From Island Fruit to Shaving Necessity: Your DIY Guide to the Perfect Coconut Bowl

Tired of that boring ceramic or stainless steel shaving bowl? Ready to add a touch of the primitive, the organic, and the ridiculously cool to your morning routine? Well, my friend, look no further and start crafting. Today, we're embarking on a mission: taking an ordinary coconut and turning it into a functional, one-of-a-kind masterpiece of shaving craftsmanship.

This is not a project; it's a statement. Ready to get your hands a little dirty? Let's begin.

First, Gather Your Arsenal

Before we get to it, you'll need to cobble together a little equipment. Don't worry, no need for expensive, specialist equipment—just some basic tools you probably have hanging around the garage.

• The Star of the Show: One Coconut

1. Work with a mature, brown, fuzzy coconut. The young, yellow ones that pointy-end-ward are too soft-shelled to work here. If you already have one with an existing pre-ground cut line, you can simply use that as your marker, but keep in mind that you'll have a permanent cut line on your bowl. Your call.

• Your Trusty Tools & Materials

1. A nail or an awl
   
2. A file or rasp
3. Coarse sandpaper
4. A saw (a) anything that will cut through the shell is fine
5. A plain butter knife
6. A microwave and paper towels
7. Spray-on polyurethane. Don't get fancy. Good ol' spar polyurethane is just fine. Satin finish is best, but honestly, it doesn't matter as long as it's not vegetable-based or water-soluble.

Step 1: The Great De-Furring & Shaping

First and foremost, grab your file or rasp and de-fur your coconut as much as possible. Once you're satisfied, go over the outside with some sandpaper to smooth it out. As smooth as you make it now is pretty much how it's going to look in the end product. You can leave it a bit rough if you want a better grip.

Pro Tip: As you are sanding, be sure to provide a slight "flat" spot on the bottom. This will allow your bowl to happily rest on your counter and not roll away like it's attempting to make a run for it. Don't stress about it being perfect yet; you'll have another chance to even it out later. 

Step 2: Drain the Nectar

Flip the coconut over and you'll see three "eyes" on one end. Secret is, one of them is nice and soft, but the other two are hard as a rock. Gently try to insert your nail or awl into each of the three eyes, and you'll quickly find the weak spot.

Once you've pierced it, shake over a sink or a glass and continue shaking until you hear no sloshing sound anymore. (By the way, that song isn't completely accurate. If you put lime in the coconut and drink 'em both down, you'll probably want to add a bit of sugar, too.)

Step 3: Cut It in Half

Now it is time to cut it. Decide how deep you would like the bowl to be and saw it in half, or wherever you would like the rim of the bowl to be.

Master-Level Trick: If you want that cool, natural "wave" edge like the one on my bowl, cut nearly all the way through and then snap it the rest of the way open with a tool. When they ask you how you did that, just tell them that you did it on purpose so the lather wouldn't spill out. (Ssh, it's our little secret!)

Step 4: Evict the Meat

Time to get the coconut meat out. Take your butter knife and slice the meat down to the shell in a "pie shape," or just cut a whole bunch of random lines. I don't care, what am I, the coconut police?

Next, take the coconut half and cover it with a paper towel and microwave it for, say, a minute and a half or thereabouts. When it starts popping, turn to any onlookers and say confidently, "It's supposed to do that, trust me." Then take it out. It will be hot. And grass is green. Let it cool off, which isn't strictly required, except to avoid charring your fingerprints off.

Step 5: Pry It Loose

Once it's cooled off enough to manage, slide your butter knife or spoon between the meat and the shell. Pry it gently, and it will come out in big, satisfying chunks. Toss 'em or eat 'em—it's up to you. Continue until the shell is bare. 

Step 6: The Final Polish

LIGHTLY sand the inside of the shell. This not only removes any lingering meaty residue but, more importantly, roughens the surface sufficiently for the polyurethane to be able to obtain a good grip. Use this chance to define the shape of the bowl, soften the edges, and make any final adjustments to that flat spot on the bottom.

Step 7: Let It Dry

Let the shell dry out. It doesn't have to be bone dry, but letting it air for a bit is a good idea. If you're impatient, a 10-second burst in the microwave will speed things up.

Step 8: The Final Seal - Putting on the Poly

This is the final and most important step. Your mantra here is: many light coats.

Spray-on polyurethane is by far the easiest. I would do the outside first. I put an old pharmacy pill bottle under the bowl to hold it up so the edges wouldn't stick to my work surface. Let the poly dry completely between coats. This can take some time, depending on the humidity, but don't try to speed it up by spraying on a thick coat. The thinner the coat, the faster it will dry.

Seriously, do this in a ventilated area. The fumes are no joke. The death and cancer warnings on the can are not recommendations.

When you've finished the outside, repeat the process on the inside, again with many thin coats. You'll be done with the poly when the surface, both outside and in, feels slick and smooth, rather than dry and porous. Too much in any one coat on the inside will create pooling on the bottom, so take your time.

You're Done!

That's it! Step back and admire your handiwork. You now have in your hands not just a tool, but a story and a conversation starter. Enjoy the satisfaction of using something you made with your own two hands. Happy shaving!