Thekkur (The Welcome One):

A Norse Friendship Rune for

Bright Hills Schola Event (2013)

Created by

THL Janyn Fletcher of Lancastreschire

Barony of Bright Hills

MKA Jay Nardone

443-508-4456

janynfletcher@comcast.net

www.janynfletcher.com

Summary ............................................................................................................................ 3 My Assumptions and My Token Projects ....................................................................... 3

Original Artifact/Design ................................................................................................... 4 Creation of my piece ......................................................................................................... 5

Stone Preparation ......................................................................................................... 5 Transferring or Drawing the figure ............................................................................ 5 Carving the Mold .......................................................................................................... 7

Casting and Cleanup of the piece .............................................................................. 10 Troubleshooting the Pour........................................................................................... 12

Differences in Construction: Period Technique vs. My methods ............................... 13

Mold Material Differences ......................................................................................... 13 Carving Tool differences ............................................................................................ 13

My Final Comments and Learning Moments .............................................................. 14

Credits .............................................................................................................................. 14 Literary Sources .............................................................................................................. 14

Pewter/Low Temp Alloy Suppliers................................................................................ 15 Conquest Industries ........................................................................................................ 15 Atlas Metal Sales ............................................................................................................. 16

Ney Metals ....................................................................................................................... 16

Summary

I volunteered to provide a site token for the Bright Hills Schola Scribal Event (2013), the

Autocrat and Baronial A&S Clerk Signet requested an image of my choosing. I selected a

Norse friendship rune named Thekkur. Soap stone was selected as the carving material,

cut, and sanded using fine grit sand paper to allow both sides to mate flush with each

other. I transferred the design outline to the stone via a method called “punch point.” This

method uses a series of holes punched into tracing paper and allows a permanent marker

to transfer dots to the stone that you can then follow for the carving outline. I then carve

the subject to the required depth and add the details as necessary. Once the subject is

completed, the sprue and vents are added to the stone. The sprue is where the molten

pewter is poured into the mold and the vents allow any trapped air to escape.

In the end, over 100 tokens were created, with the option of creating more as bezants for

decoration in the future.

Materials Used Tools Used Total Time of preparations

Soapstone slab 3” x 3” x ¾”

(2)

Dentists picks Stone Cutting = 0.5 hrs

RotoMetals AC Pewter 3lbs Stone carving tools Stone Prep = 2 hrs

Silly Putty Dremel Bits Drawing = 1 hrs

Sand Paper Carving (2 molds) = 6 hrs

Jewelers Files Casting (100 pcs) = 2 hrs

Lee 20lb melting pot Cleaning / polishing = 2 hrs

Lee 2oz ladle

Welders Gloves

Jewelers magnifying lenses

TOTAL TIME: = 13.5 hrs

My Assumptions and My Token Projects

The earliest pewter that has been found was in an Egyptian tomb dated to 1450 B.C.

Pewter was used by the Romans and was introduced to Britain in the 2nd century C.E.

Significant pewter production did not begin until the 13th

century. Many industries sprang

up around the casting of pewter badges, plaques and other items that had to do with

Pilgrimages. Pewter was also used in many household items. In 1474 the London

Pewterers “purchased” from King Edward IV a royal charter for the legal control of

pewter manufacture – the birth of the Worshipful Company of Pewterers still in existence

today.

Soapstone has been used for casting various types of metal since before the Vikings. It

was used to cast pewter, lead, bronze and other metals. Soapstone was itself also used to

make many items, as it was so easy to carve but held up well to heat. Pots, bowls and

lamps are only a few examples.

Materials Used in Period

Lead – Straight lead was used in period. It has a reasonable low melting point (~620ºF).

Using lead has obvious safety risks that make it undesirable to use now.

Tin – Used in some casting. Until 1300s the supply came almost exclusively from

England so this was rarely found on the mainland. Melting point is 450ºF.

Pewter – Pewter in period is difficult to define. It was often a mixture of lead, tin, and

traces of other metals. There have been mainland pewter mixtures found with over 50%

lead and some found with no lead at all. For example, Canterbury bells were made with

97% tin, 2% copper and traces of bismuth and antimony. Most pewter mixes did contain

lead. Melting points varied with the metal composition ranging from around 350ºF to

600ºF. The pewter that I use typically melts around 425 degrees.

