Need advice on weapon crafting.

By Jaraxxus. 26/09/12, 04:03 am

Ok so... i am looking to make a few weapons and want them to be sturdy enough to swing... So first on the list is Jubei from Ninja scroll.. His sword... I have a samuri sword at home but i dont really want to carry a real one around as it is quite sharp.. Then would be Lord Jaraxxus from World Of Warcraft His battle staff.. Anybody knows of any good online tutorials or has anybody crafted strong weapons themselves?
Any advice would be great

Thanks

By Rolly. 26/09/12, 09:24 am

A good idea when asking for help on a specific costume is to provide reference images. Wink

You can make your sword out of a cardboard base, and then maybe some sort of clay or modelling material to cover it? This way you can reduce the weight, then sand and paint over it later.

By Highlander. 26/09/12, 09:50 am

If you want it strong enough to swing, as in survive contact with another weapon, then it's strong enough to seriously hurt someone. Otherwise simple fibreglass rods would stiffen it, or larger pole weapons PVC pipe. But most people seem to be able to stiffen and surface craft foam or cardboard for use.

If you want it for cosplay, but still strong enough to hit another sword, then wood. Simply shape a piece of wood, cut, and sand to shape. Include a full handle, which may involve gluing more wood on to thicken the handle. Cut out a guard, with hole which will fit over the blade, and slide over the blade. Wrap the handle in cord (King of Swords or martial arts stores sell the cord and guards, etc.) There are plenty of tutorial for this on Youtube. It's what I am going to do.

For craft foam and cardboard ideas just search the old threads here.

(If however you want a combat legal (wodden bokken, steel, nylon?) sword then I highly recommend buying them from an industrial brand with reproducible tempering and a quality testing programme. (Eg. CAS Hanwei from King of Swords, or I can suggest others.) And joining a group who actually trains sensibly with them.)

By **Duckeh**. 26/09/12, 09:56 am

The best way to get an idea on how to make something is to look up what people have previously done.

Here are some tutorials for katana I have found via google:

https://cosplaynewzealand.forumotion.com/t9726-best-and-easiest-way-to-make-a-katana-sword

http://fixinman.deviantart.com/art/Foam-Katana-Tutorial-Pt-4-212491157

http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=143563

http://tsubasalucky.blogspot.co.nz/2011/03/tutorial-katana-cosplay.html

The battle axe is something you should probably leave until you've played around with simpler stuff and are getting a few ideas to make it yourself! C:

And please supply a reference picture. <: Lemme know if you have any more specific questions!

By Jaraxxus. 27/09/12, 01:51 am

Thanks for the replys people. I will provide some images now. But i think most of the info you guys gave me will be sufficent.

Spoiler:

Need advice on weapon crafting. Jaraxxus

Sorry that is best one i could find for Lord Jaraxxus.. But i pretty much think i should be fine now i just need to start. I will post pics along the way as i go. As this will be my first attempt at weapon crafting for cosplay..
Good times ahead

By **Duckeh**. 27/09/12, 02:40 am

Whoo, good luck! Whenever people ask me how to start to cosplay, I'm always like, "just start doing it & making stuff", you definitely have the right attitude! (:

PLAY WITH ALL THE MATERIALS!

By Jaraxxus. 27/09/12, 06:23 am

Thanks Duckeh.. I had to go on my lunch break and buy a whole bunch of stuff so i cant try different ways.. \
New jigsaw...... check
Ply wood... Check
Expanding foam... Check
Sand paper.. Check
New file set... Check
Paint still need buy..
Wood for shaping to handle.. Check
Confidence.... Hmmm Check i guess...

First way im trying is cutting wood to shape then using Expanding foam spray to spray on top of it then cut / sand / paint...

Second way im gunna try is cut wood to shape.. then use thick dense insulation foam then modeling clay then paint..

For some reason i think the expanding foam will be easiest but messy..
Will post some pictures tonight of my start.. guess i better start a scrapbook now

thanks for the positive feedback lol!

By Highlander. 27/09/12, 10:55 am

Ply, jig saws, etc. I like the way you think.

