Creating hazel Wands for a Harry Potter fan
The invitation to a confirmation party for a young Harry Potter enthusiast set us on a delightful quest—to craft a gift that would resonate with the magic of the wizarding world: A whole escape-room in a box; a puzzlebox. At the heart of this endeavor was the creation of wands, those quintessential tools of the witch or wizard, each as unique as the person they choose. Here is the tale of how we turned wood into wands for our special puzzle box gift.
Our initial choice was elder, a tree shrouded in magical lore and regarded as one of the most powerful for wand-making. However, working with elder wood presented challenges—the hollow center, while enchanting in concept, resulted in a fragile and unsteady wand prone to splitting and breaking.
We then turned to hazel. Its straight growth makes it easy to trim down, and when dried it is quite stable. Hazel's small core also allows us to drill out fluff and, in true wizarding fashion, insert a core made of 'magical' substances, such as a strand of hair or a piece of exotic animal fiber, adding a personal touch to the finished wand.
Inspired by the vast array of "character wands" from the Harry Potter films, and the vast library of wand designs at r/wandsmith, we decided to blend different designs rather than replicate any one in particular. Our goal was to capture the spirit of the series while infusing our own creative flair and the style of the recipient. The addition of a rattle ring - Turned as a single piece of wood with a skew chisel and an undercutting chisel - offered a flourish of whimsy, and the light, white hue of the hazel wood lent the wands an elegant air. We chose a design that was both feminine and conductor-like in its silhouette, sized perfectly for a child's hand.
To contrast with the polished appearance of the turned wand, we included a piece of what we refer to as trolls-hazel, a kind of corkscrew hazel. This twisted, wild-looking wood emphasized the narrative that wands are born from nature, bridging the gap between a crafted artifact and a child's simple plaything found in the woods.
The final touch was presentation. We placed the wands upon a sumptuous rabbit fur skin, draped over a stack of books (integral to the puzzle). This setting not only displayed the wands beautifully but also integrated them into the larger story we were crafting through the puzzle box.
The final revelation of our Harry Potter-themed puzzle box held more than just the intricate riddles and the tangible magic of the wands and books. Beyond the grand prize of a gift card to the Minalima store, we included a personal offer that would extend the magic even further. We proposed to our young witch or wizard an opportunity to customize the wand we had crafted for them..
With care and attention to detail, we would finish the wand with a coat of linseed oil to bring out the natural beauty of the hazel wood or apply a stain for a darker, more aged appearance. Additionally, we offered to adorn the wand’s tip with one of the pieces of amber we had found on the shore, transforming it into a truly unique magical artifact. And, if they so desired, we would assist in hollowing out the wand's core to insert a chosen 'core' material, further personalizing this essential wizarding tool.
This offer was our way of not only gifting an object but also sharing an experience—an intimate final touch in the journey of the puzzle box. It was an invitation to our young friend to engage deeply with their gift, to be a part of the creation process, and to imbue their wand with personal significance that would resonate with them for years to come.
More on our Harry Potter inspired puzzle box gift:
