Athame and Boline, Not the same thing

An Athame is a ritual knife used during ceremonies. Traditionally it has a black handle and a double edged blade. The Athame is used in rituals as a channel for a witch to focus their energies.

A Boline is another knife used during rituals for cutting herbs and other ritual needs for cutting. Traditionally it has a white handle and a double edged blade. The blade of this knife should be sharp and well cared for because nothing is more dangerous than a dull knife!

Usually a witch has both knives. They are special knives set aside only for ritual use. Cutting garden herbs with the Boline is acceptable if it is for ritual usage. Knives with wooden handles are great because you can easily carve runes and symbols into them. Both are masculine and phallic in nature representing the God and fire.


The Athame can be used to portion offerings of food. I have a sharp blade on my Athame because I wish to have sharp magic! My first Athame was from a set of kitchen knives because I have no use for a paring knife when I cook! Later on when I finally had the money for it I purchased a special set of daggers for ritual uses. I have a basic black handled knife that I have carved symbols and runes into and a Goddess and God knives used for special rituals to the two. I have a Boline that was given to me by my fiancee'. It has a light almost white wooden handle that I have also carved with runes and symbols. I use it to cut ritual herbs in my garden and also for chopping them, I use it to inscribe candles for rituals.

They are charged just as you would any other tool and consecrated. I will touch on consecrating tools after I have explain each tool and it's uses.




Blessed be,

Lady Alice