So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Discussion of ritual tools and other items used in the Craft.
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Micheál
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by Micheál »

I have both (don't know how to do pics atm)

It depends on what I'm doing, but I tend to use my athame more if I'm in, or using a circle. (I don't always, and if so don't use either as well)

I remember my early days in training we just had to use our fingers, which still happens if I'm travelling, or flying somewhere. Even if you have checked baggage, it's hard to risk losing something so precious to you.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by RedRavenFox »

I am such a klutz that have broken at least 5 bones over the years....and yet I still use a fairly sharp athame.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by RedRavenFox »

Incidentally there is a phrase on my athame in "elvish" that says "Sting is my name. I am the spider's bane."
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by SapphireRoad »

Traditional Cretan daggers were black handed and said to be from a bone or rather a horn of an animal. What are your views on practical impact of this?

How the spider's bane dagger feels when you are holding it in your hand and how it affects the artwork and the tonality of conducting the energy?
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by RedRavenFox »

Here's. my take on it. First of all I bought the athame online without knowing of the writing. I had to ask and then look everything up to see what it referenced. It does have a black handle. I've been looking at a lot of athames and trying to see what fits and what would best for casting a circle. I feel the art work so far has actually helped...like the words (even though the artist intended something different) I feel a level of protection and confidence. When conducting the energy I think of the "spider's bane," as the energy, spirits, etc that I do not want to harm or in anyway negatively impact the circle.

I have never had an athame made of an animal parts. I feel that this athame works for the time being and until I feel that I should stick with those instincts until I feel differently.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by Firebird »

Out of my 4 main blades, the one I made feels best. The only draw back is, it's made of iron. The Faye don't like that much.
I spent many hours grinding down and polishing an old file. Then engraving sigils within the covered hilt (with leather) and etched designs on the blade. Copper is wound around the leather. Perhaps because I made it for one of my assignments when I was in my first degree, is why it feels best.
Later I went to a stainless steel scuba diving knife, I like that one very much and probably used it the most for a couple reasons, one it was very intimidating looking, and two I could tie ribbons on the loop where one could hook a clip through, so I have several multi colored ribbons hanging from there. It's also lighter weight (backpacking blade) and doesn't rust, and is super shiny.
The one I got at the Ren Faire was the most expensive and forged on the full moon in May (forgot the year) It has the most lovely purple heart wood handle and brass guard and pommel. I use it frequently and it is part of my Ren costume.
I also use a folding single edge floral knife that is the "in a pinch" blade, because I always have it.
I say never leave home without water, a blade and means for starting a fire. :D
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by blue_moon »

I have both, but usually just use my hands anyway - or my grandmas old kitchen knife from the 1940s.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by NeverMoonAWerewolf »

My Athame is mainly ceremonial. Growing up with a kitchen witch granny, in our tradition, we never used a special knife for cutting herbs etc, and for rituals granny used a sharp obsidian-like stone. My decorated wand is mostly ceremonial either, and in need of repair after the move. When I'm out in nature, any stick I find can be used as wand.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by SnowCat »

RedRavenFox wrote:I am such a klutz that have broken at least 5 bones over the years....and yet I still use a fairly sharp athame.
A sharp knife is actually safer than a dull knife. A dull knife is more likely to slip a cut you.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by SapphireRoad »

I've been seeking obsidian dagger to cut through ethereal hostilities...
in correspondence with this guy http://www.obsidianarts.com/page2J.html
on my question if knife is sharp enough for something like that he said
''serrated sharp at best"
what's your take, how sharp that would be?
Mexican ritual knives were usually too dull, sharp ones from Okinawa would be a delight but this one has a good price.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by Firebird »

The edge of obsidian can be like a razor, so serrated would be lots of little razors.
I have cut myself on obsidian shards many times, they are so sharp I didn't even realize I was cut.
I also have an obsidian athame set in a deer antler, I don't use it very often and one time I broke the tip off. Obsidian is like glass, well... they call it volcanic glass. So it is very fragile. I had a guy at the pow wow chisel a new tip onto it but it's much shorter now!
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“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by SapphireRoad »

Ebay has some stuff, my dilemma now'd be
1.Obsidian knife (struggling with sharpness)
2.Cretan knife with a handle from horn (only one on ebay, doesn't seem traditional shape for magic)
3.Saving money

actually I have a wand I made from Beech wood with a slightly sharp bit of obsidian that got naturally ripped off from a round stone I kicked from bed while asleep :flyingwitch: I tried to make it to conduct energy into bottles to imprison but it flows pretty much into me, actually also at target bottle a bit by other edge... not good though for just to fight purposes... if pointed nowhere in particular the force of obsidian flows into me and it has deep empowering-calming-grounding effect I mentioned elsewhere, in ThunderFog's topic on obsidian.
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by SapphireRoad »

I make them like this
day of Mercury helps the craft-making, clean the beech wood with knife, use saw to create a space for stone, anoint wood fully in oil, use engraver to carve into stone and so on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvIVWCk8YvA&feature=youtu.be
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by JennAdeleK »

I have a friend who is a terrific crafts-person with all sorts of materials (most of them found items), and he's getting ready to make me a stang. I'll have to post a pic of it when it's finished... I'm sure it'll be beautiful. I'm all giddy and looking forward to working with it! :flyingwitch:
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Re: So do you have a wand, an athame, all or nothing at all?

Post by Firebird »

@ SR, How did I miss this? really cool wand, love the obsidian, I can't understand the very last sentence in the video, like: "explode the plants apart?" Anywho nice job!
Jenn, looking forward to a pic. I personally love to work with Making wands and Staves, every time a branch fall out of a tree I wonder what I can make with it :lol:
I have a large pile of unfinished pieces :oops:
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“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
― Jim Morrison
“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”
― RWEmerson
:mrgreen:
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