If you are a LARPer without extra dollars for foam weapons that cost twice as much as real weaponry, you’ve come to the right place.
Materials
· Craft foam
o 1/4" thick sheets
o 1/16" thick sheets
· Soft, large chunks of foam (from, say, a mattress)
· Packing foam
· Tape
o Masking tape
o Duct tape
§ Silver
§ Standard
§ Decorative
· Electrical tape
· Aluminum foil tape
· Double sided tape
· Scotch tape
· Paint, Sealants, & Glue
o Acrylic paint (In metallic colors to make things look like metal)
o Mod podge (I use the glossy kind)
o Superglue
o Gorilla glue
o Foam glue
o Dry sparkles
· Core rods
o 1/4 inch fiberglass or carbon fiber rods [you can find these attached to driveway reflectors]
o Filament wound epoxy tubing
Tools
· Sharp things
o Kitchen knife
o Electric kitchen knife
o Jackknife or pocket knife
o Scissors
o Pliers
o Hack saw
· Other stuff
o Cutting surface
o Ruler
o Pencil
o Paint brushes/sponges
Process
It’s a good idea to plan out the visual elements of your sword on paper so that you can make sure you like the way it looks. Sometimes, when I’m trying out new techniques, I’ll draw out the innards of the sword so that I can be a little more sure of the concept. I find it easier to visualize what I’m trying to do when I’ve got it all drawn out on paper, even if the design only makes sense to me. For instance, the design above is quite detailed and not well explained, because the materials aren’t labeled. I can see them in my mind, though, so it works well enough.
It’s also a good idea to gather all the materials you know you’ll need and make sure you know how you’re going to execute the plan. In other words: in what order will you do the steps? Will you do all the cutting first to get it over with, or finish every part individually? Will you paint this now or later? That kind of thing.
Here are the brief steps.
· Gather all necessary foam, and cut out all the pieces needed for the blade
· Tape the blade pieces to the blade and carve the blade
· Paint the blade
· Cut out and make the guard
· Make the handle
· Attach the guard and wrap the handle
· Make the pommel (if there’s a pommel involved) and add finishing touches
Read more intriguing DIY tutorials here.
