Wicca & Witchcraft - White-Handled Knife

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The white-handled knife (often called boleen, bolleen, boline or bolline) was traditionally used for herb harvesting and had a small curved blade.

Today the blade is rarely curved but it still has a single cutting edge. It has a white handle to differentiate it from the athame. Some witches will make do with a store bought white-handled knife while others will buy a purpose made tool.

The white-handled knife is used for cutting and carving. Branches for wands for instance, should be cut with one. The carving of symbols (into a candle for example) should likewise be done with a white-handled knife. It is also used for cutting cords for use in cord magick.

The white-handled knife can be used for any ritual function that requires the physical use of a knife. Cutting wood for wands, flowers for the altar, carving and so on. As long as it's ritually involved it's fine. So unless potatoes are part of one of your rituals, don't use this tool to peel them!