u/istord

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a project that’s very close to my heart. I recently started a passion project called ISTORD, where I aim to connect my local Istrian roots with the rugged Old Norse spirit. This piece is a father-daughter collaboration, made for my daughter to carry on our bushcraft and outdoor adventures.

For this piece, I wanted to respect the material fully. The wood is local Istrian oak, saved from a neighbor's family land while he was clearing it. Instead of it being burned, I'm honored to give this oak a second life—something I think the Norse craftsmen would appreciate.

Working with raw oak using only manual tools (axe and knives) was a brutal but rewarding challenge. On the handle, I carved the Triquetra (trinity knot) as a token of family bonds and protection for her journeys in the wild.

The best part was involving my daughter in the process. She wanted the blade to look like it had been through some fires, so she stained and darkened it herself using strong coffee. We then finished it using traditional burnishing (compressing the wood fibers with a smooth tool) and sealed it with natural oil. The contrast between the dark blade and the lighter oak grain turned out amazing.

It’s safe, rugged, and carries a piece of our family story. Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from fellow modern-day Vikings! Skål! 🪓🛡️

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a very special project that just came off my chopping block. I recently started a passion project called ISTORD, where I try to combine my local Istrian roots with a rugged Viking spirit. This piece is officially dedicated to my biggest fan—my daughter—for our upcoming bushcraft and camping adventures.

I deeply respect wood as a material, and this project is extra special because the oak was actually cut down by my neighbor while he was clearing his family land. I'm so happy that instead of it being wasted or burned, I get to give this piece of wood a completely new life and purpose.

Working with this raw piece of local Istrian oak was incredibly tough with just hand tools, but after a lot of axe and knife work, the clean shape finally started to show.

On the handle, I carved the Triquetra (the Viking trinity knot) as a symbol of family, eternity, and protection while we are out in the woods.

The best part? My daughter wanted to be a part of the process, so she stained and darkened the blade using strong coffee to her exact liking. We finished it up by burnishing the wood to close the pores and sealed everything with a coat of natural oil. I absolutely love the heavy contrast she created between the dark blade and the lighter oak handle.

It’s safe, rugged, and ready for the wild. Would love to hear what you guys think!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a very special project that just came off my chopping block. I recently started a passion project called ISTORD, where I try to combine my local Istrian roots with a rugged Viking spirit. This piece is officially dedicated to my biggest fan—my daughter—for our upcoming bushcraft and camping adventures.

I deeply respect wood as a material, and this project is extra special because the oak was actually cut down by my neighbor while he was clearing his family land. I'm so happy that instead of it being wasted or burned, I get to give this piece of wood a completely new life and purpose.

Working with this raw piece of local Istrian oak was incredibly tough with just hand tools, but after a lot of axe and knife work, the clean shape finally started to show.

On the handle, I carved the Triquetra (the Viking trinity knot) as a symbol of family, eternity, and protection while we are out in the woods.

The best part? My daughter wanted to be a part of the process, so she stained and darkened the blade using strong coffee to her exact liking. We finished it up by burnishing the wood to close the pores and sealed everything with a coat of natural oil. I absolutely love the heavy contrast she created between the dark blade and the lighter oak handle.

It’s safe, rugged, and ready for the wild. Would love to hear what you guys think!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a very special project that just came off my chopping block. I recently started a passion project called ISTORD, where I try to combine my local Istrian roots with a rugged Viking spirit. This piece is officially dedicated to my biggest fan—my daughter—for our upcoming bushcraft and camping adventures.

I deeply respect wood as a material, and this project is extra special because the oak was actually cut down by my neighbor while he was clearing his family land. I'm so happy that instead of it being wasted or burned, I get to give this piece of wood a completely new life and purpose.

Working with this raw piece of local Istrian oak was incredibly tough with just hand tools, but after a lot of axe and knife work, the clean shape finally started to show.

