Kuksas

[Outback in Idaho]

  Not trying to promote this fella's work, but he does do some great kuksa work with a rounded chisel, axe, and other items. He'd make a great addition to MTO. 

  In any case, I kept looking around and found him on Etsy. Beloyar Yargin is from Moscow, Russia, and does many version of kuksa by hand. Am inclined to get one of these, but I have to wait for better resources - and that little voice in the back of my head stating to wait a while longer. Yet, I felt we could share, and maybe start a kuksa enthusiasts group?

 
  https://i.etsystatic.com/16939863/r/il/e2b744/1857427618/il_794xN.1857427618_e6g6.jpg

  His wife makes these beeswax candles, seen on the right of this Northern Star kuksa.
 
 
  https://i.etsystatic.com/16939863/r/il/d09765/1946551951/il_794xN.1946551951_e3fi.jpg

[Outback in Idaho]

  Edit: Found he has a YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0afBu6LeCP4qa9I6LZBspA

[Shuya]

   

I love kuksas, I have a rather puristic version.
The felling and warmth while sipping spruce tea is amazing.

Why isnt there a kuksa award? 

[Outback in Idaho]

  Spruce tea?    Never done such a thing.

  Ordered an überleben kuksa from Amazon since I know nothing or have time to carve. Have been quite tempted to send it back after seeing the other fella's work, as read that überleben's hardwood is something called "hevea brasiliensis." Is first crafted in Shenzhen, China, then finished in Etiwanda, CA. I kept searching but decided to give one a go.

  Did find one made from Texan Mesquite on Etsy, but they want $75 for a 5 ouncer?!?

  Think I would rather have one from Russia than China, especially after seeing his work in pictures and video. Of course there is a price to pay for such a luxury, though birch I heard has a salty bitter taste?

[Shuya]

Spruce needle tea is delicious and refreshing.
Been used by northern people for centuries, rich in vitamin c.

Just take a handfull of spruce tips (the bright, soft tips in spring are the best), throw them into your kettle and bring to a boil, wait a few minutes and enjoy.
 

[spudley112]

I love those. Wow. I was unfamiliar with kuksas until reading this but pulled up some videos and other info to read about them. I wonder how they seal the wood? I have not seen anything on that yet. Is it sealed at all? I can't remember if it is Ray Mears or Tom Brown I read about who uses cooked oatmeal to seal wood naturally.

[Smashie]

Spruce needle tea is delicious and refreshing.
Been used by northern people for centuries, rich in vitamin c.

Just take a handfull of spruce tips (the bright, soft tips in spring are the best), throw them into your kettle and bring to a boil, wait a few minutes and enjoy.
 

Just don’t drink too much of it. It’s a natural laxative

[Outback in Idaho]

  Beloyar Yargin's work

  Kuksa
 

  Kuksa drawing
 

  Chisel work, dry birch. Работа стамеской , сухая Береза
 

  Work a chisel
 

  KUKSA demo
 

  Kuksa Burning
 

  Knife finishing (14 mins) - Use speed option
 
  All that work... then that!

  The morning begins with the sun, strong coffee and testing my kuksa.  All good and prosperity
 

  Packing Kuksa
 

[Outback in Idaho]

  How to make a Highlands kuksa cup
 

  Lot of work making one!

[Outback in Idaho]

  Carving - Kuksa from Birch Wood
 

[Outback in Idaho]

  How to cut a mug (kuksa) from a tree? (22 mins)
 

[Aloha]

Neat stuff. 

[Outback in Idaho]

  überleben's Dursten kuksa arrived today. It's a decent kuksa, though machined it still has uneven areas to denote done by hand at a few points.

  Had to remove a few rough area, one looking like a faint thumb print probably from whatever sealant was used. After giving it a bath in rum, wiped it down, added some mineral oil, lightly wiped that down and went to work. After getting home wiped it down some more. Did more sanding with fine 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Had some more rum and Martinelli's Apple Cider & Pear mixed with 8 year old Bacardi rum. Yumm.

 

  Did some more light sanding too. Feels decent for a modern aged kuksa.

  It arrived in a standard Amazon Prime bubble envelope and this thin cardboard box... and it survived!
 

 

 

  And the mixins   Yeah, I need a better desk. This one is getting too crowded.
 

