Hei Toki

The patterning on this Kawakawa pounamu is beautiful, the grain of the pounamu really stands out as it has been cut across the layers that make it up. I made this toki for a good friend of mine. It is really nice to be able to make and gift an item that holds significant value…

This is a beautiful and well proportioned toki make from kawakawa pounamu that has a striking patterning to it.  I was very impressed when the final polish had been completed on this. A friend commented that the patterning reminds her of water swirling around a coast line. Since then that is all I could see…

This toki has beautiful translucency. The way the light shines through this when held up to the sun or a light source reveals the inner aspects of the stone.  I love to be able to see into Pounamu. Every surface of this toki is curved.  Curves are what makes a pendant feel good in the…

This is a beautiful example of a simple Toki made from some New Zealand Pounamu with real character in its colouring. The ‘cutting’ edge of this is very similar to traditionally shaped toki that were functional pre european times in Aotearoa. I really like the simplicity of this piece as well as all the curves….

This is how I tie my pounamu toki bindings with pendants that have a hole. It makes a really nice tight, flush binding.  I use 1mm waxed braid for the cord.   [kad_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KmjB47c9Mg” ]   Check out the other posts on the tutorial page for how to tie a whipping and if you want…

I am on a bit of a mission to develop my toki designs at the moment. I love the shape of the old tokis that were used for practical work by pre european Maori.  I try to incorporate as much of this design as I can in my Hei Toki pendants. The important part of…

I love the idea of suspending a taonga, special stone that has been beautifully shaped from your neck.  Sometimes you can incorporate a hole into the design to hang it from, sometimes you need to drill one just for the purpose.  I really prefer keeping the carving as intact as possible, for me it feels…

This is a project long time in the making.  I carved and finished the Pounamu the start of 2015 and it was presented for the first time at the end of 2016. It is a collaboration between myself, a student at my school, and the Maori/Technology teacher.  I did the Pounamu and they together did…

This toki was made for a special guy on a big round birthday late last year.  It has beautiful colouring with light to mid green swirls. It carves really well, pretty consistent and didn’t flake or chip at all, a really nice stone.  It held a good edge to and I put this to good use…