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Starting July 13th at 8:30 AM ET, unwrap a brand-new pattern each day, with designs for beginners and seasoned carvers alike.

Sign up below and we’ll send you a reminder when each day’s free pattern drops!

WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup-1-Lead-Landing-Page-300x243.jpg__PID:c46ce380-6381-4f2b-886f-f37c5f8afd2cStep 1

Hollow the inside of the cup. You can use a variety of tools to hollow the inside of the cup. While a pocketknife will work, a bent knife is easier. To speed up the hollowing, use a drill with a Forstner bit or use a variety of straight and bent gouges.
WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup-2-Lead-Landing-Page-300x243.jpg__PID:c4ce6c26-0709-4084-b5fb-eb1f505296e4 Step 2

Shape the outside of the cup. Sketch the shape onto the outside and remove the excess wood with a knife or gouge. I turn the cup over and carve down against a firm solid surface (not your leg).
WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup-3-Lead-Landing-Page-300x243.jpg__PID:eb1f5052-96e4-4f67-a413-1d93ab35cc74 Step 3

Refine the cup. Smooth the inside of the rim with a knife to make it comfortable for your lips. Then, smooth and flatten the bottom to make sure the cup doesn’t tip when you set it down.
WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup-4-Lead-Landing-Page-300x243.jpg__PID:1d93ab35-cc74-40e1-8de6-a032b41d6eb0Step 4

Rough out the handle. Sketch the handle shape onto the blank. Then, rough it out with a knife.
WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup-5-Lead-Landing-Page-300x243.jpg__PID:01ad6d55-c1f1-4392-9a0b-84cbe4894264Step 5

Refine the handle. Carve a small groove on the top of the handle for your thumb. Test the grip to make sure it’s comfortable as you hold it, and adjust it as needed.
WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup-6-Lead-Landing-Page-300x243.jpg__PID:ce901f77-1fd5-4551-8309-87062ec8a42f Step 6

Finish carving the rim. Smooth the underside of the lip, and angle it slightly to create a comfortable surface for your lower lip. Then, round the top to make it comfortable for your top lip.
WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup-7-Lead-Landing-Page-300x243.jpg__PID:901f771f-d575-4183-8987-062ec8a42fac Step 7

Add the details. I carved a small groove around the bottom to dress up the cup a bit. I also drilled a hole in the handle for a hanging cord. But you could also let the wood dry thoroughly (as described above), and then make it an ongoing project to decorate the cup on the trail. Just be sure to sign and date it!
WEB-StropTalk30-WoodenCup1-REFs-Landing-Page-300x370.jpg__PID:ff7d426b-27c9-447e-8d9c-085a7e36dac3Finishing the Wooden Cup

I’ve finished several wooden utensils and cups by boiling them in beeswax (outside on a camp stove). None of the objects I have treated this way have ever cracked, even when used with extremely hot fluids. You could also saturate the cup with flax seed oil, mineral oil, or walnut oil, which are all food-grade oils and will not turn rancid like many vegetable oils.For decorative cups, use your choice of finish.