Relief Carved Elder Futhark Runes- An Enabling Set for Blind and Partially Sighted

In March 2022, I received an email asking if I would consider making a set of Elder Futhark runes for a person who is fully blind. They explained that the problem with using standard runes is they had to run their nail through each to interpret which one it was.

Working closely with my customer, we determined that the best option would be a relief carved rune on each of the 24 stones with a contrasting textured background.

I made this set using stones found at the confluence of two rivers in the Scottish Borders (the Leithen Water and River Tweed) that were collected in the liminal days between Yule and Hogmanay 2021. Each stone is around 4 to 5 cm and the surface of each rune was made smooth using wet and dry paper to provide a greater contrast in tactility against the ‘textured’ area. The feedback I received was wonderful and humbling “I don’t know how I can express my gratitude for these beautiful stones. I am blown away with the quality and the workmanship- I can feel every rune, every line and every swirl. Thank you again and again” It was an absolute pleasure working with this customer and being given the opportunity to create something enabling in this ableist society we live in.

I’ve been commissioned to make another set of these enabling runes and if you have difficulty using or reading standard sets, please email me (hatchburncarve@yahoo.co.uk) or use the contact form in the ‘About Me/Ordering Items’ section on this website.

Skull Keys

These skull key rings have been entirely handcrafted in my Scottish Borders workshop from various reclaimed and vintage house keys.

I start by roughly drawing the desired skull shape, then drill the eye/nose holes using my vintage 1970’s Black and Decker drill and drill-press.

Using a bench grinder, I remove the original notches from the key and shape the cheekbones. With the skull shape roughed-out, I deburr and hand-shape the skull with needle files and cut the teeth to the desired depth. With my Foredom power carver I use three grades of Scotch-Brite radial discs to polish the key.

A number of these skull key rings are available to buy in my Etsy shop.

Three Swallows

‘Three Swallows’ was carved from a natural stone I found in the sea off the coast of Cornwall a few years ago (42 x 12 x 5 cm).

After carving the design, the swallows were enamelled with two coats of metallic gold 1-Shot enamel.

The plinth was made from a piece of reclaimed Caithness stone. I made the initial cuts with my angle grinder, and the mortise was carved to depth using a combination of hammer and claw/bullnose chisels, and a large diameter diamond burr.

The completed piece (50 x 28 x 34 cm) in my customer’s garden;

Brick Candle Holders

I collected a few wheelbarrows of bricks from a demolition/construction site here in Innerleithen, Scottish Borders. The bricks once formed some of the buildings around the main millhouse at Caerlee Mill. The original mill building was built around 1790 for the manufacture of woolen cloth.  Until the mill closed in 2013, this site produced many materials and items of clothing such as tartan and cashmere.

I’d like to thank Whiteburn Projects for giving me kind permission to access the site.

These bricks are transformed into candle holders by diamond coring and chiselling the recesses for the tealights. The bricks are then scrubbed/washed, dried and finished with a coat of masonry stabiliser/sealer (and protective rubber feet).

Etna brickworks was located in Armadale (West Lothian), Roslin works was in Midlothian, and Niddrie was in Edinburgh.

These candle holders are sold by a fabulous local shop, The Hub on The High Street who stock many of my pieces. I have since collected (and have been given) a large stock of  bricks to create  more of these items.

Sea and River Rune Stones

Sets of 25 hand carved Elder Futhark rune stones (one blank), each contained in a handmade bag (kindly made by my wife).

I sourced these stones from various places on my travels around the country, and brought them back to my workshop in the Scottish Borders. The white stones were found in the sea off the coast of southern England, whilst the other sets were made from stones that I carefully and respectfully collected from the River Valency at Boscastle, and the Trevillet River near St Nectan’s Glen (both locations in Cornwall).

After carving the white stones, the runes are filled with either red or copper monument enamel. All sets are left intentionally unsealed.

I’ve listed some of these in my Etsy shop- just follow this link.

Red Elder Futhark Runes;

Copper Elder Futhark Rune Stones;

River Valency (Boscastle) Rune Stones;

Trevillet River (nr St Nectan’s Glen) Rune Stones;

 

 

Making Skull Pendants and Keyrings

These skull pendants and keyrings are crafted from vintage nickel silver teaspoons that are source from various places (such as charity shops, or given to me).

The process of making the skulls is rather time consuming and involves drilling, cutting, filing, grinding, sanding and polishing . I utilised my Proxxon Micromot as a mini bench grinder to help in shaping the metal around the edges.

Here are some of the finished products- I’ve listed some of these in my Etsy shop, just follow this link.

A Mani Stone for Nunhead Cemetery

This Mani stone commission was carved from a stone I found in my local river, the Leithen Water (a tributary of the River Tweed). It measures around 46 x 26 x 6 cm and weighs 13 Kg.

It was placed by my customer at the base of a memorial tree in Nunhead Cemetery in the London Borough of Southwark. Nunhead is one of the so-called ‘Magnificent Seven’ cemeteries in London (the others being Kensal Green, West Norwood, Highgate, Abney Park, Brompton and Tower Hamlets).

Hand Carved House Sign

This was the last piece I made in 2019. This hand carved slate house sign (23 x 13 cm) was cut from a 1 cm slab using my wet stone saw, freehand carved, and enamelled with five coats of 1-Shot monument/signwriters enamel. It was finally polished using a number of grades of wet and dry paper.

 

A Stable Sign for Sokrates

This design (© HatchBurnCarve) was based on a tolting Icelandic horse with added Pictish/Celtic spirals.

Hand carved from a reclaimed roof slate (30 x 25 cm), enamelled with professional copper monument/memorial enamel, and finally hand polished.

Ardross Pictish Wolf Pendant

Quite possibly the smallest carving I’ve made to date. This pendant measures around 3 cm in diameter. This was carved using needle-point carving burrs from a stone I found on Bude beach in North Cornwall.