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With this I have included an article telling how to make an Athame. For those that are unsure of what an Athame is, here is the definition:

Making your own tool for magic allows a deeper link and a more profound streingh of your habilities and skills in the realm of magic, as it imprint your essence within the tool you are using.

Creating a more powerful and more useful and personal bound with yourself and the skills you wish to explore, use and apply.

It is important to make one's own tools for ritual. The athame is difficult because everyone doesn't have the skill to work with metal.

Raymond Buckland in his "blue book" has a good set of instructions for making an athame too.

My own athame is a small dagger I bought at a Renaissance Fair. I am personally looking for a wand but waiting for a branch to choose me.

Making your own tool is important because then you have a personal attachment to it. If you consecrate it then you a magickal attachment to it.

I have never made my own athame. I have made knives when I was 16, they sucked. My athames were always boughten.

CryingMist said it all in her response.

I have never made knives before. But I have made weapons such as knives from bones of deer and other animals. Like you would see in the cave man days is something that you could associate it with.

I feel that by making your own athame that you are giving the athame your own energy and it can be blessed according to what ritual you are doing at the time.

As you are carving symbols into the athame, do you use the suggestions in a book or do you use ones you do research on and choose for yourself?

The symbols that I would use would be the ones that I have researched and feel a connection with. The main ones that I use on a lot are that of the Rune symbols.

My Husband made on and put a viper on it , I love it , wish he would make another put this time for me.

I have never used any other sysmbols. Would you be willing to add some of the info about the sysmbols that you use HHW? I would be really interested in learning more about them. Or you can message off post with the info.

to put it simple: if it is Satanic, I most likely use it

at this time I currently have no athame or tools at all for that matter, thanks to my ex

when i was a pagan, i used various symbols and markings....

theban, runes, travelers marking, etc.........i was ecclectic so the use of my tools were various forms of practices, as were the symbols

advantages are the power you put into it and how you feel when you use it

Of all the magical tools one could make, an Athame would be the most difficult! But yes I imagine they can be made of other materials than metal.

Correct me if I am wrong, but some cultures believed that warriors should know how to make a blade and their masterpiece is the one they carry. The reason was because it was believed that both creator and user of the sword are most likely to become one with their own blade. A part of themselves has gone in to the creation and stays, like a fingerprint, lending it more power for the maker rather than most users.

Applying that belief -- the maker forms a bond with what they create and are more likely to get the most potential from that tool.

I know that when you make your own tools for magical rites they are linked better with your own energy. I don't use an athame in what I do with magic so no I haven't made one but it I ever need one yes I will make my own.

ive thought it was something from sword and sourcery.
guess you need a good blacksmith

My athame was handmade through a Wiccan friend of mine and given to me. As my wand was also a gift. Indeed if I knew how to make one I most certainly would. Especially under the start of the waxing moon. Of course I have no skills in making athames so of course as others I have put my own energy into it.

I know if you make your own tools or weapons they are stronger and more effective. You are making it with skill and love and pouring all this energy into it as well.

Also as was said Warriors that were great warriors usually made their own swords and weapons because they were a part of them just like an extention of themselves. like an arm or leg.

They were balanced and as one with their weapons which helped them to be better warriors. at least so I have read and I do believe as well.

I made my athame, but did not forge the blade myself, but purchased it from a knife shoppe. I purchased a suitable block of an african hardwood and carved the handle. The knife was inscribed on copper and brass in celtic interlace patterns. It was charged by the moon and stars. The wooden handle inscribed with the rune of wytchcraft used by my tradition, it is my primary ceremonial working tool for BTW. However I have other athames used for my own workings ouside the craft, one hand made in the UK not of steel, but of bronze. It is used when working the magick of the sidhe who dont like steel things.

the one I am carving is of jade, edged with silver, with personal bind runes along the blade, not sure what wood for the handle yet....but there will be a moonstone in the pommel

I made my own think making your own tools makes it part of your self

As was aforementioned in other threads through anything self-made part of your spirit transcends and passes into the object of one's creation. Mine was made by a shaman.

I think anything that is crafted by the person using it, or even gifted (from a person that crafted it) to someone holds more value then something manufactured in some companies sweat shop.

would agreewith pretty much everything that has already been said. In the fact that anything that you have crafted yourself add that much personal energy to it

I did make my own. I love the work and love that went into it and it hold a great deal of myself in it. First off, I purchased a 1/2 in block of steel, which I traced the rough shape on the blade and cut it with a bandsaw with a metal cutting blade. Next I used a bench grinder to bevel the edges to get the finished shape. I then had a cheap tabletop BBQ i used and got it hot enough and tempered the blade (twice to harden, once to temper). Unfortunatly, the grill didnt make it. It melted into a pile. I have the burn marks on my outdoor rug to prove it. The handle is make od 100 yo Cherry. Hand shaped and cur in half. I used a wood chisel to carve a channel for the tang. A fine grit sandpaper was used for a final sharpening and polishing. The handle was joined over the tand of the blade.

It means the world to me, and hold great personal power. I highly recommend making your own if you have the means.

you know there was once a point in time where it was considred a deep honor for the local smith to make you athame for we are the ones who had the deepest conection to the forge gods which ever he may be from hesphesty to voland(who my forge is dedacated to)

and as for a charcoal BBQ for a forge i take offence to that

if smithing was so easy then every one would be a smith and there would be no need to have spent my life perfecting my craft

Very well said Loki, you dserve treats for that throws hi bacon.. But yes not everyone has the gift to be able to forge I will agree with you there. Everyone cant be the best at everything

Wow. I never thought of making my own. I believe I have just found my newest project.

I also believe that it would give a better connection.

Making my own for doesn't cost alot.
It is my own and personal athame and I can design as I wish.

so many people put a strong stock in making all these tools and having the right size cauldron and the right candles ect... please!! my husbands grandmother was a witch as well as a shaman and the only knife she said she ever needed was a old hickory butcher knife that she keep at her side . I have carried on the tradition and have had no trouble . you do not need a lot of fancy things in the old days they used what they had and so do I.Witch for 38 years and counting.

This does sound like a very interesting project.. I don't have any strong attachments to any of the knives here, so maybe making my own would be a good idea.

the main advantage i would guess for making it urself is bcuz it is custom to how u like it, and it is built with ur own energy. the disadvatange as it might not b as well-made, unless u are a excellent craftsman

Would it have to be metal? I find plexiglass to be useful in making blades since working with metal and finding the tools is hard in some cases.

Lady Snow please!!!! not all witches are the same and not all practice or have things that are the same. Some choose to make their tools. And some use household items and some buy new stuff....So please!!! don't be so high and mighty . As for me I have been a practicing witch since I was 18... now I am 41...... So lets not play this lil childesh game ohh I have been a witch for this many years I know more then you... DOES IT FREAKIN MATTER????

I say not..