Felix, you are an excellent teacher. You explain everything clearly and simply, and you never sound like you're talking down to us. I have learned so much from your videos - thank you!
I have made few "kuksas" out of birch tree curls. Those are of course quite difficult to get, but very good material for this kind of work. My friend who gave me those curls said that one must boil the material for 6 to 8 hours in salt water and the salt must be rough sea salt. I did that boiling and have had no cracks in ready objects. Also there was guidance how to threat the new kuksa. Pour some brandy in the cup and let it stay until wood "drinks" the liquid, pour more, let it go in - repeat several times.
Another excellent class! We have decided to give a copy of your book on whittling with corresponding Fieldmaster or Huntsman Victorinox Swiss Army Knife to each grandchild as they become mature enough to be trained in the use of a knife. I gave my recent book purchased to my oldest grandson, 8 years old. Planned crafts make it easier for grandfather. Thank you. The genius of Switzerland and the Swiss can be seen in you and the love you have in your work. Bravo!
I did the same thing kind of David, I have two nephews 9 and 10 and I got them Tinkers and "Whittling in the Wild" I am pretty sure they subscribe once they read the book , This is the kind of craft and skill set should be thought in school .
@@Bushmen918 I have nine children. All adults now. 19 grandchildren, for now. The children old enough are deprived, living on a farm with various animals and poultry. And banded Galloway cows. A clear, fresh water river runs through their farm, fenced off from any farm run off. In the Highlands of West Virginia. They have access to thousands of acres of pasture and forests. It is a hard life for them, to live in all that natural beauty and clean, fresh environment. Someone has to live the life. Lol!
@@ZippedUpKitz the tourist adds and brochures are emblazoned with "West Virginia. Almost Heaven". I lived in the Highlands of West Virginia in the wilderness area for eleven year, commuting to one of my fire stations 73 to 97 miles away, near Washington DC. I moved closer when I grudgingly took a promotion, now living in what some call one of the most beautiful places in the World: the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia! My distant American Indian ancestry hunted the lands I now live on (I was born and raised overseas). I'm looking to leave the area, maybe move near my son after my passes, she being in the final stage of Alzheimer's, organic brain disease. I am most respectful of Felix Immler and his work. Few are as good in presentation of his skill and genius. If I ever get to Switzerland (I left Europe 46 years, my German language skills so good that you did not know I was an American. My first languages were age appropriate Japanese and Fujien. Now, I have forgotten most of the many languages from disuse) I will make a point to take him and his family out to dinner a few times! The man is a genius!
I once called Mr. Immler "The Victorigod", now I want to add a different nickname "The Kuksaint". I'm pretty sure I'll keep adding nicknames to the list, since this gentleman is an endless source of top level knowledge.
Now THIS is a very usful video.. Buscraft requres 1 very important thing: knowing and understanding wood! Perfect tips The knowledge of the structure of wood is a must for not only every wood worker but ever bush crafter as well... it has always been my postion that Bushcraft is nothing more than woodworking.... < J
Yes, most of the videos show the carving process. A few chat about the fact that you need to collect the shavings to slow the drying process. I believe is the first time I saw this in a practical video. I have been lucky in my first (and only) kuksa because I have a great mentor who warn me about that and how to avoid it! Thanks again for sharing ! Cheers!
Another Fantastic video Felix. Always enjoy watching your videos as they are filled with great info, and you go through the steps needed to 'show' exactly what you mean visually. I know you take some time in the editing process and I wanted to let you know it does not go unnoticed! Keep the great videos coming. Thanks Felix!
Thanks Felix for all the effort to creating such informative graphics and the very easy understandable explanations, never stop learning from each other my friend, see you soon, Taro
Почему я не нашёл это видео раньше, на русском ютубе такого и подавно нет. У меня появлялись трещины 3 раза подряд и только на 4 раз каким-то чудом получилось сделать (действительно чудом, ведь я нарушил около 3-4 советов из этого видео). А сейчас я смотрю это видео и тут говорится о том, что я всё делал не так. В общем спасибо большое, жаль, что так не вовремя нашёл это прекрасное видео.
