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.

Canoe cup, noggin, kuksa, or guksi.  Whatever you call it, it’s nearly done.

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  I knew of these as “canoe cups” from the historical references and their use by reenactors, but I’ve noticed that they have become very popular among the Bushcraft crowd the past few years.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.