!
I know new things are nice and wonderful, and I know I can come across as somewhat of a broken record wagging my finger in your face saying new is bad. I’m really not saying that, I’m just saying new is taxing on our environment and new is, more often than not, mass produced and, well let’s just say it like it is, boring. Do you remember the Kähler Omaggio Vase everybody had to have a few years ago, those sell for nothing now everywhere. Nobody want’s to be like everybody else in the long run. Everybody wants to be unique, it’s just not everybody knows how to or even what to do.
Anyway, I am a big believer in not throwing things away (or giving them away) until I am sure they are of no use to me any longer. Not to say I am a hoarder, I’m not, I let things go. I just make sure that I can’t use them in some fashion, before they go bye bye. I will not let a thing dye in my house if there is life out there for them. Reusing, repurposing, or whatever you call it, is not a movement, it is not a hippie lifestyle it is being responsible. Being a consumer is a responsibility and every time we mindlessly trow a thing away without re-something we are also making an environmental choice. OK. lecture over – for now.
The saga of the sad cheese tray
This leads me to my little DIY makeover slash revamp slash upcycling woodworking project. It was so simple and so easy that it might almost not be a woodworking project, but then again technically it is. And to be honest some parts were easy and some not so much, but it was fun and you can do this to. My project involved an old cheese tray my oldest made me in school and had seen better days. Heavy usage over the years had left it dull and unsightly and I wanted to give it a bit of a facelift and make it into something special and one of a kind. Don’t worry in my mind it already was special because my son had made it for me but I wanted to continue whipping it out whenever I wanted to put out the old cheese tray for guests. So the story begins.
The creative process
Well used and cherished for what it was, but not a decorative item. I wanted to try out a burning method on wood where I carved a pattern out and burned just the carving, without using a metal stencil. That of course is a tall order working with wood and fire. They kind of have a mind of their own. You could go the other way and burn first, carve later, and get a striking contrast, but hey! I never make things easy for myself.
To start with, I took out the carving tools my grandfather left me. He loved wood carving and was so good at it. He carved anything and everything, including a large eagle for my grandmother. She loves birds and is kind of crazy about them, which is so lovable in itself and my grandfather loved her so he carved her a great big eagle. Isn’t that adorable? He would cringe and act all irritated if he read this, but you can’t escape the truth.
My muses – two grumpy old men
I think I have two great men to thank for my artistic side and one was my great grandfather on my father’s side, whom I had the ever thankful experience of having just across the hall for the first few years of my life. He was an abstract painter (for the most part – don’t think you can box artists in all the time) and each of us kids have a painting made by him. And I love mine.
The other was my grandfather on my mother’s side. He was an artist though I doubt he ever saw himself as such. He was a great athlete (both my grandfathers were, wonder what happened with me), a footballer (or soccer player if you are over the pond) and indeed he and his team KR played against Liverpool for what was to be their first international game. When then managed the biggest sports arena in Iceland all his working life. I think he saw himself as a sportsman and family man rather then an artist, but in my eyes he was.
Getting stuck in it
Back to business. Tray – check, wood carving tools – check, propane burner – check. I chose a small handheld one that is easy to maneuver. Because I didn’t want to burn the tray evenly, I wanted convenience. I also wanted this tray of mine, that already was loaded with emotion, to remind me of home and so of course I wanted my little island in the north on it. Firstly I found an picture on the old internet and hit print. Because I hate scissors an old trick I learned as a kid in art class came in handy. I take a pencil, preferably a soft one (darker) and color the back of the paper over the mage you want to stencil on. Then you just flip it, place it and trace the outline of the image where you want it.
Woodworking 101
Now came the hard part. I had no idea which tool to use or how to sharpen them and because of the sentimental value (almost everything I own has a story) I didn’t want to fudge it up. I googled and sharpened with the sharpening stones I got with the tools and chose the smaller ones to start with, then got to carving. A little at a time and slowly. Forcing wood is a bad idea, especially when you are a novice. You can always cut a little more but cutting less is harder. I felt my grandfather or afi Kleppó (that was his nickname) with me the whole time, guiding me.
Then I had to chose to sand it down to a smoother finish, removing all those years of use, but I chose not to. Not being lazy this time just liked the weathered look. Finally I took the blowtorch and using a small metal spatula to shield the parts I didn’t want burned, I took my time. Didn’t rush it and of course did it outside. Don’t go playing with fire inside people. Not unless you have a shop to work in and have a fire extinguisher. Finally I gave the old tray a little burning in some areas to deepen the color of the grain. A little light sanding with a 120 grit sandpaper and a generous coating of olive oil. I use food grade oils on cutting boards, so olive oil, coconut or just whatever you have.
Conclusion & the final result
The product of my endeavors is now permanently in my living room, old scratches and all. It represents three generations of crazy but hopefully lovable people, my son, my granddad and well little old me. This project tugged on my heartstrings, I have to admit. Using old school tools to make something that many are using laser cutters or some form of power tools to achieve. Don’t get me wrong, I love my power tools. Wouldn’t want to be with out them, but sometimes simple is zen. You are just there in the moment doing your best, using these old tools that tie you to your past. You know the good parts of it, as is should be.
I of course use the tray often and I fell in love with it all over again. I don’t think this one will ever need a new home.