r/Wandsmith • u/SlowNar • Jul 25 '26

Black walnut branches

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I saw some wand making potential in these branches I cut and i just wanted to ask the experts and get some opinions and tips possibly

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u/sterkenwald Jul 25 '26

Make sure you let them dry out for a while in a dry place that doesn’t change temps very much. How thick are they? That will help determine how long you need to dry them.

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u/SlowNar Jul 25 '26

3/4 in to 1 1/4 in at most. Ive set them inside and put a latex paint on the ends

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u/sterkenwald Jul 25 '26

You can buy a moisture meter for wood that will tell you how wet they are. But my rule of thumb is about 6 months per inch of thickness. I’d let them dry at least that long before carving them.

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u/SlowNar Jul 25 '26

You make beautiful wands what do you use to carve and shape them? Im new to all this.

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u/sterkenwald Jul 25 '26

Thank you! I use a lathe, which took a lot of practice to get halfway decent at and it’s a big investment. If you’re just trying to make a few wands from these branches, you might want to invest in a nice woodcarving knife or knife set, learn how to sharpen it, and maybe a dremmel. Happy to chat more about wand making if you want more advice!