New Chopstick design/profile

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Weird Wood Pusher
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After suggestions from several of you guys for a more traditional Japanese style chopsticks, I am trying something different.
This thread will show what happens as I fumble my way through the process. Feel free to post any suggestions or tell me I am messing up.

I am using some old Indonesian Ebony for the wood. Since it is a really hard and durable wood I thought it would work out good for the strength needed for sticks with thin tips.

This is a photo ecchef posted along with some of the Ebony.
001-25.jpg


First I ground a side profile.
002-18.jpg


Then did the same thing for the other sides.
003-12.jpg


Right now they are too angular, but I have a profile to work with.
 
Lookin good! I like the design of the reference photo and the contrast in that first pair that you're working on looks like it's going to be really nice.
 
Here I knocked off the corners of the top half of the stick.
005-3.jpg


Looking at the end you can see the shape is not exact but most of the bulk is gone.
006-2.jpg


So far the shaping has been done on a stationary belt sander.
007-2.jpg


I am not overly coordinated so this is as far as I will be going on the belt sander. It can eat a lot of wood really quick so now I go to hand sanding for the rest of the shaping. A lot slower, but I will have much more control.
I made a sanding block with a flat piece of wood and adhesive backed 180 grit sandpaper.
008-2.jpg
 
Here I have it rough sanded to shape.
A bit more rounded with the end about 1/16".

009-2.jpg


Does this look better to you guys?
If yes I am going to make a bunch.
If you have any suggestions for changes, please let me know.
Thanks, Mark
 
They look good, but why not make a test batch and sell them to see what the feedback is?
 
man, i gotta learn to use chopsticks. i'd buy a set in a second, if i could. these look great!
 
chopstickends.jpg


I have dozens of chopsticks collected over the years, and they all have smoothed but still square handles, presumably for better control. Since they are all like that, I guess it is important. Randy's ivory chopsticks in the photo are that way, and work perfectly.
 
Have you tryed a spokeshave? Clamp one end in a vise and shave away, them reverse. It would save you a bunch of time and energy, and make shavings instead of dust.
 
I have dozens of chopsticks collected over the years, and they all have smoothed but still square handles, presumably for better control. Since they are all like that, I guess it is important.
I agree that smoothed square ends would be good, and would presumably be less work as well (maybe?). The Japanese chopsticks I have are that way.

Regards,

Mark
 
A spokeshave would be a new tool for me to learn and you know what they say about old dogs.

Here I am starting the 1st set of the new profile.
Still square in the photo. Tips are at 1/8" and ends at 5/16". When I round the edges they should slim up a bit.

011-2.jpg
 
I know I am making this a lot more complicated than necessary.
But....I thought if I was able to make a pair that was just right, then I could work out how to do it again and again.
In time after repeating the process I would become more time efficient.
What I have done here is taken one that was profiled with a square cross section. Then I sanded a consistent bevel on each of the corners.
I thought the crisp geometric shape looked a little more refined than just rounding over the corners.
I am having a tough time showing what is going on with the photos.
021.jpg
 
Much better Randy! The shape of the shaft is entirely up to the artist really.
If you're holding them corectly, they won't roll...round, square or whatever.
Tip no bigger than 2mm for finesse work.
Looks like you need to bring the taper a just tiny bit higher up the shaft...nearing perfection though!
Sign me up for some.
 
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I noticed the one on the left is a bit thicker after the photo.
Still in the sanding stage so I can fix the thickness.
It is tough to see in the photo but these are square with beveled corners instead of rounding over the corners.
I think I am getting closer to what I was trying to do.

025.jpg
024.jpg


They still look a bit chubby in the middle too.
 
I think I have things worked out right now.
[video=youtube_share;RAGPYgiaAA0]http://youtu.be/RAGPYgiaAA0[/video]
 
those look good... some will like a slightly finer point, but thats a very good middle of the road
 
I agree, those look good. Are the large ends squarish?
 
Those look good Mark.
I would like a pair of those in ebony with order if you will have any available.
 
Mark I think you have a firm grasp on how to use chopsticks. :sofa:

:biggrin:
 
The thinner taper especially at the ends is a better version. Great improvement.
 
I think your chopsticks are fine. I will say that the important place to keep them narrow is where you grip them. People with small hands will find the thick midsections awkward. Thin tips are nice for picking up tiny things or piercing/cutting but larger, flatter tips are easier for gripping and especially for very soft objects. Personally, I find thicker tips to be closer to ideal.
 
Looks like I will need to make them both ways.
I seem to do a little better eating with the thicker tips like TK59 mentioned.
But.....I will start making the middle portion a bit slimmer.
This photo shows the regular and the thin tips next to each other.
tips001.jpg
 
When is the next batch due, Mark?
I have a couple dozen cut and rough shaped.
Just have to catch up on my normal duties around here then back to making some more chopsticks.
I have also set aside a bunch of small pieces to make chopstick rests.
 
I prefer a more "Chinese inspired" chopstick, so the set you sent me from the first round is spot on. Having multiple designs clearly won't hurt anything though!
 
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