Just wonder if you can sand and paint wood, then why bother with the other stuff for the sword? Unless you are worried it may not be competition safe?

Pity you aren't in ChCh in, weta are putting on a sword making workshop.

By Pura. 27/09/12, 01:11 pm

If you carve the expanding foam and found you've done it wrong, try to mold on top with paper mache pulp

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-paper-mache-pulp/

I used it and it's amazing (although it's funny when people walk into the kitchen and go "why are you boiling toiler paper???").

I made a sword for the cosplay in my avatar and that's how I did it (: I'll give a mini breakdown:

Bought a halloween axe prop from the $2 shop, took off the axe head and was left with a plastic rod. It had a circular handle thing, so I blew up a balloon, paper mached it, cut it to shape, tapped it onto the plastic rod, then expanding foamed about it (my cat likes to eat the off cuts, and runs into the room I cut it in when I open the door to try and eat it even months later ...) And then I cut it to shape, but I'm a real pro when it comes to bad carving, so I made some paper mache pulp (took aaaaageeesss omg) and then put that around it, let it to dry and then used a craft knife to cut it to shape, It's extremely hard, so it's really sturdy, not toooo heavy and is easier to carve into a better shape, or fill in wrong cuts Razz

. then I paper mached over all of that several times, then i think I masking taped it? Or maybe masking taped it and then paper mached it (that sounds more likely), and then spray painted it and then weathered it with normal paint (: Oh, and sealed it I think??? I can't remember lololol. But you should seal paint on weapons.

I did this the day I caught a plane with it (well, the spray painting part) and stunk out the plane cabin, WHOOPS 8D;;

I hope this helps! Razz

By Jaraxxus. 10/10/12, 07:02 am

Hmm thanx Pura. I managed to carve it down a little but it has air holes >.< so im gunna end up doing the trick you used gave me the info on.. For my next attempt im going to just make a mould and then spray foam in then i have a solid sword i just gotta smooth off and paint. My friend has shown me a good way to make moulds.. Gotta get some latex now for a skin on the inside of mould. Anybody knows where to buy latex for pouring masks and stuff?

@ Highlander. Mostly i wanted to use the foam so my kids and whack eachother with the swords and its not to much of an issue. But yeah im thinking wood wopuld maybe be good for a broadsword not so much a Katana.. so im gunna make an attempt at it.. Will post more pics this weekend when i get started again. I have got material for my Jubei cosplay and will be getting some sewing tips from the wife this weekend so i can start trying to make it ;)
Thanks for all your feedback and input guys ;)

By Highlander. 10/10/12, 09:47 am

Well if your kids are going to whack each other sure. (In fact I recommend pool noodles covered in foam. It's what we use for kids boffer tournaments in the SCA with no problems so far.) You could search under building LARP weapons too, as they are foam, over something durable but soft.

Judging by most youtube tutorials many people do Katana's out of wood. The wedge shape is perfectly suited for wood. A broadsword would be harder to do, And probably have to be done thicker than real broadswords if it's gonna be strong. A backsword however should be fine.

I prefer spring steel myself. But then I am comfortable using it. But not something you can do reliably at home, or that everyone agrees to you using.

But yeah, if they are going to be used practically then foam. nodnod

By EternalOutsider. 10/10/12, 10:08 am

The hardest part of making a katana is going to be the sheath/scabbard.
If you are in a bind and don't mind sacrificing some accuracy, you could use a long cardboard tube and just squash it into an oval shape. Your sword will have to be perfectly strait not a proper curve though.
Nothing wrong with wood. some light grade pine or balsa wood would be fine. If you seal it up nice with sanding sealer it will take metallic paints really well.

As for the battle staff, if your going for lightness, corrugated cardboard would work well. Just alternate the cells 90 degrees with each layer and it will be very stiff. Papermache over it, seal it with sanding sealer, sand down, repeat until smooth. paint , done.

If you want durability, customwood is good.

By **Rowan**. 15/10/12, 05:52 pm

You can buy latex to make moulds from shops like Gordon Harris :)

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