Finally, after stepping away from this little project for two months, I’m nearly finished with this wooden noggin cup. I set it down in despair early on when the block started to check along the radial grain. Luckily though, storing it in a moist bag seems to have saved the project and I was able to remove the cracked ends to reveal this little mug inside.
The walls might be a thinner than is really prudent but I believe that once the maple fully cures it will fairly stable wood. I knew of these as “canoe cups” from the historical references and their use by reenactors, but I’ve noticed that they have become very popular among the Bushcraft crowd the past few years. I’ve only made one large size cup like this (many years ago) but it wasn’t a thing of beauty and it is long since lost.
I can’t quite decide where to stop fiddling with it but it is essentially ready to use as is. If I remember, I will post another, better photo, when it is complete.
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 
Mid-burl cup here too…and yes, had a few of the same checking issues, but keeping in the plastic bag with it’s own shavings seems to be the way to go. Getting addicted to this cup thing….
Me too. It’s a lot of work but better than “real” work.
What are you thinkngnof finishing it with? Have a bowl done…ish…
I rubbed a bit of wax/walnut oil mixture on the outside and walnut oil on the inside. The small but insidious cracks are disturbing but I thought it might be interesting to put a couple butterfly joints across them in a contrasting wood. Maybe too much work?
Butterfly joints he says….sounds good. Yep, there are always the “I think I can carve under them” cracks…probably I just need to get thinner quicker, then actually be patient…the burls that I leave natural edge outsides seem to fare a bit better, but not much has hit catasteophic yet…knocks on wood
Patience? Who has time for that nonsense. Procrastination can work in your favor though.
I may have made this one too thin but living and learning.