Project Information
I haven't been doing much woodwork lately, life has been taken up doing a artwork for the cover of the soon to be released Pound of Flesh "11" album and focused on clay sculptures, among Solstice Gifts which is more crafting that woodwork. YET.. I managed to squeeze out a commissioned wand with the theme of Thor's hammer "Mjöllnir" with the concept of Karmic Justice, and had to have gemstones.
So here is one of the most detailed and intricate wands I have made to date. over 16" long, fire figured black cherry and gabon ebony. The black cherry is from Rockford and the ebony a close friend of mine picked up a chunk while in Africa some 40 years ago. I wanted the whole thing to look nothing like wood, so I went with the image of a single wrought iron piece wrapped in hard leather. The carvings took many hours spaced over 7 months, from concept, test carving, to execution. There are 8 Garnets, 4 in hammer and 4 alternating with 4 onyx gemstones in the banding between the handle and the ebony. A hand polished smokey quartz in the point. I used copper wire from the tube monitor of an old computer for the banding.
Danish oil and rub on varnish on the cherry… no stain. And polished resin on the ebony keeps it on a shine without flaking off after hands rub it too much. Everyone wants to know how i did the twist of ebony… he he.. far easier than you'd think. People pick it up and think it is leather, even after holding it for a few minutes which the carvings are so tiny you have to hold it close. Celtic carvings, a cat (passive, but scratching) on one end of the hammer… a frog catching a fly on the other.. both to represent how karma kinda gets you back, even in small ways. And the Norse Ruins are Protection, Mankind (the self), Disruption, and Growth…in order below.
Thanks for looking.
So here is one of the most detailed and intricate wands I have made to date. over 16" long, fire figured black cherry and gabon ebony. The black cherry is from Rockford and the ebony a close friend of mine picked up a chunk while in Africa some 40 years ago. I wanted the whole thing to look nothing like wood, so I went with the image of a single wrought iron piece wrapped in hard leather. The carvings took many hours spaced over 7 months, from concept, test carving, to execution. There are 8 Garnets, 4 in hammer and 4 alternating with 4 onyx gemstones in the banding between the handle and the ebony. A hand polished smokey quartz in the point. I used copper wire from the tube monitor of an old computer for the banding.
Danish oil and rub on varnish on the cherry… no stain. And polished resin on the ebony keeps it on a shine without flaking off after hands rub it too much. Everyone wants to know how i did the twist of ebony… he he.. far easier than you'd think. People pick it up and think it is leather, even after holding it for a few minutes which the carvings are so tiny you have to hold it close. Celtic carvings, a cat (passive, but scratching) on one end of the hammer… a frog catching a fly on the other.. both to represent how karma kinda gets you back, even in small ways. And the Norse Ruins are Protection, Mankind (the self), Disruption, and Growth…in order below.
Thanks for looking.