Are their certain wands that will always fail or something strange like that? I'm talking like 10 straight zaps all failing, despite having the wands skill.
wands?
Some wands / staves are also level dependant:
example: you can get an ank or a glimmering staff before you hit 50 but you can't use them.
I guess this is the case here, if not, give more details or post on prayer.
You hit it on the head. It's a level issue.
The sanctuary spell that the ankh casts is level 40, is that actual level of the item 50?
Level 50 objects, level 40 sanctuary.
Kinda weird you need to be level 50 to use a level 40 version of a spell in my opinion.
I will see if you think the same way when that level 43 DKN who has just malformed his weapon comes after you and has 10 of those wands in his backpack 
Balance reasons.
yet anyone can harvest a backpack full of dark leaves of sanctuary ;P
More work involved and they decay (unless preserved) 
more waiting really. facing off against the essence of evil or the undead wight is more work 
You do not need to kill the essence to get plenty of wands, you just need to "park" it out of the way so it doesn't hunt you and then wait for a repop.
Can we take a few minutes and talk about my magic wand? 
You do not need to kill the essence to get plenty of wands' date=' you just need to "park" it out of the way so it doesn't hunt you and then wait for a repop.[/quote']
Still more of a risk then just walking to the island and typing get all.leaves
Valek's magic wand explodes into fragments.
Wand of Orcus Epic Level
Orcus carries a heavy mace tipped with an enormous skull. Its haft
is smooth obsidian studded with blood rubies. This weapon transforms
those it slays into undead horrors.
The Wand of Orcus is a +6 lifedrinker heavy mace with the
following additional properties and powers.
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +6d6
Property: This weapon deals ongoing 10 damage (save ends)
to creatures that are not undead.
Property: You can speak and understand the Abyssal language
and read the Barazhad script.
Power (Daily ✦ Arcane, Psychic): Standard Action. You can
use legion’s hold (wizard 29).
Power (Encounter ✦ Necrotic): Free Action. You can use this
power when you attack an enemy with the Wand. On a
miss, the target takes necrotic damage equal to its bloodied
value. When you hit, the target is reduced to 0 hit points
(resistance or immunity to necrotic damage does not apply).