Carved Keyaki Plate

This carved plate is made from keyaki, also known as Zelkova or Japanese Elm in other parts of the world.  The wood is quite hard and dense, yet stable.  Making it a great material for plates, trays, and bowls.  In Japan, keyaki has a long history of use for lacquered soup bowls (お椀, pronounced owan) as well as serving trays.

The wood for this tray came from a cutoff of a larger board that I snatched from the scrap bin.  I’ve always been a hoarder of cutoffs; a habit that definitely grew stronger after beginning wood turning years ago.  It can be hard to use cutoffs for furniture but they are perfect for things like bowls and plates.  It’s a great way to make use of material that usually ends up as firewood.

Design

I don’t usually design woodturnings on paper.  Instead I tend to design on the go, while making the piece, taking into account the size of the material and the shape and character of the grain.  For plates like this one, I’ve been experimenting by working within a simple set of parameters; a flat plate with a rim and a simple carved pattern.  Simplifying the design allows me to experiment with how a subtle change to the curve or angle of the rim can change the feeling of the finished plate. 

The cut of wood for this piece of keyaki runs tangential to the rings of the tree.  In woodworker terminology the wood is flat sawn.  By carving across flat sawn grain with a gouge, different layers of the woods rings are revealed, resulting in an active pattern.

Use and Care

With the carved scalloped texture, this plate is suited for serving things like bread, scones, cookies, etc.  But you could also easily use it as a serving plate for tea or coffee.  

I recommend cleaning the plate with with a light rinse of water.  You can also use standard dish detergent when necessary.  After rinsing it’s best to towel dry to help prevent water from sitting on the wood surface.  The oil finish will help to prevent water from penetrating into the wood, however if water sits on the surface for a prolonged period it will gradually penetrate and can cause discoloration and potential warping and cracking. 

After using, washing, and drying many times the wood’s surface may begin to look a bit dry.  At that point, reapplying a coat of oil and wax will help to maintain a layer of protection while keeping the surface looking rich.  I’ve included a small tin of beeswax and linseed oil mix for you to use for periodic maintenance.