If you play Amtgard, with all that foam it could probably be a Great Weapon if its thick enough and replace the duct tape cover with a cloth cover and increase the size to reach Great Weapon length.
Thank you for the tutorial, I would recommend any viewers to make sure that they can make their swords within the rules of the Book Of War for Belegarth Medieval Fantasy Combat Society and/or Dagorhir rulebook specs. Much of what has been done here is pretty close to what many foam weaponsmiths have been doing to make good quality weapons for the larps and MedFanCombat gaming.
Thanks for the compliments. I add the third layer because I like how it looks better and I think it's a nicer surface to get whacked with. I have at least one other shield video coming eventually but I'm afraid it's round again (I like smaller round shields). The same techniques can be used for any shape though. Good luck making your sword!
With soft enough foam I've been able to use this method to create a great-sword that does not hurt at all really and still appears to have many characteristics of an actual sword. Besides that I use a certain amount of European martial arts to give myself a bit of an edge against my opponents. So (in my own opinion) you can make a foam sword that you can play-fight with that acts realistically and is still safe and fun.
Christian Wilkett-Lumba I do something similar except a nodachi and I use basic kendo techniques it’s really funny watching people throw a fit when they lose before they can even react thankfully there are still some good sports though
Here, here! I haven't yet made a video to talk about making cloth covers but the best covers are the cloth ones. Learn to sew, (or lavish affection on a lovely girl who knows how) and make a cloth cover. You'll be glad you did. They look better, last longer and are much nicer to be hit with.
these tutorials are really good. very informative and easy to follow. one thing I would love to see is a serious latex molded sword. something that may not be as wallet friendly but artistically and realistically superior. seeing some tutorials on that would be more then enough to get a subscription out of me
I noticed that no one (seemingly) from any Dagorhir groups have commented on this video as of yet, and I thought I'd point out that duct tape should not be used on a striking surface. It'll hit really, really hard (or rather, slap). The weapon can definitely be reinforced with duct tape, but not on the striking surface's outer layer. Other than that, I thought this video was really very interesting. (:
Great vids, and aside from what some of the others have said (except for the Bulgarians and Swedens who'd like to beat each other with hyper speed latex swords and don't fully appreciate the purpose of the video), I'd suggest you shave the blade down first, then put the guards on, then the weights and cover. That way you have less chance of the guards being broken off and a stronger bond.
For those who want to play Dagorhir, there's kind of a problem with this method; In the official rules Ducktape cannot be on striking surfaces. You can put the ducktape on the cross guard (would actually make it stronger) but a cloth cover, sock cover, even pantie hose over the blade would make it Dag Legal. This is a great tutorial though for those who don't want to use PVC. What he does is called the 'Sandwich' method and for super thin cores it works amazing.
@Raven1024 : Yes I make those all the time, while 5 inches is too much and will bend the rigid foam, .5-1 inch from the end of the closed cell and 2-2.5 inches open cell works well. The sword in particular isn't allowed to be stabbed with because of the lack of open cell
ive been watching the videos in this series for a lil while now and i love how the epic music continues playing between him talking :P oh and great tutorials!! lol
this sword looks AWESOME. I got a foam sword at the KC renfest, but making my own sounds cool. i hope making a level 1 sword isn't too hard for a 12 year old =p
Great tutorial; I really like the idea of using driveway markers as a core. One thing that always bugs me though is finishing off a sword with duct tape. I think the fabric covers just look cleaner and more professional. All in all, this gave me some really good ideas. Keep up the good work!
Let me clarify if I may(and please correct me if I am wrong): You should tape the blade in a few areas (as shown) to add extra strength to the blade but in Belegarth (and possibly other groups) a sword will not "pass" inspection (in other words it will fail). (Man, I used a lot of parenthesis). Covering your weapon with tape will not cause it to fail in use (i.e. fall apart). I absolutely agree with you, however, cloth covers are the best! They look better and it's nicer to get hit by them.
Good Question. I have had a couple of battle card games published that use the people, places and events of the Book of Mormon (ancient America between 600 B.C. and A.D. 400). The 1st was called, "Book of Mormon Battles" (hence the website name) and the 2nd, "Warriors of the Promised Land."Like the Biblical Old Testament, there is a lot of warfare in the book, and so I thought rather than just reenact the battles with cards, kids might like to make fun weapons and "live" the experience.
That's entirely up to you. Experiment. As a basic guide, if you are just goofing around with friends, there is nothing wrong with Level 1 techniques. For more heavy duty play, stick with using the camp pad as described in Level 2 and 3.
I've often thought about a helmet but I don't have a clue how to do it yet. Thanks for the comments. If I were younger I would definitely be boffing but for now I just made the videos for my kids and the kids of my stake for a youth conference where we made lots of weapons for battle simulations. Glad you like them! fight with honor!
