Wooden cutlery is an eco-friendly option for both your house and other areas. But have you ever thought about how wooden cutlery is made? Today, we'll look at the production process of wooden cutlery, focusing on the important phases and aspects that influence its quality and function.
What Is Wooden Cutlery Made From?
The primary material used for wooden cutlery is, unsurprisingly, wood! But within that broad category, there are various specific types of wood favored for their suitability and sustainability. Here are some of the most common:
Hardwoods:
- Birch: A popular choice for disposable cutlery due to its light weight, fast growth, and neutral flavor.
- Beech: Offers a smooth finish and is resistant to warping, making it good for reusable cutlery.
- Maple: Strong and durable, often used for high-end cutlery and utensils.
- Oak: Classic and heavy-duty, favored for its beautiful grain and longevity.
Softwoods:
- Pine: Affordable and readily available, but softer and more prone to splintering.
- Cedar: Naturally fragrant and resistant to insects and decay, suitable for serving ware.
While birch and bamboo are usually chosen to made disposable cutlery, the others wood are preferred to make reusable cutlery.
What Make a High-quality Wooden Cutlery?
Several key factors contribute to the quality of wooden cutlery, making it not just aesthetically pleasing but also functional and enjoyable to use. Here are some of the most important aspects:
Material:
- Wood type: Hardwoods like beech, maple, cherry, walnut, and olive wood are denser and more durable, making them ideal for long-lasting, reusable cutlery. They also have beautiful grain patterns and naturally antibacterial properties. Softwoods like pine are less suitable for cutlery due to their lower strength and tendency to splinter.
- Sustainability: Opt for wood from sustainably managed forests or fast-growing species like bamboo to ensure your cutlery comes from an environmentally responsible source.
Construction:
- Craftsmanship: High-quality cutlery is often handcrafted or made using precise machinery, ensuring smooth finishing, even grain patterns, and consistent thickness throughout the piece.
- Design: The design should be ergonomic and comfortable to hold, with adequate thickness and appropriate angles for effortless scooping, cutting, and stirring.
Finish:
- Food-safe treatment: The wood should be treated with food-safe oils or waxes to protect it from moisture, warping, and staining while remaining safe for contact with food. Avoid cutlery treated with harsh chemicals or lacquers.
- Smoothness: The surface should be free of splinters, rough edges, or unevenness for a pleasant dining experience.
Durability: The cutlery should be able to withstand regular use without cracks, warping, or breakage.
Resistance to heat and stains: High-quality wood can handle hot foods and resist staining from sauces and spices.
Maintenance: Well-made wooden cutlery is relatively easy to care for with proper handwashing and occasional re-oiling.
How Is Wooden Cutlery Made Manually
Here are step-by-step to make a wooden cutlery manually:
Step 1 - Prepare wood
Planer smooths and adjusts wood width depending on utensil (spoons require wider wood).
Cut wood into blocks (8 inches for forks/spoons, 36 inches for knives).
Step 2 - Shape and slice
Use jigs and templates to cut curved slices from wood blocks.
Shape knives separately by running strips through a shaper twice to create a "V" and then cutting slices.
Spoons require an extra step of boring a bowl using a special tool.
Step 3 - Cut the final form
CNC routing machine cuts the exact utensil shape using jigs to hold slices in place.
Knives use special jigs and the shaper to refine their final form.
Step 4 - Remove excess wood
Use a band saw to remove excess wood from rough cuts (mainly for spoons and forks).
Step 5 - Machine sanding
A series of sanding machines smooths the entire utensil and shapes the final form.
Knives use machine sanders to sharpen and smooth the blade.
Step 6 - Hand sanding
Hand sanding ensures a smooth, satin-like finish, reaching areas machines can't (spoons, forks, knives).
Step 7 - Protective coating
Three thin coats of food-safe resin are applied with 24-hour drying time between each coat.
Utensils must wait 21 days after the final coat before use.
Handcrafted wooden cutlery is labor-intensive and requires precision and attention. The result is often reusable tools that may be used in restaurant kitchens or at home for an extended period.
How Is Wooden Cutlery Manufacturing Process?
Different with the hand-crafted of wooden cutlery, when it comes to manufacture process, here are the step-by-step:
Step 1: From Branch to Block: Sturdy trees, sourced responsibly, are transformed into manageable lumber chunks, prepped for their starring role.
Step 2: Barking Up the Right Tree: Automated peelers strip away the outer layer, revealing the smooth wood canvas beneath.
Step 3: Rolling with the Flow: Precise rollers condition the wood, preparing it for the next act.
Step 4: Pressures On: Powerful presses mold the wood into familiar shapes – forks, spoons, knives – with a swift, decisive stroke.
Step 5: Drying Out the Stage: Under the watchful eye of heat and air, excess moisture evaporates, leaving behind durable, ready-to-shine cutlery.
Step 6: Grinding Perfection: Gentle abrasives smooth away any rough edges, ensuring each piece feels a delight in the hand.
Step 7: Final Curtain Call: A rigorous inspection identifies only the best performers – flawless and fit for their culinary debut.
Step 8: Curtain Up, Appetites Await: The chosen cutlery is gathered, ready to take their place on tables, adding a touch of natural elegance to every meal.
This is the technique of producing disposable cutlery, which is suitable for gatherings demanding convenience and saving organizers time and money.
Wooden Cutlery Form Kimecopak
At Kimecopak, we provide wholesale disposable wooden cutlery that made from birchwood and bamboo. Our wooden cutlery is renewable, sustainable and convenient to use.
While birchwood cutlery is inexpensive, can be used for a variety of events such as gathering, food trucks, or parties. Bamboo cutlery have the same functionality with a sleek and elegant design, that make it perfect for important occasions like conferences, wedding or even used as a gift.
Click to see more about Kimecopak Wooden Cutlery
Aside that, Kimecopak offers the various food packaging including to-go-box, biodegradable straws, paper coffee cups, … with exclusive benefits for long-term partner, for example saving 5-7%, storage solution, scheduled shipping, and fixed price in 6 months. For more information, please contact us at email halo@kimecopak.ca or Kimecopak Facebook Fanpage.
