Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 5

I've learned a few things during this process of making my own Runes.  First, but not related directly to making the Runes, I need a better camera.  I tried taking some pictures of the practice Runes I made today, but they are pretty blurry... sorry about that.  I wanted to show you pictures of my efforts so you could see what worked and what didn't.  That will have to wait until next time.

Second, if you decide to make your own Runes, make sure you have plenty of practice wood, unless you are a woodworking expert.  As I explain my progress today, you'll understand why and, I can tell you, I'm going back to my practice wood next week, to practice carving the angles of the Runes.

Carving out the space on which to carve the Runes is pretty easy with the right tools (see Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 3 for information on the tools I'm using).  I'm simply making a flat rectangular space on the staves.  The carving spaces are roughly 2.5cm (1 inch) long, covering the full width of the stave.  Remember, my staves are not all the same width.  To compensate for this fact, I am carving the thinner Runes, such as Isa and Laguz, on the thinner Runes (see picture below) and saving the widest staves for Runes like Dagaz and Mannaz.  However, having said that, I recommend highly that you plan to have 24 four-inch long wooden Rune staves that are 2cm (3/4 inch) wide, with approximately a similar amount for practice, if you are going to follow this process.

Now, on to the practice.  This is a picture of the three Runes I made today; these runes will not be part of the final set.  I colored them in using a red pen, but that was just so you would be able to see the carving.  When I complete my actual Runes, I will be staining them.

Again, I apologize for the quality of the picture.  I will get better ones when I make the real set.  These were made just for practice carving the Rune shapes.  As you can see, I chose some of the easier Runes - Ehwaz, Laguz, and Isa.  The staves are thin, 1cm (~1/2 inch), which is another reason to try the easier Runes.  The only trouble I had with shaving the space to carve the Runes is that on the one where I carved Laguz, the bark came off all the way around the carved section.  You may decide not to use the bark at all (shave it all off) or just not worry about whether or not it stays on.  I am going to try to keep the bark on, because I like the way it looks, the contrast between the shaved spot and the rest of the Rune, and I like to think that it holds in the power of the wood.

When it came to carving the Runes into the wood, obviously, the straight line that is made with the grain of the wood was pretty easy.  Isa was a safe place to start.  For that, I used a combination of a gouge and small scratch awl.  (I'll post pictures next time.)  You can see the result in the picture.  Making the angled lines was not as easy and, I think I may wear leather gloves next time, because I came close to cutting myself a couple of times.  I may lose a little dexterity, but I'll keep my fingers intact.  This time, I was just scratching in the shapes freehand.  Next round, I will try sketching them onto the wood first to see if I can follow the line or if winging it is the best way to go.

I'm not disappointed with this first practice effort.  In fact, I am happy that I have learned so much through the experience that I can incorporate and try the next go round.  Please stay tuned for the next step in the process and look for more information on working with individual Runes mixed in with my usual readings.  As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know.  I'm available via email.  Have a wonderful week.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 4

This morning, I cut the wood staves for my Runes.  The picture above shows the cherry wood branches that I cut this spring from the cherry tree in my yard, the water from Freyr to cleanse the tools for making the Rune staves, the organic cotton cloth I used to dry the tools, and the gardening shears (or pruning shears) for the cutting.  I also had a small saw, which I used on a few of the thicker pieces of wood.

For the shears, I dipped them into the jar of water and requested a sharp blade for a clean cut, reciting this incantation:

"Please provide me with a sharp blade, so that I may make a clean cut.  I do not wish to waste Freyr's gift to me."

When I needed the saw, I put my fingers in the water, then ran the water along the blade of the saw, reciting the same incantation.

Remember, I chose to say these things.  You may use them, but you can also say what feels right to you.

Once the blessing was complete, I marked the staves with a single dot from a marker at four inch (10cm) intervals.  I struggled a bit with determining the length, because, in Norse Mythology, the number nine is a commonly used number, as are three and six.  I measured out strips of paper at three, four, and six inches (nine was clearly too long) and examined them for a long time, before deciding that four inches was the best length for me.  Four is the right length and, although it is not a special number in Norse Mythology, it has special meaning to me, personally.  Since these are my Runes (or will be my Runes), I feel I have to put as much of myself as possible into each one.  You may find slightly shorter or longer staves feel right for your needs.

My four-inch wooded Rune staves, trying to look like logs, just waiting to be carved, stained and varnished.

 As I was cutting the staves, I realized a couple of things.  First, the staves, while all the same length, are not the same width.  In fact, they range from under half an inch to more than three-quarters of an inch (about 1-2.5cm).  In a moment of true personal growth, this made me smile.  The staves, my staves, are not going to be uniform.  Each will have its own distinct look, feel, and width, along with the Rune carved into it.  As someone with a strong 'type A' personality, this should bug me.  They should all be the same length, width, and so on.  Instead, I find myself pleased with these distinctions.  I must, however, confess that I believe the "perfect" stave size is somewhere around half an inch (1.5-1.7cm).

Next week, I will resume my carving practice for a few days, before beginning on my actual staves.  On that, I have two quick things to point out.  Due to the different stave widths, I will be carving specific Runes into the thick versus thin staves, because, like the staves, some Runes are wider than others.  Simply look at Dagaz and Isa as an example.  The other point I want to make is that the wood is drying out a bit and I am afraid I may lose some or all of the bark on the staves.  I tell you this, so that you can plan to make your Runes in a shorter time frame.  That way, they can be carved before the wood gets to dry and then varnished to protect them from drying out.

Look for more Runes 301 in a few weeks.  Until then, stay tuned for more about Runes, their meanings and their role in mythology and history.

Runes 301- Making Your Own Runes 3

Over the last two weekends, I've taken some time to practice carving wood to make my Rune staves.  I've figured out the basic process for making the space in which to carve the Runes.  The challenge is to keep the bark from peeling off.

When I began this process, I had no idea what I would use for the carving, but I found a nice set of tools especially for such delicate work.  I got mine at Home Depot, though I checked out some art supply stores too.  The set I bought was sturdier and felt more durable than the ones from the art stores.  I paid $40 Canadian for a six-piece set, but it will probably be cheaper in the US.  (I can't speak to the cost in other countries; sorry.)

After playing with all the tools in the set for a couple of hours, I came up with a three-tool process that works for me. First, I etch a rectangle on the wood with the skew bevel.  Next, I use the bent chisel.  This makes a nice flat surface on the wood by removing very thin layers.  As I shave the wood, it curls up toward the edge, so I use the straight edge to "chop" it off.  Once I begin making the actual Runes, I'll put up some pictures of the process.  For now, here is a picture of the three tools I'm using.

The top tool is the bent chisel.  I placed it sideways in the shot to accentuate the bend.  It may seem silly, but having the bend in the tool makes it easier to shave the wood.  The middle tool is the straight edge.  It's essentially the same as the bent chisel without the bend.  I tried this one to make the flat surface and it worked okay, but I found it harder to maneuver.  However, the straight edge worked great to remove the shavings created by the bent chisel.  At the bottom of the picture is the skew bevel.  Its blade is angled and the point worked well for marking the lines which form the space for the Rune.  A word of caution though.  If you're going to get cut, this is most likely when it will happen, so be careful.  Watch out for peeling bark too.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will refine this process and attempt to etch in some Runes.  When I'm comfortable enough with the carving process, I'll use the rain water I gathered earlier this spring to cleanse the tools before I before the tools touch the fruit-bearing wood.

If you have made your own Runes using wood or some other material, please feel free to share your experience with us.  Likewise, if you're considering making a set and have questions, ask away.  I'm happy to help as best as I can.