Small kuksa

I have some fresh birch and decided to carve a small kuksa, just right for drinking coffee. 

Birch is the traditional wood for carving kuksas and will eventually turn a warm shade of gold.

Tools, axe and knives.

 

I had a few leftover scrap pieces of wood to use so I carved some spreaders and spoons. Tools used were axe and knives.

Birch spoon

Cherry spoon as ever the grain of cherry had wonderful colouring.

Cherry spreader

Birch spreader

Hand carved canoe cups - cherry

I have carved these two canoe cups in the style that harks back to the days of the voyageurs. The voyageurs were the men that paddled large canoes carrying beaver pelts to trading posts in what is now Canada. The voyageur wore a sash around his waist and the leather strap on the canoe cup was wound around the sash so that the drinking cup was always available.

The toggle is a stylised canoe.

I can find surprisingly little information on the style, sizing and history of the canoe cup and would appreciate any information that you may have.