The Morakniv 164 spoon knife is a good beginner knife. it has recently undergone some design improvements. This is the new version in stainless steel. It comes sharp and ready to use. You can choose to add a nice leather sheath for an extra €15 if you wish.

Choose whether you want the left- or right-handed version. I would recommend starting with the version that corresponds to your dominant hand. It can be useful to own both versions, using one to cut towards yourself and the other to push away. For most of my spoon carving, I use a right-handed knife only but I do use a lefty for certain designs, such as my coffee scoop, for instance. Start with one and you can always add the opposite grip to your collection later if you feel it will help.

This is not the best spoon knife out there but it’s readily available and a good price relative to some of the better options from small blacksmiths. It’s more than good enough to get you started but you may consider upgrading this tool later when your carving skill improves.