Staffs v.s. Wands

My witch teacher never had a wand or a staff in her life! She said they were merely "tools", and that some people believed in them, some didn't.
I watched many times when she would cast a "protective circle" around herself (or both of us!) using only the index finger of her left hand.
I have never had a wand or a staff.

A staff is about the same height as the owner, and a wand is about the length from your elbow to the tip of your longest finger.

I mostly use my ritual knife for everything, even casting a circle. I used to have a wand. I never used it like a wand though. It was on my altar to represent all that it symbolizes. But it broke when I moved and I've yet to find a suitable replacement. I believe such objects find their way to you when they are right.

I have different wands and different branches used for different things. Personally, I like the physical connection I get with the raw materials.

One, I use as a storm branch for it being broken off during one as well as being shaped sort of like a lightning bolt. I don't alter it in any way.

Another, I "recieved" due to circumstances I felt weren't ordinary and that is the main one I use if I cast or work with energy in a different manner (I used to have a larger branch with a very similar flow and shape, but I never used it).

The third, I recieved from a Heathen friend of mine with a citrine crystal at the top, Yggdrasil in runes, and a bind rune for protection. I use this for more Heathen inclined workings.

As for the differences between a wand and a staff, it largely depends on the traditions that involve both tools. As stated before, height and length requirements are specified, but this is not the case with all traditions. In a lot of traditions, the biggest difference is that one is for large gatherings and the other is for personal use.

However, if you look at each country, time period, and path, the world has various uses for both items and they are not all called wands and staffs.

i use both a staff and a wand hand in hand. in my opinion neither is better but one may be better suited for a certain purpose than the other. . .

Firstly, I love my staff and my wand. But:

The wand is nice and small, I can put it down on my altar, I can put it down anywhere in fact. My wand is also nice because I can hold that and a lighter in my hand at the same time if I have to. :)

The staff is lovely, but its just so long and you can't really put it down, it has to lean on something, its just not worth the effort. :)

So my choice is W and :D

I prefer a staff because it makes you look more powerful against enemies because it is larger and looks like the upgrade of a wand to make you look really strong

Sydney, this isn't a role playing game and there aren't many situations that would require you to show off to you 'enemy' like a betta would flare their fins. If you want the staff because it gives you psychological umph, all the more power to you.