Depends on the game. at Underworld Larp LnL's description is standard for weapons, actually the sword in this video would not pass safety for several reasons.
it would pass a dagorhir, amtgard and a few other larps though, as long as he went with a cloth cover and lost the duct tape. and the pommel/cross guard was wider than 2"
I hope so. I get some cocky folks saying they can do better but I have yet to see a video (all talk and no action - talk about patheticness). I have tried to provide good instruction on some of the most common techniques but if you've got a better one don't keep it to yourself. If you can't find a tripod or a friend (or a pile of books) to hold a camera, send me the information or a link and maybe I can make a video of it.
Just an FYI, I'm pretty sure all these weapons are fine to use on Belegarth, from the research I've been giving. So if you want to use these weps but you can't do them in Dagorhir, remember theres always Belegarth to try out too.
I don't know how hard you guys hit with your weapons and what are the standart diameters you can get at your stores in the states. But we are using 10mm rod for 1hand weapons and 16mm diamters for 2handed weapons here in europe.
This is a question that is asked a lot but it is difficult to answer. It's like asking how much it costs to replace a gasket on a car - 50 cents if you have all the tools, $75 if you don't. If you have all the supplies it's really only about $7 in materials per sword. It's closer to $40 or $50 in you have to buy everything but you can make multiple swords.
I own one of those latex boffers, and I would love to see them get adopted by Dagorhir and other groups! But for many folk, safety trumps realism. That's why I mentioned it. Maybe when I contact my local dag group to join up, I'll show them my latex boffer. It currently fails for weight, but I think the weight limitation is only to ensure the home made boffers have the needed padding.
@SilentRaeth1 Contact cement is going to be essential for this type of design. Apply to both surfaces and wait until it dries before applying the two together. Don't rush it and it will work great.
How are you able to cut such straight lines, also how do you know where you are cutting is exactly 2 inches? I don't see any marking on your foam at all
one of the better techniques is to cover the whole sword in liquid latex. I do this with all my weapons and they look great. You can add latex based colors to color the latex. hope this tip could help some of the people wondering how to make their sword look better: The minus is that you have to be very cautious with the sword when you make it to prevent random shit showing.
wow really well done sword but if you dont mind me requesting u make a higher leved shield video cuz alot of the older such as myself and othersd would want to know how to eficiently make one not just a circle but different shapes and sizes
@Raven1024 Distance of reciprocation is different, yet due to the wide variety of blades to select for cutting: a jigsaw can preform just as easy for the average person. Ex. Putting on a blade with tiny teeth can do detailed work & go slowly. A blade with small teeth will go through material faster, so on & such forth. Plus a person can use it later on for doing things other than in the kitchen. My arguement is the Jigsaw is a perfectly fine usable option, & the best option is up to the user.
@Raven1024 Jigsaw has blades with small teeth & blades with big teeth to fit the detailing needs, therefore it is as easy to use as your carver, only difference is the direction of the handle. Plus the Jigsaw has a straight edge to make straight cuts. The jigsaw did get me through the Middle East, which I included for credibility, not because it is my favourite, I have lots of tools I use more than that one. I included it as a low cost option that really works.
yes, I found the Ozark blue camp pads, but couldn't find the Wenzel Camp pads. When I asked the guys who worked there, they acted like they didn't know what I was talking about. Could I make the sword with the Ozark instead of the wenzel?
How would you recommend notching the pads without making the surfaces uneven? I would imagine having uneven surfaces could cause a weaker bond with the glue.
It's for safety reasons. These are built for full contact sparring and pitched mock battles, so the thick blade and heavily padded pommel are essential to keep the players from actual harm. Would you want someone all hopped up on Redbul™l to accidentally hit you in the eye with anything less on a back-swing, just because he didn't see you? That wide 'paddle' is far less likely to compress enough to dig into your eye socket than, say, ¾" PVC covered in pipe insulation! Safety first!
Well, to elaborate. In Dagorhir, one of the oldest LARP's that ever come about -spanning about 30-something years- the subject matter of exotic weapons have been around for as long as the combat "sport" has been invented. Lots of things have been made and tested. Now there are 2 main problems with the scythe: The durability of the core, and the difficulty in making it so that it won't fall apart or hurt anyone. Only a few guys were able to make one work.
@Raven1024 : Well, it's not really about the bruises, as you get those anyway, especially if you are in a full contact group or using pvc core weapons, the problem is usually how safe the stabbing tip is, as if it gets too small it can stab an eye and whatnot.
Kinda makes me realize that I'm glad I play in a game that doesn't allow camp mat weapons. It's either PVC Cored Closed Cell Weapons or professionally made latex. Good instructive video though.
You can also use softer foam on the sticking surface to make it a softer hit... as well it will allow you to make the blade thinner for a more realistic look...
OOooh! Now i get it! I thought you were talking about making the pads thinner. Have you used this method before. How could I make a consistant groove? thanks
You tell him Hamish. Funny story. When my oldest son was about 3 yrs old, he created a recipe called, "sugar beans." He told us that you take some green beans, put them in a plastic graduated medicine cup with water and sugar and then put them in the refrigerator for 12. Twelve what?! Just 12. Apparently, if you had to ask, you weren't ready to make "sugar beans." It still cracks me up.
