Gear guide
Best Spoon Carving Hook Knives: Right-Hand, Left-Hand and Double-Edge
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
A hook knife, also sold as a spoon carving knife, hollows the bowl of a spoon, and the listings differ in three ways that matter before you buy. First, the edge side. A single-edge knife is made for one hand: a right-handed carver needs the right-hand version, a left-handed carver the left-hand one, and a wrong-hand knife is a standard cause of skipping and tearing. A double-edge knife cuts in both directions and works in either hand, but it has no dull back to push with the thumb. Second, the curve: a tight bend suits small, deep bowls, an open one suits wide spoons, cups and kuksas. Third, the steel and whether the knife is stated to arrive sharp. For a first eating spoon, a single-edge knife made for your own carving hand is the plain choice. This guide compares seven hook knives by edge side, steel, stated bend or size, and sheath, using only what each Amazon listing states. Nothing here was tested.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Edge | Steel | Bend or size | Sheath | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 BeaverCraft SK1 hook knife, right-handed | Right-handed | High-carbon steel | not stated | not stated | - | Amazon |
 Morakniv 164 hook knife, left-handed, with sheath | Left-handed | 12C27 stainless steel | 0.5 in radius, 2.2 in blade | Leather sheath | - | Amazon |
 BeaverCraft SK1L hook knife, left-handed | Left-handed, single bevel | High-carbon steel | not stated | not stated | - | Amazon |
 Flexcut KNL26 hook knife, left-handed, 7/8 in | Left-handed | 1095 high carbon steel | 7/8 in blade | not stated | - | Amazon |
 STRYI double-sided hook knife, 35 mm | Double-sided | W1-7 carbon, 60-62 HRC | 35 mm diameter | not stated | - | Amazon |
 BeaverCraft SK5 hook knife, double-sided, 2 in | Double-sided sharpening | High-carbon steel | 2 in (per title) | not stated | - | Amazon |
 BeaverCraft SK2 Long hook knife, 12 in handle | Double-edged | High-carbon steel | 1.2 in, 12 in handle | not stated | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
If you just want one
- Closest match for the jobBeaverCraft SK1 hook knife, right-handedThe title and the handle bullet both state it is made for right-handed carvers, so the blade orientation is not a guess.
- Most for the money on paperBeaverCraft SK1L hook knife, left-handedThe listing states it is designed specifically for left-handed carvers, with the blade oriented and the handle shaped for the left hand.
- Most complete listingMorakniv 164 hook knife, left-handed, with sheathThe listing states both the blade length, 2.2 inches (55 mm), and the curve, an open 0.5 inch radius, so you know the shape before buying.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · BeaverCraft
BeaverCraft SK1 hook knife, right-handed
See price on AmazonA right-handed hook knife with a high-carbon steel blade and an oak handle, listed as sharpened and polished for use right away. A plain first hook knife for a right-handed carver hollowing a spoon bowl.
What the listing offers
- The title and the handle bullet both state it is made for right-handed carvers, so the blade orientation is not a guess.
- The blade is high-carbon steel, described as sharpened and polished so the knife is ready to use right away.
- The handle is oak, shaped for a secure grip according to the listing, and the knife is aimed at spoons, kuksa cups and bowls.
Limits to know
- The listing gives no curve diameter or blade length, so you cannot compare how tight the bend is.
- No sheath is mentioned in this listing, and the steel grade and hardness are not stated.
Pick 2 · Morakniv
Morakniv 164 hook knife, left-handed, with sheath
See price on AmazonThe left-handed Morakniv 164: a 2.2 inch (55 mm) blade with an open 0.5 inch radius curve in Swedish 12C27 stainless steel, a birch handle and a leather sheath. The most fully specified knife in this guide.
What the listing offers
- The listing states both the blade length, 2.2 inches (55 mm), and the curve, an open 0.5 inch radius, so you know the shape before buying.
- The blade is Swedish 12C27 stainless steel, a named grade, where most listings here say only high-carbon steel.
- A vegetable-tanned leather sheath is included, and the handle is oiled Scandinavian birch.
Limits to know
- This listing is the left-handed version only: a right-handed carver needs a different listing.
- The listing gives no hardness figure and does not say outright that the edge arrives ready to use.
Pick 3 · BeaverCraft
BeaverCraft SK1L hook knife, left-handed
See price on AmazonThe left-handed BeaverCraft hook knife: a single-bevel high-carbon steel blade on an oak handle, listed as sharpened and polished out of the box. A direct answer for a left-handed carver starting spoons.
What the listing offers
- The listing states it is designed specifically for left-handed carvers, with the blade oriented and the handle shaped for the left hand.
