Hand-Carved Spoons Keep Retired Farmer Busy

1998 - Volume #22, Issue #3, Page #24

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Norm Klusman of Laurel, Ind., has an unusual hobby. He hand carves wooden spoons.
“As far as I know it’s one of the most extensive collections around,” says Klusman, a part-time farmer who started his hobby after retiring from the Soil & Water Conservation Service in 1993. He decided he needed something to stay busy.
Despite having no formal woodworking training, he has learned to turn out many different kinds of intricate wood carvings, from baskets cut and formed from a single piece of wood, to toys, jewelry boxes, and even shoes. But his love of spoons stands out. Spoons incorporating thistles, acorns, an eagle, flowers, a butterfly and Jacob’s Ladder are carved from catalpa, basswood, and walnut cut from his own farm. He has made 36 different varieties of love spoons, and each is one of a kind. Some are 2 1/2 to 3 in. wide and 10 to 11 in. long with intricate carvings on them of hearts, diamonds, and other designs.
He mills his own wood and even fashioned special left and right-handed carving knives
from a steel bandsaw blade. The curved knife is used to gouge the left or right side of a
spoon bowl.
“I display the spoons at county fairs and craft shows, Kiwanis meetings, and other locales. People really like them,” says Klusman. “I take them with me in a specially made, double-hinged box that I made from sassafras wood.
“I carve the spoons using photos and homemade patterns as a guide. Each spoon takes 7 to 13 hours to complete if I’m in a good mood. I make spoons for others on special order only.”
One of his more unusual spoons is a wedding spoon. It divides at the handle into two pieces and makes two loops. The loops, symbolic of rings, roll around and tie a knot.
The idea for wooden spoons hails from back when sailors pining for their sweethearts carved ornate spoons from ivory as gifts. They caught on in the U.S. in the 1800’s when coal miners and railroad workers carved the spoons as well.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Norm Klusman, 23222 Kokomo Hill Rd., Laurel, Ind. 47024 (ph 765 698-2513).

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Hand-Carved Spoons Keep Retired Farmer Busy AG WORLD Ag World 22-3-24 He mills his own wood and even fashioned special left and right-handed carving knives from a steel bandsaw blade. The curved knife is used to gouge the left or right side of a spoon bowl. "I display the spoons at county fairs and craft shows, Kiwanis meetings, and other locales. People really like them," says Klusman. "I take them with me in a specially-made, double-hinged box that I made from sassafras wood. "I carve the spoons using photos and home-made patterns as a guide. Each spoon takes 7 to 13 hours to to complete if I'm in a good mood. I make spoons for others on special order only." One of his more unusual spoons is a wed-ding spoon. It divides at the handle into two pieces and makes two loops. The loops, symbolic of rings, roll around and tie a knot. The idea for wooden spoons hails from back when sailors pining for their sweet-hearts carved ornate spoons from ivory as gifts. They caught on in the U.S. in the 1800's when coal miners and railroad workers carved the spoons as well. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Norm Klusman, 23222 Kokomo Hill Rd., Laurel, Ind. 47024 (ph 765 698-2513). Norm Klusman of Laurel, Ind., has an unusual hobby. He hand carves wooden spoons. "As far as I know it's one of the most extensive collections around," says Klusman, a part-time farmer who started his hobby after retiring from the Soil & Water Conservation Service in 1993. He decided he needed something to stay busy. Despite having no formal woodworking training, he has learned to turn out many different kinds of intricate wood carvings, from baskets cut and formed from a single piece of wood, to toys, jewelry boxes, and even shoes. But his love of spoons stands out. Spoons incorporating thistles, acorns, an eagle, flowers, a butterfly and Jacob's Ladder are carved from catalpa, basswood, and walnut cut from his own farm. He has made 36 different varieties of love spoons, and each is one of a kind. Some are 2 1/2 to 3 in. wide and 10 to 11 in. long with intricate carvings on them of hearts, diamonds, and other designs.

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