Well, the fact that the wand has worked properly, regardless of the fact it was crafted from sandalwood, seemed to suggest to me that the tool wasn’t impaired by the woods general correspondences. Sandalwood (from the research I recently did) is traditionally used for workings founded in spiritual, protection, or healing exercises. I've used it for many spells dissimilar to those, though. From what I've read so far, it sounds like believing in the power of an object, and belief in general, plays a huge role in magic. I think it's possible that because I never expected the tool to be limited by any correspondences when I began using it, there weren't any traditional effects imposed on the magic I worked with the tool. Just a thought. Thanks for the responses!

Punarbhava

I would say that this situations depends on the paradigm in which you are working. In free form sorcery it really does not matter what type of tool you use at least from my perspective. The benefits of having a charged weapon of will when performing a working are obvious. But when working with something along the lines of the Goetia, it is very important to use the recommended tools to a certain extent. Improvisation can be made in this area but a Goetic workng without a triangle for the demon and circle for the mage would be dangerous psychologically and physically.

I agree with Solstices take on how to prepare a tool of this sort. I tend to be very liberal with energy work and I like clear cut defined parameters when doing energy workings. It is best to describe what type of energy you will be working with when forming the itinerary for your rituals.

I have a stone that I have charged with power of many years. The stone boosts confidence as well as ability and acts as a reservoir of power when I am feeling down on it. It sort of acts like an investment for future workings. I have always been of the opinion that our weapons are charged by their use. Ritual formalities are good in this situation but after the consecration there is really no need to charge the object unless you are turning it into some sort of servitor. I have strapped servitors to magical objects in the past and this is one of the avenues I have taken to empowering them coupled with sexual sacrifice and prolonged visualization of the entity carrying out its job.

I would suggest charging the weapon via a mass of chaos and then talking to it as though it were an old friend capable of carrying out your will in fashions you are incapable of. Of course it will be you doing this the entire time but the psychological value of this should not be overlooked.

I once trapped a demon I dreamed about in a bell. The demon is a non lethal antagonizing sort of guy, ugly as fuck and capable of causing great distress. The bell itself really had no value save that it was a present from a friend before that, now I ring the thing all up on peoples asses if they cross me. Sadly (maybe) I have been a capable green magician for some time so I tend to not make enemies. But at least this demon is not running around fucking with peoples heads anymore. There is value in everything, at least I have a line of defense.

Anomaly

Yes- they do exist for a reason. But it can be very effective as far as understanding goes to explore the difference in result/feel/vibration etc.first hand when one works with the correspondence versus working outside of it. ;) Actually feeling that difference based on intentional comparison allows one to more deeply understand the nature of correspondances, IMO.

Unless you are working within a particular paradigm, I would suggest a Thorsson-like approach and say, "use the established correspondence for a starting point, but ultimately let your intuition be your guide."

That is, if you are working with something of a particular correspondence and a substitution seems to suggest itself, certainly explore it. But, keep in mind that the correspondences exist for a reason.

The proof is in the results. Does it work for you? What sort of impressions do you get from the work you're doing or have done with it? This is a situation where I would say- experiment and see for yourself. Do some work with it that goes against the traditional associations and record your results. :)