On the handle, I carved the Triquetra (the Viking trinity knot) as a symbol of family, eternity, and protection while we are out in the woods.

The best part? My daughter wanted to be a part of the process, so she stained and darkened the blade using strong coffee to her exact liking. We finished it up by burnishing the wood to close the pores and sealed everything with a coat of natural oil. I absolutely love the heavy contrast she created between the dark blade and the lighter oak handle.

It’s safe, rugged, and ready for the wild. Would love to hear what you guys think!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a very special project that just came off my chopping block. I recently started a passion project called ISTORD, where I try to combine my local Istrian roots with a rugged Viking spirit. This piece is officially dedicated to my biggest fan—my daughter—for our upcoming bushcraft and camping adventures.

I deeply respect wood as a material, and this project is extra special because the oak was actually cut down by my neighbor while he was clearing his family land. I'm so happy that instead of it being wasted or burned, I get to give this piece of wood a completely new life and purpose.

Working with this raw piece of local Istrian oak was incredibly tough with just hand tools, but after a lot of axe and knife work, the clean shape finally started to show.

On the handle, I carved the Triquetra (the Viking trinity knot) as a symbol of family, eternity, and protection while we are out in the woods.

The best part? My daughter wanted to be a part of the process, so she stained and darkened the blade using strong coffee to her exact liking. We finished it up by burnishing the wood to close the pores and sealed everything with a coat of natural oil. I absolutely love the heavy contrast she created between the dark blade and the lighter oak handle.

It’s safe, rugged, and ready for the wild. Would love to hear what you guys think!

Hey everyone!

I wanted to share my very first completed spoon carving project. I've just started a passion project called ISTORD (combining Istrian roots with a Viking spirit), and this is officially piece No. 1.

The spoon is carved entirely by hand using traditional hand tools (axe, wooden mallet, and Moraknives).

The Story & Process:

-The Wood: It’s made from a piece of local oak salvaged from a plot here in Istria, Croatia, where it used to grow right next to olive trees.

- The Challenge**:** Oak is notoriously tough and testing, and halfway through shaping the handle, I noticed some surface checking/cracks starting to form. Instead of scraping it, I had to completely adapt my original design, carving past the cracks to save the piece. In the end, the wood dictated the final shape, and I actually think the sharper, more aggressive lines gave it that perfect Viking character.

- The Purpose & Finish: Since oak has large, open pores, this first spoon is strictly meant to be a decorative/collector's piece rather than an everyday soup spoon. I stained the wood using strong brewed coffee to darken it and highlight the beautiful oak grain, followed by a coat of natural oil. For my next projects, I'm definitely going to apply the burnishing technique to completely close up those pores, so future pieces might actually be ready for food use too!

I'm incredibly hooked on this craft now and can't wait to start the next one. Would love to hear your thoughts, critiques, or any advice for an oak-carving beginner! 🪓☕️

Hey everyone!

I wanted to share my very first completed spoon carving project. I've just started a passion project called ISTORD (combining Istrian roots with a Viking spirit), and this is officially piece No. 1.

The spoon is carved entirely by hand using traditional hand tools (axe, wooden mallet, and Moraknives).

The Story & Process:

- The Wood: It’s made from a piece of local oak salvaged from a plot here in Istria, Croatia, where it used to grow right next to olive trees.

- The Challenge: Oak is notoriously tough and testing, and halfway through shaping the handle, I noticed some surface checking/cracks starting to form. Instead of scraping it, I had to completely adapt my original design, carving past the cracks to save the piece. In the end, the wood dictated the final shape, and I actually think the sharper, more aggressive lines gave it that perfect Viking character.

- The Finish: I wanted a completely natural patina, so I stained the wood using strong brewed coffee to darken it and highlight the beautiful oak grain, followed by a coat of natural oil.

Swipe through the photos to see the journey from raw logs to the finished piece!

I'm incredibly hooked on this craft now and can't wait to start the next one. Would love to hear your thoughts, critiques, or any advice.