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der-Alchemist In reply to Ginsu85 [2013-03-13 11:57:11 +0000 UTC]

Okay, I´ll try to write down a short tutorial. But you´ll probably find some better explainations (with pictures)via google.
First you need a core. The usaual core is a 10mm on 12mm rod of GFK (Plastic reinforced with fibreglass). To make it safer, you´ll need to glue something durable on both ends. Thin leather works great. Use a glue that stays somewhat felxible (Pattex).
Next you need close-cell foam. It should not be to hard, but it should also keep its form or regenerate quickly if deformed. It works best with something as thick as your core (10mm).
First you cut out the form of your blade with a sharp(!) hobbyknife. Then you cut a space for the core and glue the foam to the same. Then you cut another two pieces of thin leather a little smaller than the tip of the blade and glue them on both sides. This reinforces the weakest spot of the blade. Next you cut another two pieces of foam (this foam kann be thinner if you want; about 5mm works great) in the shape of your blade and glue them over the foam already in place.
If you are doing a sword, do not forget to include the handguard in the blade. Glue another piece of foam shaped like the handguard in place to raise it a bit. If you are doing a sabre you need to figure out how to make a basket out of two pieces of foam (somewhat like to elipses touching at one side), and add enough space to attach it to the blade by sticking the core trough the foam. I used thin leather sandwiched between to pieces of thin foam to reinforce all the holes, but thats somewhat tiresome.
Last but not weast you build a pommel the same way you did with the blade.
Now thwe basic weapun should be almost done. You use a knew blade for your hobbyknife and cut the blade into shape. mark the middle of your blade, hold the knife in the angle you want the blade and carefully cut the foam away. The same way you should break the edges of the handguard and the pommel. After cutting, sand the blade and use a lighter or a heatgun to smoothen everything.
Now to the painting. Use liquid latex. About to layers without any paint as a base, then two or three coats of latex tinted with black acrylic paint (add a little blue or green to achive a steel or old effect on the finished piece). Then carefully paint everything with metal-tinted latex as you see fit. Avoid leaving brushhairs, bubbles, stains of runnig latex or globs of already dried latex on the piece. Clean your brushes with a steelbrush or use a new one right away. Last step is sealing with a more or less flexible vanish. Try google Isoflex, which is a transparent sealer for roofs, a kind of liquid plastic.
The Griffon-Bite has added details made of funfoam (the griffon head and the ornamend on the blade). The hilt was made of rope glued directly on the core with some leather glued around this.

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der-Alchemist In reply to NathanDespain [2013-02-14 12:56:25 +0000 UTC]

Thank you
It is. Just the usual close-cell-foam we use for all larp-weapons and some pigmented latex.

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NathanDespain In reply to der-Alchemist [2013-02-16 16:24:43 +0000 UTC]

Very, very nicely rendered. It looks real.

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der-Alchemist In reply to NathanDespain [2013-02-18 10:17:21 +0000 UTC]

Thanks again. It comes out quite well on the photo^^ I just started making a scabbard.

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NathanDespain In reply to der-Alchemist [2013-02-18 22:08:34 +0000 UTC]

Again you're welcome! Agreed. ^^ Oooh! And posting it later I hope! Out of leather or wood?

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der-Alchemist In reply to NathanDespain [2013-02-19 10:10:43 +0000 UTC]

I will post it here, along with the rest of the costume it will go with.
Nope, I will use glued linen as a core. The outer surface will be leather or fabric, I´m not sure. I will need to search through my stock to decide this...

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NathanDespain In reply to der-Alchemist [2013-02-19 17:02:58 +0000 UTC]

Wonderful! Ahhhh, so gentle to the sword altogether? I wish you luck.

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