In an effort to perfect my craft and widen my body of work, I wanted to help the Barony

scribal event and provide site tokens that were unique. I wanted to produce a piece that

would be remembered for its uniqueness.

I have just started down my path of pewter casting within the last year. I find it both

educational and very rewarding when the recipients are excited over my work. I enjoy

being able to help where I can with my projects.

Original Artifact/Design

I studied several designs and wanted to do

something fun and eye catching for this site token. I

found a Norse Friendship Rune and thought this

would make a wonderful site token for the event.

Thekkur means "The Welcome One". It is a runic

symbol for friendship Runes were the writing

system used by the Norse and Northern Germanic

peoples from approx. 500-1200 AD. Writings of

these peoples are scarce, but a few runes have been

found in Icelandic sagas.

Creation of my piece

Stone Preparation

Soapstone – Soapstone, or steatite, is almost entirely composed of talc. Good soapstone is

very easy to carve, holds intricate detail and will last through hundreds of castings. Good

soapstone should have an even consistency with few occlusions and should not be

crystalline but it is sometimes tough to tell where the occlusions are until you are well

into carving. When soapstone is hot it becomes somewhat brittle so care should be taken

not to chip it. Soapstone was quarried in Norway and Iceland and has been used by

various cultures throughout the middle ages. When carving soapstone, you will generate a

lot of dust that you do not want to breathe in. Keep a dust mask handy.

WARNING: I want to warn you that working with soapstone will create dust that is

very dangerous to inhale. I always wear a respirator when working with soapstone.

Soapstone is naturally found in rock form and will need to be cut into slabs to

accommodate your requirements for each project. There are a select few suppliers that are

willing to cut the stone into slabs for you. I buy mine from a supplier that sells it in 6” x

12” x ¾” thick slabs and I cut them down to the required size on a wet saw used for tile

cutting. The cutting of the stone will get the size of the stone to a workable size.

The next step in preparation of the stone is to assure that both sides will perfectly smooth

and mate together with no openings. Many times the wet saw blades will leave blade

marks and possibly uneven surfaces on the inner faces of the stone. I also will place hash

marks on 2 sides of the stone to act as an alignment guide so the mold is put together

correctly each time.

I like to sand the inner faces of the stone by placing a new piece of 150-grit to 200-grit

sandpaper laying face up on my workbench table. I then take each piece of the soapstone

and with the inner face down, slide the stone over the sandpaper in circular motions to

true the face of the stone. I continue this process with the other half of the stone and when

done with the first pass of sanding I will check the mating of the two halves. Place the

two faces of stone facing one another and check to see if any light can be seeing in-

between the two halves. If you can see light, continue the sanding process and test fit

repeatedly until you no longer see any light. Once this is completed the stone should want

to hold to each side with a bit of water. I use a water sprayer and spray just a bit of water

to wet one side of the stone. Place the two halves together and they should grip to each

other for a few seconds. If this is the case, the stone is ready to be used. Allow the stone

to dry before proceeding to the drawing phase of the project.

Transferring or Drawing the figure

Now is the time to draw out your design with that felt tip marker (if you are using the

pin-dot transfer method) or a pencil if you are free-handing the drawing. One important

aspect is to double check that it is backwards! The picture needs to be backwards on the

mold so when the piece is completed, it will face the correct way out of the mold. Work

across your design adding depth first. Your design will be easier to see on the finished

product if it sticks out a bit. Choose the right tool for the design. Often a rounded tool

will be more appropriate than a pointed one. Remember – Speeding along will only get

you rework or another try at a brand new mold, THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS! Use

the modeling clay often to see how your mold is looking. It is very difficult to tell just by

looking at the stone.

This is an example of what the transferred

picture looks like using the “pin-dot”

method. The dots are transferred to the stone

and then you can simply follow the dots to

complete the picture.

Drawing

The first consideration in drawing is placement of the token in the mold for optimal flow.

Examine the design and orient it on the face of the stone so that as many points or small

extensions in the design (ex. barbs on the rose) as possible are oriented downwards,

ensuring that the material will flow into them while hottest. Often designs are carved

upside down to ensure more detail as well as hide the sprue connection in the base of the

token.

After a few practice runs on paper, sketch the design onto the stone with a mechanical

pencil or fine tip sharpie pen. This will allow the design to be more visible under direct

light. As I have problems sketching due to damage in my hands, I prefer to use a punch

point method of transfer. To do this, take a copy of the graphic and, using a small pin,

punch a series of holes into any lines, or at the very least, the outline of the design, for

the drawing. Tape the drawing onto the stone in the correct position and run pencil or

fine tip sharpie marker along the lines with the holes. The holes will leave a series of

marks on the stone, and you can complete the graphic on the stone by connecting the

dots!

Carving Station: Dremel bits, foam work pad and example tokens

Carving the Mold

I choose to use a very sharp pointed

pick or carving tool to go around

the outside lines of the picture for

the first time. This will allow you

to set the lines of the outside of the

piece that will act as a guide when

you start to add the depth to the

piece.

As the outside lines are completed,

I then switch to completing the

depth of the piece itself. You will

need to make a decision here about

how thick you want the piece to be.

The deeper the piece, the more pewter it will require to cast. This can be a factor when

required to make hundreds of pieces. Also deeper molds might be more difficult to get

the poured piece out of.

Once the desired shape and depth of the

edge is achieved, the cavity of the body

are carved using Xacto knives and steel

carving tools, and then the hollow is

smoothed out using a tool such as

Xacto knife or pick to achieve the

smooth surface. Check with your

Sculpy to ensure that the hollow is level

(or at the correct depth), and check the

surface with a magnifying glass to

ensure that the face has no

imperfections.

To add the details to the

hollow, sketch in the design

onto the surface of the hollow,

and proceed to etch the design

using a very small, pointed

carving implement (ex. a pin or

needle). Once your design is

etched, repeatedly go over the

design to dig the lines to the

desired depth. For the inner

design lines on the body, use

an Xacto knife to round out the

sides and top of each segment

of the body made by the

carving lines to provide an

organic, rounded flow to the segments of the body and improve overall aesthetics.

Once the detail work is completed, more cleanup work is performed. I use a jeweler’s

head magnifier to check the mold and assure that there are no overhanging edges,

scratches or any other marks that are unwanted in the carved area.

Since the token is to be hung from a

string or jump ring, a small ring

should be carved at the top of the

token. This is easily done using the

base of the shaft of a dremel tool

head inserted upside down into the

Xacto tool handle. Since the shaft

of the head is circular, it will carve a

perfect rounded ring. A very small,

rounded, carving head will also

work very well. I chose to just drill

a hole in the top of the piece and use

a silver jump ring.

Once you are happy and sure that the carving is at the point you wanted it to be, I will use

a medium to polish and smooth the carving. I use many different things; mother’s

aluminum polish, flitz and toothpaste are all good. They are just abrasive enough to

smooth the surface face of the carving but won’t hurt your work. Make sure to clean all

of the abrasive out of the mold and assure to let the mold dry prior to pouring the hot

pewter into it.

WARNING: I want to warn you that pouring hot pewter into a wet mold can be

very dangerous!

As I discussed earlier you will need to carve vent lines into the mold to allow trapped air

to escape from the mold. There are many ways to accomplish this. I like to carve lines 45

degrees from the artwork to the outer edges of the side with the carving in it. You can

also add them to the non carved side of the mold but it will leave a pattern of vent lines in

the back of your piece which might not be wanted.

Mold with matching sprue

Finally, a sprue from the top of the mold to

the token is drawn out and carved, tapering in

size to the base of the carving. The sprue

should be wide enough to allow a sufficient

quantity of metal to flow freely into the

carving and fill out all details, while being

small enough to remove from the token once

carved.

The size of the vent lines and sprue can be

adjusted after test pours to assure optimal

effect in regards to the flow of the metal.

The sprue should be the last thing you carve into your mold. It is the main access to the

carving where you will pour the hot pewter. The sprue needs to be big enough to allow

the hot pewter to flow. The sprue needs to be carved into both sides of the mold and you

need to assure that it does not extend too far into the piece or it could change the way the

final pour could look. I typically stop mine right at the edge of the jump ring tab or edge

of the piece.

