I recently completed this functional snake-headed sgian. It was cast in polyurethane resin from a mold made from a roadkilled ratsnake.

The bolster was a scrap of marble-finish Corian. If I'd thought ahead, a section of its skin would've been saved & tanned to be a complimentary sheath. Too soon old, too late smart.

An accomplished photographer I ain't, so photos don't illustrate the details clearly as I'd like.



Next is the same dead snake, but different proto-prototype casts. I cast it in clear resin and did a few trials with powdered copper, and then black, using soot as a colorant.

These would make an interesting kilt pin, cap badge, ad nauseum. A green casting as either a snake- handled sgian or kilt pin would be very apropos for the St Paddy Season.

This poor old snake had a tough life and an ignominious ending. He had a smaller left eyeball, and there's scarring around it as well. I cannot determine if it was from a previous injury, or was congenital. A cut suffered during his final exposure to tire poisoning can be seen on the left.









Last week, I found a fresh road-killed black racer and created these castings…



This was a young adult snake and he was slender in build (as racers are) so a sgian from it would be a bit more stiletto-like.

As terribly warm as it is currently, finding road-killed snakes is difficult at best. Hopefully as temps moderate, I’ll find more deceased subjects. I’d gladly trade completed sgians for specimens…

Slainte yall,
steve