I have been doing some studying on runes recently. I'm certainly no authority. I'm fairly new, still. However, from what I have found, yes, wood is the best medium for runes, and the runes are supposed to be carved on the staves rather than painted or burned in with a wood burning pencil. It was mentioned in some of the sites that wood burning would be okay, except it can be considered a negative thing----the burning away of the wood material to make the rune, kind of a symbol of destruction. To me, it's nearly the same thing when one CUTS into the wood with a blade, but that's me. A lot of that is me not wanting to slice myself up with an exacto knife! LOL. I'm familiar with wood burning and have always been satisfied with the magickal result of wood burning as an art, so it's hard for me to see it as a negative, although I do get what they're saying. I would definitely agree, though, that painting or drawing the runes onto staves isn't nearly as powerful as using a means that actually physically impresses each stave.

I think that is part of why traditional runes weren't usually made of stones or crystals, because it's a lot harder to carve finely drawn symbols onto small rocks! I think wood is best, but I can respect the stones, too, as stones are powerful in their own right. One of the sites I looked at noted that the tree is the perfect symbol of creation, digging its roots into Mother Earth, and reaching its branching into Father Sky, and since the runes are symbols that are supposed to be linked to all of creation, the wood is like a gateway to the runes. That particular place also mentioned that if you want to make your runes from scratch, you choose a tree, and ask its permission for a good branch, leave it an offering, (what kind of offerings do trees want, I wonder?), and thank the tree for it's gift.

There's also the thing of blood---we can infuse our personal power into the runes and protect them from being negatively used by strangers by making them with a few drops of our own blood. They say that some also substitute other bodily fluids, (saliva, for example), but I guess it changes the potency and symbology accordingly. The other option mentioned was to use red paint, (symbolic blood, I guess), to paint over the carved grooves.

I personally can't wait to get hold of some materials so that I can make my set. I'm very excited, and perhaps a wee bit intimidated. There are so many cautions expressed, that it's hard to keep moving forward without feeling a little hesitant! LOL.

There are stones that are runes them self. Particular minerals recognized as runes for their energetic properties. Rhyolite I have heard called spirit rune for example. Stones in their raw state have natural nodules that transmit energy, tumbling and cutting compromises the efficacy of these energies. I remember hearing something about Gods(Anunaki) asking for unhewn stones as offerings, hinting to stones having more energetic usefulness when in their raw state.

Not only is wood traditionally sound, it's effective, and making your own set out of wood, or pebbles is far more powerful buying stones that have been machined.