[Outback in Idaho]

  Beloyar Yargin's Northern Star Kuksa arrived from Moscow, Russian today. Trust me, the pictures do not not do it justice for how exquisite the craftsmanship is. Quite a handsome and rugged kuksa these are.

  In The Box - Used Spirit to open the box up
 

  Special Engraving - He did miss an E, that can be fixed that later
  [/url]

  On The Veranda
 

  Out On The Porch Railing - Got some snow, that stuck around
 

  Scooped up some snow - to add Foster's Lager to it later. Frosted Beer! Yumm
 


  Earlier In The Day - Tree Out Back
 


  This is more authentic than anything I found, and is hand crafted, not by machine, by hand tools. Cannot get any more authentic than that unless carved by yourself. Stout, rugged, a pleasure to drink from. Comes with a beeswax candle that his wife prepares for in ceremony. Would make an exquisite gift for that special someone in your life as well.

  Beloyar missed an E on the first word, but that's okay. I'll practice on wood burning the E on wood later on and try to fix that small issue. The engraving was a last minute addition, and Beloyar did not charge extra for either.

  Quite pleased with my self Christmas gift.

[Mechanickal]

Wanted a Kuksa for months.
Suddenly, after appearing on a TV show, they sold out within days...

Haven't returned in stock anywhere after that.

I'm still looking for one...

[SteveC]

What's the draw of a wooden cup ? Seems like it would be  hard to keep clean and would tend to harbor bacteria 

[Mechanickal]

What's the draw of a wooden cup ? Seems like it would be  hard to keep clean and would tend to harbor bacteria 

Decent question.

Kuksa's date back to the Vikings and have gotten synonymous with outdoor activities and bushcraft.

Some people think making your own is a right of passage, others feel as if it shoibe gifted to you by someone you love.

So it's not about what works best, but about what is most true to nature, outdoors and tradition.

[Outback in Idaho]

What's the draw of a wooden cup ? Seems like it would be  hard to keep clean and would tend to harbor bacteria 

  Guess you don't cook with cast iron then do you? Don't drink from the hilt, & wash the kuksa in water after use.

  Don't kiss another human on the mouth though. Serious bacteria there! Eww

[SteveC]

Thanks for the condescending reply OB.         I think it was a pretty legit question , no ?

[JBW1]

My white porcelain coffee mug never gets washed, but just rinsed. It’s getting a nice patina... probably matches my teeth 
I’m guessing over time that the wood would get a protective “seasoning” haha. Gotta be better than drinking out of an old boot! They look cooler tho

[Aloha]

I've also wondered why the appeal of the Kuksa  .  I understand and appreciate Mechanickals explanation, thanks for that  . 

Steve, I've been a long time wood cutting board user.  I switched to plastic then back to wood.  Bacteria was the major reason for my switch.  I like the plastic mats for poultry and wood for nearly everything else.  There was a study regarding the wood vs plastic cutting board topic.

In the end the type of wood used and how you clean it.  Very dense wood is preferred and if cleaned properly as well as dried completely it can be safe.  I'd imagine the cup is hard wood and will not be used for such items like poultry and will be cleaned and dried as with any utensil.


Outback  .  Not such a good ambassador of the Kuksa my friend 


https://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/augustseptember-2011/sanitizers-and-disinfectants-the-chemicals-of-prevention/

[Outback in Idaho]

  Actually thought the comment about the engraving was a trolling comment. Does not matter how good a thing is, there are people out there that have to say something negative, to bring the topic down for some ungodly reason.

  So I replied, don't drink from the hilt. Seemed to be about the only positive reply I could make.

  The first kuksa was made from a more porous hardwood from an Asian country. That one needs to be oiled to keep it from drying and splitting. It's cheap, attractive, yet less functional. The birch one from Russia does not require needing to be oiled and can be used for hot drinks - no oil to contaminate the drink or its taste.

  Birch has been used for utensils before any of us were added to the gene pool. Guess if you used it past its intended purposes anything would be possible.


  Wonder how much bacteria is within one's keyboard, since they never get washed nor used before one washes their hands - every time. Spiders, flies, and other critters have been on it.
  But let's not get into boots/shoes that are worn in a contaminated environment, yet brought in the house to walk all over your inner environment. If you are concerned more about a design for harboring bacteria, then you've probably overlooked many other things in your life. Better sanitize your multitools and pocket knives before/after every use, and stored in air-tight BPA-free storage bags.