You might be required to adjust how many and the depth of your vent lines after a few

test pours. In my experiences to date, if I have a bad pour it is usually caused by too few

or not deep enough vent lines.

Casting and Cleanup of the piece

WARNING: When working with any molten metal, heavy gloves, long sleeved shirts,

jeans, and safety glasses are a must! Do not cast bare footed or without closed shoes!

Welding gloves are my preferred protection, please do not use thin gardening or work

gloves as they will not stop molten metal.

I like to use RotoMetals 92% pewter. It is comprised of 92% tin, 8% Antimony and

flows well for most of my projects.

Casting Station: Metal ingots, molds, melting furnace

and ladle

I allow the heating vessel to heat completely before trying to pour any of my pieces. I try

to use the lowest temperature that I can to successfully complete the pour. There is no

reason to run the highest temperatures for most pours. Once the pewter is melted and up

to temperature I will “skim” the dross from the top of the pewter and stir the molten

pewter a few times. Then the mold will be clamped shut with a metal clamp and using the

ladle I will pour the pewter into the mold via the sprue.

The mold needs to be at the same temperature that the pewter is or the piece will most

likely not pour correctly. It might take a few pours to get the mold and stone to the

correct temperature. Please keep in mind that the stone will be just as hot as the metal

after a few pours.

The Process of Casting

Mold clamped and pouring started Waiting for the pour to cool

A good pour! Casting Pot ready for next piece

Many of the tokens completed

Troubleshooting the Pour

If you are having issues with the pour of your piece, it can be attributed to these issues:

- The Mold does not fill completely even after a few pours and the mold is at

proper temperature: Assure that the mold is at proper temperature and assure that

there are adequate vent lines or adjust the temperature of the pewter slightly

higher and repeat a few pours.

- The metal looks burned or cloudy: this is a sign of pewter that is too hot. You will

typically see this along the sprue because that part of the mold and piece remains

the hottest the longest. Try adjusting the pewter temperature down and try again

after waiting for a few minutes.

When you have reached that point where you can continuously pour without fill issues or

metal issues, you can repeat the pour process to complete the required amount of tokens.

I try to cast as many at a time that I can because it takes about 20-30 minutes for an

almost full heating unit to reach the proper temperature after cooling completely.

Cast and cleaned token

Differences in Construction: Period Technique vs. My methods

As discussed earlier, stone casting has been traced back to 1450 B.C. and with the

exception of the tools used and the method of heating the pewter and the composition of

the metal itself, the process is still very similar.

On the whole the differences in construction for my pewter tokens from period are mostly

in the tools and materials:

Mold Material Differences

While the molds in period are often documented as being carved from softer materials

such as wood, soapstone, or cuttlebone, I use Soapstone as it provides a more workable

material with minimal occlusion. I would like to try some Wonderstone in the future but

have not been able to find any yet.

Carving Tool differences

Instead of using jewelers tools like artisans in period used, I choose to use dentist’s picks,

stone carving tools and a power dremel tool in certain instances. The methods used to

imprint the image into the stone essentially remain the same but accomplished through

the use of more modern tools.

My Final Comments and Learning Moments

Overall I am pleased with this project. The tokens were fun to create and cast. I had

many issues with details in the mold breaking out when the mold heated up and because

the mold details were carved too deeply. I ended up making 3 molds because I was not

happy with the way the original 2 were producing tokens. I learned something new once

again that I value as a pewter caster. I learned about disintegrating molds and how detail

that is carved too deep can destroy a mold when trying to remove the piece from it.

Credits

As always, credit goes to my original teachers, Master Chirhart Blackstar, LSCA, and

Mistress Martelle Von Charlottenburg, LSCA, for getting me started on this path.

Without their knowledge and patience, I would still have many questions. I also want to

thank Master Christopher MacConing, LCSA for being patient and forgiving with my

mistakes I have made along the way so far and for helping me with my format of my

documentation.

Special thanks go to my wife, Lady Aemilia Rosa, for all of her help, encouragement, and

for keeping me sane while I was learning my craft!