- It has a single-bevel cutting edge in hardened high-carbon steel, professionally sharpened and polished, ready to use out of the box.
- The handle is oak finished with natural linseed oil.
Limits to know
- No curve diameter or blade length is given, so the tightness of the bend cannot be compared.
- No sheath is mentioned, and the steel grade and hardness are not stated.
Pick 4 · FLEXCUT
Flexcut KNL26 hook knife, left-handed, 7/8 in
See price on AmazonA small left-handed hook knife from Flexcut with a 7/8 inch blade in 1095 high carbon steel and an ash handle, listed as ready to use out of the package. Suits a left-handed carver who wants a compact hook.
What the listing offers
- The 7/8 inch blade is stated to be oriented for left-handed carvers.
- The steel grade is named: 1095 high carbon steel, described as ready to use right out of the package.
- The handle is ash hardwood, and the listing says Flexcut makes its tools in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Limits to know
- 7/8 inch is the shortest blade length stated in this guide, and the curve diameter itself is not given.
- No sheath is mentioned, and this listing is the left-handed version only.
Pick 5 · STRYI
STRYI double-sided hook knife, 35 mm
See price on AmazonA double-sided hook knife with a stated 35 mm diameter curve, W1-7 high-carbon steel at 60-62 HRC and an oak handle. For a carver who wants one knife that cuts in both directions in either hand.
What the listing offers
- The 35 mm blade is sharpened on both sides for carving in both directions, and the listing states left and right-handed use.
- Steel and hardness are both stated: W1-7 high-carbon steel at 60-62 HRC, the only hardness figure in this guide.
- The listing says it arrives sharp, and the oak handle is finished with natural linseed oil.
Limits to know
- Blade length is not stated: the listing gives only the 35 mm curve diameter.
- No sheath is mentioned, which matters more on a knife sharpened on both sides.
Pick 6 · BeaverCraft
BeaverCraft SK5 hook knife, double-sided, 2 in
See price on AmazonA BeaverCraft hook knife with double-sided sharpening, a high-carbon steel blade and a longer handle for one or two hands. For a carver who wants to cut in both directions without choosing a hand.
What the listing offers
- The title states double-sided sharpening and the bullets describe two bevels, so it is not tied to one hand.
- The blade is hardened high-carbon steel, sharpened and polished to be used right out of the box.
- The handle is made longer so you can work with one or both hands, according to the listing.
Limits to know
- The listing does not say what the 2 inch figure in the title measures, and gives no curve diameter.
- Both sides are sharpened, so there is no dull back edge to push with the thumb, and no sheath is mentioned.
Pick 7 · BeaverCraft
BeaverCraft SK2 Long hook knife, 12 in handle
See price on AmazonA double-edged hook knife on a 12 inch long handle, with 1.2 inches given as the blade size in the title. The title aims it at bowls and kuksa as well as spoons, a different tool from the short-handled hooks in this guide.
What the listing offers
- The title states a double-edged blade and a 12 inch long handle, the only long-handled hook knife in this guide.
- The blade is hardened high-carbon steel, sharpened and polished to be used right out of the box.
- The listing says the edge is meant for both softwoods and hardwoods such as oak or walnut.
Limits to know
- The bullets repeat each other and never explain the 1.2 inch figure or the long handle: both come from the title only.
- No sheath is mentioned and the handle wood is not stated.
Read before you buy
- Best Wood for Spoon Carving: A Species-by-Species ChartSpoon carving wood chart: 15 species with Janka hardness, grain, how each carves green and what it suits, including the woods sources say to skip.
- Wood Carving Gouge Sizes Chart: Sweep Numbers, Widths and What Each CutsGouge sweep numbers 1 to 11 and V-tools in the Sheffield list and the Swiss (Pfeil) numbering, widths in mm and inches, and what each tool cuts.
- How to Use a Hook Knife: Grips and Grain Direction for a Spoon BowlHow to use a hook knife: 3 grips as makers and guides describe them, cutting across the grain and downhill, bowl depth of 7 to 8 mm, and why it tears.
- How to Sharpen a Spoon Carving Hook Knife Step by StepSharpen a spoon carving hook knife with 400 to 1,500 grit wet-dry paper on a block and a dowel, then strop. Steps, grits and how to tell it is sharp.
- How to Carve a Spoon: Steps, Tools and How Long It TakesHow to carve a wooden spoon in 10 steps with 3 tools: axe, straight knife, hook knife. A first spoon takes 2 to 4 hours plus 2 to 3 days of drying.
More gear for the spoon carving stage
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