[SteveC]

First of all no one made any comment about the engraving   

I asked a simple question "what's the draw ? " meaning what's the appeal of a wooden cup. You can wonder all you want about bacteria. I think I raised a valid point.


Feel free to enjoy your wooden cup,  no one is trying to bring your thread down in a negative way.

Lighten up Francis !   

[Huntsman]

I like these guys - Beautiful things and that Russian one is very nice and authentic.

Would love to try one - But it's a bit big and bulky and I don't have much room in my house.
It could also be used as a (display) container to store small things - eg paperclips on a desk?

Anyway........
I was in a traditional woodworking workshop/showroom recently - There were lots of lovely chopping boards there and also wooden kitchen implements
Some of the Australian woods are very beautiful

There was a short notice about these things
Apparently, (after of course being used for centuries!), there was a big outlash against wooden chopping boards - maybe in the seventies
- I think it even had some scientific back-up
The story was that they were super unhygienic and would cause all sorts of health issues due to bacteria in the boards
Everyone jumped on board (see what I did there!) and the wooden chopping board was nearly consigned to history and everyone switched to various plastics
Maybe the study was sponsored by corporations involved in the massive expansion in use of plastics at that time     

Anyway a few years later another university/lab/etc conducted some serious tests checking bacteria after use etc
They found the wooden boards to be much more hygienic
The reason was on a plastic chapping board when you cut on it a groove is made in the plastic into which bacteria can go and grow and fester
And these cuts cannot be completely washed out and cleansed
Apparently on a wooden board you still get the cuts, of course - But the bacteria is drawn into the wood and just disappears naturally !!

Interesting eh ?       
Anyway I guess the same would apply to these kuksas

 

[Outback in Idaho]

  Why a kuksa? It has traditional meaning behind it, is crafted from nature, feels more wholesome to have and drink from. I've adopted a few things in my lifetime, other racial traditions, beliefs, practices. It's part of assimilation I suppose. Can use it, display it, seems to bid attention, feels good to own one, and a pleasure to drink from. So, why not?


  Found an article in the back of a Popular Science magazine about boomerangs as a freshman in high school. Only child, not much to do for pastime. Ordered the $5 catalog, got an amazing catalog from The Boomerang Man. Got permission from the parents, and a few years later I had over 100 boomerangs on my wall before I enlisted to the US Air Force. Some I even carved and crafted on my own. Got boomerangs from all over the world. It all started from catalog, and $35 for my first Wycheproof Hook. Was able to have it come back to me in about 30 minutes. Been hooked since.

  Played with the idea of a plastic didgeridoo, but was never really serious about it. Super easy to make. Later in life, after I seen my parents pass, and I was alone in life, started acquiring items of interest that I would not of otherwise had a chance to. Got my first Aussie didge, but that was a beast to play. At some point the beeswax mouthpiece wore off and putting one back on is harder than it looks. Then the wax melted one hot summer. It's not a door greeter, or a medium size bat.

  At some point after found David Hudson online, asked about having him make a didgeridoo, and from that point forward I play nearly every day. It's all wood, even the mouthpiece. Has sand from the Uluru region embedded into the ochre paint, and crafted from bloodwood eucalyptus from the Cairnes area. It's super heavy, about 5 feet long, and had circular breathing down in a few minutes cause of the contours of the insides made for natural back-pressure.
  It too can be displayed, which it is, and can be used. Only later, after being diagnosed with sleep apnea, did I discover that the didgeridoo help keep the issues down. Found that my AHI (Apnea-Hypopnea Index) was around 13, which was not good. Getting a CPAP made a world of difference, and I felt more alive the first year. So when I read up that playing the didgeridoo every night for 20 minutes it could lower one's AHI. So I tried that, played most every night, and the next year's evaluation my AHI was at a 3. They never saw such a dramatic improvement. Told them about the didgeridoo. And studies have been done on it since showing that the didgeridoo does improve one's sleep apnea issues. --- But that is not why I play. It is an ancient-old musical instrument crafted from wood, does not need any special tuning or finger holes to play. It's essentially a long tube. Anyone with lips can play it --- Yet, there is more to playing a didgeridoo than that - MUCH MORE. I play to express myself, in prayer and meditation, and for music.

  Throughout time I picked up a few things. Let's see, decided in my 40's, when going to college, I was going to learn to use chopsticks. However, I am missing a right ring finger. And only through curiosity did I find that food tastes better when eating with chopsticks. And as soon as I picked up a metal utensil some months later, the first thing I tasted was metal. So maybe that is why I leaned over to using mostly wooden utensils off and on. Titanium does not have that metal taste to it, so use a Snow Peak spork for eating with predominantly.
  I've owned a pair of Thai styled rosewood chopsticks for over 20 years now and still use them to this day. Had Chinese the other day, ate with them chopsticks, even had sherbet using them - more of as a joke challenge from the proprietor. Most Asian people I seen here do not use chopsticks, though more Japanese decedents do. They say, "Food Tastes Better With Chopsticks." And it is true, you taste the food - not the chopsticks.

  Acquired a Coolamon from The Boomerang Man, though I have never used it for its intended purposes. It's a display item. It was make to harvest food with and to eat from. Bascially half-turned wooden plate. It is what it is.

  And I have a few wooden spoons that I eat with, and the spork. Now I have a wooden cup, but not just any cup, one crafted traditionally. I personally lack the skills and resources to make one.


  Did find out that playing a didgeridoo mellows a person out, and helps them to sleep better. Playing an acoustic instrument, such as a mandolin, does the opposite. It seems to revitalize you, giving off more energy. Forget trying to sleep after playing a mandolin.

[Outback in Idaho]

I like these guys - Beautiful things and that Russian one is very nice and authentic.

Would love to try one - But it's a bit big and bulky and I don't have much room in my house.
It could also be used as a (display) container to store small things - eg paperclips on a desk?

Anyway........
I was in a traditional woodworking workshop/showroom recently - There were lots of lovely chopping boards there and also wooden kitchen implements
Some of the Australian woods are very beautiful

There was a short notice about these things
Apparently, (after of course being used for centuries!), there was a big oullash against wooden chopping boards - maybe in the seventies
- I think it even had some scientific back-up
The story was that they were super unhygienic and would cause all sorts of health issues due to bacteria in the boards
Everyone jumped on board (see what I did there!) and the wooden chopping board was nearly consigned to history and everyone switched to various plastics
Maybe the study was sponsored by corporations involved in the massive expansion in use of plastics at that time     

Anyway a few years later another university/lab/etc conducted some serious tests checking bacteria after use etc
They found the wooden boards to be much more hygienic
The reason was on a plastic chapping board when you cut on it a groove is made in the plastic into which bacteria can go and grow and fester
And these cuts cannot be completely washed out and cleansed
Apparently on a wooden board you still get the cuts, of course - But the bacteria is drawn into the wood and just disappears naturally !!

Interesting eh ?       
Anyway I guess the same would apply to these kuksas

  Some hardwoods make for better cutting boards. Have one I use to prepare food, though still use a different board for meat. Plastic is not the same as a good wooden cutting board. And I have certain knives I use for cutting meat as well, preference on the types.

  Relatives used a large wooden board for making breads and pie crusts. That is all it was used for. Am sure it is a traditional in our way of thinking, but to them perhaps is was more practical. And the weight was needed when kneading bread. 

[Aloha]

  Appreciate the follow up.  We love what we love tho its nice to know why others love what they love.  Thanks for sharing a bit more info. 

Be neat to make one for yourself at some point  , 

[JBW1]

I would love to make one! I wouldn’t have a use for a beverage, I’m clumsy sometimes. I’d probably drop it and break the handle or something, but I think it would be great for wet shaving! Maybe would even get it’s own scent that might remind my son of me when I’m gone someday

[Outback in Idaho]

I would love to make one! I wouldn’t have a use for a beverage, I’m clumsy sometimes. I’d probably drop it and break the handle or something, but I think it would be great for wet shaving! Maybe would even get it’s own scent that might remind my son of me when I’m gone someday

  Great idea! Have a porcelain shaving mug, though have my dads old brush and shaving mug too. I can smell him on the brush, is why I ever used it.

  This fella makes mugs and cups of any type and design, even has a much bigger mug he can craft too. Watched his videos and seems it would take days to make one. If a person figured their hours and time spent the sale would me more.
  Yet to craft one yourself could become a family heirloom. And you can pass down your legacy to your kin.

  Is why I got the bigger didgeridoo, wanted one to last past my lifetime.

[JBW1]