Felix I have to tell you that you presented the material and tips in a very well thoughtout and knowledgeable way. As you described each tip and why it made sense, I could see in my mind that you have both a lot of experience and have given each tip a lot of thought before presenting it to us. Thank you my friend for all your expeience and guidence. It is greatly appreciated mate.
Thanks for the tips really helpful, I give back to you a tips, put the camera just little bit up to the eye level. The background will be less sky and more ground. You will avoid the overexposure behind you. 👋
How do I modify Victorinox Midnite manager to add toothpick to it... I love all tools in Midnite manager but a tooth pick would be must preferred in it without losing existing functions
Hallo Felix, ich hab da mal ne Frage an dich. Ich habe mir eine Kuksa geschnitzt und auf wirklich alles geachtet auf was man achten muss. Jetzt habe ich die Kuksa seit einem Jahr im Gebrauch. Und es ist auf der Innenseite ein Riss entstanden der sich bei heißer Flüssigkeit wie z.B. Kaffee zusammen zieht, sich aber nach 2-3 Tagen Austrocknung immer weiter in mm Schritten vergrößert. Ich habe es schon versucht normalen Baumharz zu verwenden um den Riss zu schließen. Sah gut aus....aber nach befüllen mit heißem Kaffee fing es leicht an zu blubbern und das eingegossene Stück Harz schwamm an der Oberfläche und war zäh wie Kaugummi. Hab mich jetzt bissel informiert über Leine, komme da aber nicht wirklich weiter. Jetzt bin ich mit meinem Latein am Ende und wollte dich fragen ob du mir eine Lösung für mein Problem geben könntest. Es müsste hitzebeständig und lebensmittelecht sein. Der Riss ist ca. 2cm lang und 1,5mm breit. Vielen Dank im Voraus. Gruß Micha 🌲☕🪓
Ich kann dir leider auch nicht mit Sicherheit sagen, wie hitzebeständig getrocknetes Leinöl ist... soory! Aber versuch's doch einfach mal. Ist ja nicht giftig!!!
ROFL…. Good thing I understand German…. I got a good laugh when I saw the title, "6 Tips Against Cracks." It caught me off guard at first because I didn’t see who it was from as the notice popped up on my Apple Watch. The screen is so small that you don’t get the whole picture without scrolling…. Since this is a family channel, I will be good and not say what went through my mind at first! lol… another excellent video meine fruende!!!!
Danke ! Das gilt ja dann auch für viele Andere Schnitzprodukte. Meine nächster Holzhammer wird sicherlich nicht wieder den Markstrahl in der Mitte haben. Da fragt man sich mal wieder, warum man nicht selbst drauf gekommen ist. Vielleicht weil es so weniger Arbeit war.
Thanks for a great video. I wish I had watched this before starting my Kuksa project! I have already gone through 5 'perfect' pieces of wood, only to get cracks at the end, or beginning or whenever! Going to keep looking for a better piece of wood.
Verrückt. Ich habe mir vor zwei Tagen das erste mal einen Becher aus Holz geschnitzt und ihn in der Sonne getrocknet. Natürlich war das ein Fehler und der Becher hat dadurch ein paar kleine Risse bekommen. Das Video ist sehr hilfreich.
Дуже цінні поради. Маю невеликий досвід у виготовленні дерев'яних чашок та ложок і згоден з тим, що розповідає автор каналу. Для сушіння вирізаних виробів із сирого дерева можна загорнути для прикладу кружку в бумажні серветки чи газети, також напхати всередину і потім обгорнути полотенцем. Кожного дня змінювати серветки, які будуть вологі, при чому мокрі не потрібно викидати, наступного дня вони висохнуть і знову підуть в діло. При кімнатній температурі кружка буде сохнути поступово і без тріщин 10-14 днів. Ознакою сухості виробу можна вважати відсутність вологи на серветках а також вона стане значно легше. Після цього можна просушити ще декілька днів біля якогось обігрівача, вже у відкритому стані, нічим не обгортаючи. Ще один спосіб це проварка сирого виробу у воді з сіллю. Але ні один спосіб не дає 100% результату, є різні фактори. Якщо ж все робити правильно то ризик розтріскування виробу мінімальний.
