The Urban Woodsman – A Modern Guide to Carving Spoons, Bowls & Boards

The Urban Woodsman is a practical modern guide to carving spoons, bowls and boards. Written by Max Bainbridge, this digital PDF edition can be downloaded instantly after purchase. It offers a clear starting point for anyone who wants to make useful objects from wood by hand.

First published by Kyle Books in 2016, the book grows out of Bainbridge’s work as a woodworker in East London. He writes from the workshop he runs with his partner Abigail, Forest + Found, and from the conviction that making is a way of life.

The Urban Woodsman: Book Overview

In The Urban Woodsman, Max Bainbridge introduces wood carving as a craft that anyone can learn. The opening chapters cover sourcing wood, choosing wood, tools, and knife grips. The project section includes eight pieces: an eating spoon, a spatula, a cooking spoon, a butter knife, a coffee scoop, a chopping board, a serving board, and a small oak bowl.

The finishing section explains faceting, scorching, ebonising, sanding, beeswax salve, and tool care. There is also a tool roll project for keeping carving tools together. The book closes with resources, a glossary, and an index.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• Guidance on sourcing and choosing wood for carving
• Details on tools and knife grips
• Eight projects for spoons, kitchen tools, boards, and a small oak bowl
• Finishing techniques such as faceting, scorching, ebonising, and sanding
• A beeswax salve recipe and practical tool care instructions
• A tool roll project to protect and organise carving tools
• Resources, glossary, and index for further reference

Why This Book Matters

The Urban Woodsman reflects a renewed interest in handmade objects and traditional craft. Bainbridge works from Forest + Found in Walthamstow, East London, where he makes functional objects using traditional skills with contemporary design. The book encourages readers to see wood carving as a useful and accessible craft, not a distant or difficult skill.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, so there is no physical shipping. Access is available immediately after purchase through your account. The PDF works with Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, mobile devices, and compatible reading apps.

FAQ

What happens after I purchase? You receive instant access to the digital PDF download through your account.

Will a physical book be shipped? No. This is a digital download, and no physical copy will be sent.

Which devices can I use? The PDF is compatible with Kindle apps, tablets, desktop, mobile, and common reading apps.

Add The Urban Woodsman to your digital library and begin carving with confidence.