July 2017 – Astrolabe Arts

This staff is about 53” tall and made from a piece of river wood, more specifically a “beaver chew,” or “beaver stick.” Beavers removed the bark from the wood by chewing it off and although the light sanding and polyurethane coats have obscured many of the toothmarks, some still remain visible.

I wood-burned the Nordic rune “Ægishjálmur” twice at the top and was meant to protect the wearer in battle. Originally I wanted to do a Nordic compass, it looks similar, but it’s a little more detailed and would have been much more difficult to do given the size of my wood-burner. Going down the staff on each side is the Elder Futhark rune set with each one representing a letter, a number, and would be used in divination.

Artist: Justin Goslant SOLD

Artist: J.R. Goslant

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AstrolabeArts

https://www.facebook.com/AstrolabeArts/

July 29, 2017July 22, 2017 by jrgoslant Categories: Staffs and Hiking SticksTags: Ægishjálmur, beaver, beaver chew, beaver stick, Elder, elder futhark, futhark, hiking staff, hiking stick, Nordic, Nordic compass, pyrography, river wood, rune set, runes, runic, Viking, walking staff, walking stick, wood burning Leave a comment

This staff stands at 55” and was one of a series of smaller projects with a more minimalist aesthetic. There’s only two symbols burned into the top, a tan, raw-hide grip, and two glass fish beads reminiscent of koi fish. The symbols are the Buddhist “Ohm” symbol and the Japanese character for “peace.”

The polyurethane was originally meant to just protect and preserve the wood, but it also really enhanced the colors of the wood creating a marble-like contrast.