Thank you Felix. This will save so many hours of work to not end up in disappointment. I had spent 3 hours on a cup and it broke in half last week. I was so disappointed. Ok PISSED OFF.
I think you are such a blessing Mr.Felix! I appreciate you and your knowledge...i am going to make a big cup out of yellow cedar...but it is seasoned wood and dry so it's going to be 100 ti e's harder...is it better to do a cup with fresh cut wood? Or can you use dried woods as well?? Look forward to seeing you what your response is! Cheers, Jerbs 👍🏼🔥🔪🇨🇦
Excellent information, my friend! I really enjoyed your explanations. I have crafted several kuksas over the years and some of them have cracked and you have stated very well the main reasons for this. Thanks as always for a superb video!
You should try to boil your nearly finished kuksa in salty water (~1h/inch thickness). It releases the tensions in wood (ie much less chance to crack) and makes it dry faster.
Hey, tolle Erklärungen! Meine Probleme kommen im nächsten Teil zur Sprache: Heisser Kaffee/Tee. Kuksa und Löffel sind und bleiben meine Lieblingsprojekte.
love it, felix! i SO appreciate you, your vids and information you share which feels like the warm glow from the light of a fire of knowledge that is steadily growing inside me - useful, useful stuff! thanks, felix! :D
That's some good ideas to think about I never knew that what would happen if you put boiling water in it right when you get done is that a no no what are the best tools for carving and where can we get them at online to make spoons spatulas and bowls I'd like to start doing that in Alabama we have pine trees pecan Oak what is a good wood to carve this out of
Boiling in salt water will reduce cracking, but it's not enough alone. Also, if the ambient humidity of the weather outside is higher than 60%, you should avoid putting the kuksa in a box with wood shavings, as it will develop mold quickly (a couple of days). One more trick if you are at home: microwave your cup for between 45 seconds and 1 minute 15 seconds and let it cool an hour. Repeat many times. If you weigh it at the beginning and after every microwave, you will notice the decrease in water weight. For my kuksas I did this approximately 20 times each ( over a period of 2 days) And they all lost about half of their original weight, with no cracking. 2 days is much quicker than a month, and no cracking.
You make great points not for just making cups but for spoons too. If you position your bowl in the wood in your way it makes carving it less work. The round limb makes it less work to shape the bowl. I form the bowl first then shape the handle and top. I leave an inch or more of the sawn ends on till last. You can make two at once if the wood is clean of knots. I just carve two bowls beside each other with the handles facing left and right. I leave an inch between them. I use a small saw, hatchet, and gouge, draw knife, hook knife and 2-inch wood carving knife. It is important your tools be sharp; if the cuts you make are smooth you have a sharp tool. I need at least a gouge or hook knife to make a bowl. I never had any I made crack or split. I do seal the things I make with walnut oil and a little warm softened beeswax. I like your spoon wrench idea; they make me laugh. ✨🔪✨🪓🦉
Danke für die tollen Tipps - ich werde mich wieder mal dran machen - nachdem meine ersten beiden Tassen gerissen sind :( - aber ich weiß dank dir nun auch was ich falsch gemacht hab....also werde ich wohl die Tage mal Holz organisieren gehen :)
with my cup I made I also had cracks and now I know why, so thank you for the video. I mixed wood glue with sawdust and filled up these cracks and after drying worked with sandpaper. This at least made the cracks disappear completely for the eye and made it waterproof. I used this mixture also when hand-crafting wooden scales for my swiss army knife. Sandpaper makes these glue parts disappear completely 👍🏻
Thanks for this video which is full of very helpful tips. Am no expert but the core or heart of a tree is also usually softer and easier to carve. Your point of the outside being harder and more water-proof is a key one. Thanks again and cheers! 🇨🇦
