[008] The Bodger's Crayons

Some classes of mine have spots still available! Handmade Games , ages 8-12 (St. Peter) and Old World Games for all ages (Grand Marais).

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"There's a lot of spiritual energy available when you slip out of a civilized event." - Martin Shaw, Bardskull

I've had this idea for a while, to make a crayon inside a horsetail stalk. Horsetails are some of the oldest extant species on the planet and they are very weird.

Each of the stalks can be cut apart, or even pulled apart, and in doing so you may find that they are totally hollow inside. Thus: the perfect housing for a crayon.

But first, one must make a rack for to hold ye horsetails.

A nice piece of basswood presented itself for the occasion and was forthwithly en-holed.

First experiment: beeswax and turmeric. Goal: a yellow crayon.

Curry Crayon™️

double / double / toil and trouble

Pour! Pour before it hardens again!

Okay, so, a funnel doesn't work. The hole is too small and the wax hardens very quickly.

Another tip: get rid of all blobs and globs! If you don't, such flotsam will clog your precious tubes.

And yet! Despite all odds! Success!

It writes! But only just. It is gritty, and soft.

Next experiment: charcoal crayon!

After a quick crush-up with the pestle, I added a smidge of charcoal to the next batch of beeswax.

fire burn / and cauldron bubble

A much cleaner pour! The finely-ground charcoal and nicely-melted beeswax make a fine combination. I did notice that many of the horsetails actually leaked out the bottom, but just like the funnel, the hole plugged quickly with hardening wax.

It works! Once again, it is more gritty than I would expect. However, it doodles middling well.

"It is amazing that trees can turn gravel and bitter salts into these soft-lipped lobes, as if I were to bite down on a granite slab and start to swell, bud, and flower. Trees seem to do their feats so effortlessly." - Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek