Carving Wooden Spoons

I made 2 spoons out of wood.  They are very easy once you get a nice sharp gouge.  That is the secret.  The curved hook knives don't cut very well when I see demonstrated.  They do cut, but it seems to take a very long time with the little cuts here and there.
Paul Sellers has a YouTube video on making wooden spoons.  He recommends the Hirsch #7, 35mm gouge for spoonmaking.  I decided to get one.  Although it is not cheap at $50, it is a lifetime tool that I can pass along for many generations.
Here are spoons that I recently made.  The large spoon was made from an antique pine board that was passed down from my grandfather and the second was from cherry.  They are actually very easy to make.  A sharp spokeshave makes the shaping work quick also.  It only takes about 5 minutes or so to carve out the bowl with the Hirsch gouge.  It is a great tool.  It takes no more than an hour to make and you have something really nice for the kitchen or a gift for someone.  The finish is mineral oil.