Literary Sources

Pewter Casting in Stone Molds1

http://www.warehamforge.ca/pewter.html

(Site Excerpt) The majority of jewelry objects remaining from the Viking Age are either

made of silver or bronze. Silver is commonly found in massed hordes, with coins, ingots,

fragments forming the largest portion rather than finished jewelry. These hordes are

obviously collected wealth, hidden in times of peril by owners who never returned. The

common medium of exchange was obviously silver, gold objects are relatively

uncommon throughout Scandinavia. Although simple sliver objects are found, many

show a very high degree of craftsmanship. Complex forming and assembling techniques

are commonly seen with silver.

Early Smelting and Metallurgy2

http://www.unr.edu/sb204/geology/smelt.html

(Site Excerpt---and page down for a period illustration of a smelting furnace) Smelting

was accomplished initially in an open fire. A hole one to two feet in diameter was dug in

the ground. The hole was lined with fire-resistant clay or stone. Charcoal was placed in a

layer on top of the clay, then was covered by copper ore. Charcoal burns particularly hot,

raising temperatures enough to melt the copper. The charcoal also releases gases that

react with the copper minerals to reduce them to copper metal. A molten mass of the

1 Dame Aoife Finn of Ynos Mon, OL Riverouge, Aethelmearc

2 Same as 1

dense copper formed, topped by lighter waste products, or slag. When the mass was cool,

the brittle, glassy slag could be broken off, leaving a cake of refined copper behind. The

furnace in this method is called an open hearth. Remnants of open hearths have been

found in Sumerian ruins.

Smelting, Casting, Smithing3

http://www.rmsg.us/indust/charcoal.htm

(Site Excerpt) during the summer 2000 field season at Scatness, some experimental

archaeology was carried out near the excavated Broch. A bloomery shaft furnace was

constructed from clay, and local bog iron ore was smelted. The furnace filled with

charcoal: bellows and tuyere at left, and thermocouple built into furnace wall at front.

Mitchiner, Michael. Medieval Pilgrim and Secular Badges. Sanderstead: Hawkins

Publications. 1986. ISBN: 0904173194.

Spencer, Brian. Pilgrim Souvenirs and Secular Badges (Medieval Finds from Excavations

in London) TSO. c1998.

ISBN: 0112905749.

Spencer, Brian. Salisbury Museum Medieval Catalogue. Pt.2. Salisbury. Salisbury and

South Wiltshire Museum. 1990. ISBN: 0947535128.

Read, Brian. Metal Buttons c.900 BC - c. AD 1700. Huish Episcopi, Portcullis

Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-9532450-4-7.

Material Sources

Stone

The Compleat Sculptor

www.sculpt.com

90 Vandam St.

New York, NY 10013

Phone: 1-800-9-SCULPT

Notes: Make sure that you order reasonably thick stone (1-1.5”), preferably in

small blocks that you can work or cut. Ordering large stones to cut up may cause

you difficulty.

Pewter/Low Temp Alloy Suppliers

Conquest Industries Conquest Industries, Inc

9915 Bell Ranch Drive

3 Same as 2

Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

Phone (562) 906-1111

Fax (562) 906-1112

Website: http://www.conquestind.com/metalAlloys/

Conquest has a very wide variety of lead free pewter alloys. 2 of the alloys we have

used from Conquest are OR-8 and Aquaclean (a very shiny silver bearing lead free

pewter alloy).

Atlas Metal Sales Division of AMIC

1401 Umatilla St.

Denver, CO 80204

800-662-0143

303-623-0143

Fax: 303-623-3034

E-mail: jsimms@atlasmetal.com

Website: http://www.atlasmetal.com/

Ney Metals 269 Freeman Street

Brooklyn, New York, 11222

(718) 389-4900

Fax: (718) 349-2313

Website: http://www.neymetals.com/

Purity Casting Alloys Ltd. (20 minutes from Vancouver, Canada) 18503 - 97th Ave

Surrey, BC .V4N 3N9

Canada

Phone: (604) 888-0181 (8am - 4pm PST)

Fax: .... (604) 888-8318...........................

Website: http://www.purityalloys.com

E-mail: purityalloys@yahoo.com

Casting Equipment

Midway USA

www.midwayusa.com

Phone: 800-243-3220

Notes: Casting equipment is under the Bullet Casting section. Look at lead

furnaces, ingot molds and lead dippers. Avoid gravity pour pots, as pewter is

lighter than lead and can flow through the gravity spout.