
During the Middle Ages and even later the main tools for eating were knives and spoons. Spoons were usually made of wood, because spoons cast of various metals could be afforded only by wealthier people. High ranking nobility owned not only iron, but also silver, gilded or even gold tableware. The less wealthy usually made do with wood. Wooden spoons were irreplaceable until the mid. 20th c. They were quite popular during the Interwar period too, but after the World War II Lithuanians started buying metal tableware.
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Spoons could be made from either dried or raw wood. A spoon-maker used to cut a lime into desired pieces and leave them to dry for a year. Later he would gouge out the desired shape using an axe, carefully sand it with a lathe and then form the “head” using a knife. Spoons used to be sanded until smooth and without a fuzz. Spoon-makers carving spoons of raw wood, used to steam it or boil it in salted water for 2-3 hours. If you simply take a piece of raw wood and make a spoon, it will eventually crack.
Spoons used to be made of all kinds of wood. Pear, apple and plum tree wood is hard and difficult to work with. That’s why lime and maple were the most popular choice.
All spoons used to be carved using rather simple carving tools, much like the majority of carved household items. The major tools were knives and gouges.
Wooden spoons were seldom bought, people used to make them at home.
The main thing was to make them as convenient as possible. Compared to other wooden tableware, spoons usually did not have any decorations.