How to Make an Alaskan Ulu Knife
How to make a classic ulu knife and cutting board combination.
The Making of the Ulu Knife
In our house we’ve been using an Alaskan ulu knife for many years. It’s an easy and quick way to cut fruits and vegetables. The curvature of the blade rocks back and forth on the mating cutting board for efficient slicing. The ulu knife and cutting board is based on one we purchased while visiting Alaska many years ago.
Knife Making
The blade is made from a sheet of 16 gauge stainless steel cut with a jigsaw and metal cutting blade. Some final sanding and shaping was done on the disc sander and belt sander. I sharpened the blade using a Work Sharp 3000 sharpening station and finished up by hand with a sharpening stone. The blade is sandwiched and glued using epoxy between to pieces of soft maple and reinforced with 1/4″ brass dowels.
Cutting Board
The mating cutting board is also made up of soft maple with walnut accents. Once squared up I chucked it on the lathe to carve a recessed bowl to allow the blade to rock back and forth. All the wood was then sanded smooth and finished with butcher block conditioner.
Cook With Meat
This video was made in collaboration with Cook With Meat. Check out his YouTube channel and website for some amazing cooking tutorials.
Tools and Supplies Used
How to Make Bent Laminated Spoon
Using bent lamination to create this wooden spoon for the kitchen.
Way back in 1992 when I was just a junior in high school, I made a bent laminated wooden spoon in shop class for a Mother’s Day gift. Now 24 years later I’m recreating the spoon for an updated gift to give to Mom this Mother’s Day. Bent lamination involves resawing the wood into thin bendable strips that can be placed in a mold and glued in place. Once the glue dries the spoon shaped can be cut out on the bandsaw with some final shaping done with the spindle and orbital sander. This is a quick and fun woodworking project that can be done in just a few hours. If you plan on using the spoon for cooking then you’ll need a food safe finish such as the butcher block conditioner I used in the video. As always, be passionate and Make Something!
Tools and Supplies Used
Woodworking Books
Make Your Own Cutting Boards
15 cutting board projects to make as gifts or sell! Get your signed copy!
The New Bandsaw Box Book
8 bandsaw box projects you can make and sell at craft shows. Signed copies now available!