@Arkloyd "That wide 'paddle' is far less likely to compress enough to dig into your eye socket than, say, ¾" PVC covered in pipe insulation!" I thought 3/4" pipe was usually reserved for the bulky axes, mauls, and in some cases stalves, and not the short and long swords, or claymores and the like, but then again, it does vary from game to game.
Despite the fact that one can be made and passed. It'll only be like an elongated axe blade with a small strike range with probably a stabbing tip at the end of the pole. On top of that, the usefulness of the weapon is as selective as a catapult in a siege battle. You'd only use it for a few things like one-on-one, or in siege battles where you'd had to be behind a shieldman.
@Halofreakanoid Well yeah but you can easily make realistic swords with plenty safe stabbin tips. you just make the core like 5 inches shy of the tip and make the tip out of softer but still semi rigid foam, so it holds it's shape but compresses relatively easily. Even better make the very tip out of very soft material, with more rigid foam behind it, so the rigid stuff won't fit in the socket. This essentially gives your sword a boxed end like this one, but with an actual pointed looking end.
I'm not sure if I'm using the correct contact cement. The kind I'm using looks milky kinda like liquid latex. It also doesn't hold it's bond as fast as it does on this tutorial. I had to clamp some parts down. I am using dap contact cement, but the can label is green. Am I using the wrong kind?
@dragondevel5 My guess would just be get some plastic link chain from a hardware store, like the plastic chain people use to section off areas for evens and stuff. It's lightweight, relatively cheap, and doesn't hurt or break. I'm not sure how you would go about attaching that to your weapons, but for now, just an idea.
It says book of Mormon battles at the end. Your Mormon too?!?!? Thats so cool!! I love boffering so much! You should see my spear :) oh man, i just watched all your videos and you really know what your doing :) i would love to see a tutorial on making a helmet if you know how. Good work my friend.
Fiberglass is a great core - only problem is the cost compared to PVC... I mean that not necessarily in the cost of the fiberglass itself - you can get it cheap online if you know where to look, but the shipping is where you can get ripped off. Gotta try the turkey carver idea some time.
@PIELOVER67 Contact cement, etc, is very good for keeping a weapon together - having made purely foam-and-duct tape, and flat boffers using PVC, foam from old DanceDanceRevolution pads and held together with Super 77 adhesive spray, I can safely say there is a noticeable difference. I even use them on round boffers now, which keeps them from sliding around like they tend to do over time/use.
It's best to use a PVC at the grip to counter balance the sword. Meanwhile, this is pretty good for a sword made for fast pace combat. Dagorhir requirements are filled. Except for the metal used to counter balance it.
@Routanne Stop by the various LARP sites - Belegarth, Dagarhir, Amtgard for what their rules of play are. The most simple version is: No head shots Limb is lost if it is hit 2 limbs gone and you are dead. Torso front or back is a kill. Hitting the hand holding a weapon does not count as a hit. Play with honor - you should call it when your hit. Don't try to get away with anything. If there is a question about a hit, take the hit.
Where can I find some of that open cell foam for the bottom of the handle? I looked at several major home improvement stores and couldnt find any. I there is a website where I can find it that would be helpfull too. Thanks
I can't find a Wenzel Camp Pad any where. I have all of the other materials in my closet collecting dust. Can anyone tell me of a camp pad that could be used as a substitute? If so, what store can I find it? Thanks
You can use these techniques to let your imagination fly free but just a word of caution about curving PVC. It is easy to do with some heat (a heat gun works very well) but it looses some of it's flexibility so just be aware. Perhaps there are ways to work with it that I'm unfamiliar with. I've just seen some PVC bow videos that were very impressive.
@jjfullmer Where do you get the 3/8 in. black foam? I know where to get the thicker blue foam, which is what I normally use, but I've never seen the black foam.
If you wanna see a i quess lvl 20 sword guide, this is the first step (link) to the guide. part 1: Latex Sværd Guide del 1 - intro part 2: Latex Sværd Guide del 2 - Limning og tilskæring Part 3: Latex Sværd guide del 3 - støbning af detaljer Part 4: Latex Sværd guide del 4 - Latex & Afslutning
![Short Sword Tutorial [Amtgard]](/img/n.gif)
If you play Amtgard, with all that foam it could probably be a Great Weapon if its thick enough and replace the duct tape cover with a cloth cover and increase the size to reach Great Weapon length.
The main music is from Army of Darkness. The track is called, "Building the Deathcoaster"
Thank you for the tutorial, I would recommend any viewers to make sure that they can make their swords within the rules of the Book Of War for Belegarth Medieval Fantasy Combat Society and/or Dagorhir rulebook specs. Much of what has been done here is pretty close to what many foam weaponsmiths have been doing to make good quality weapons for the larps and MedFanCombat gaming.
Thanks for the compliments. I add the third layer because I like how it looks better and I think it's a nicer surface to get whacked with. I have at least one other shield video coming eventually but I'm afraid it's round again (I like smaller round shields). The same techniques can be used for any shape though. Good luck making your sword!
Say I wanted to replace the blue foam entirely with 3/8" EVA, how many layers would I need on striking surface? 3 for clarity, 4 for comfort?
With soft enough foam I've been able to use this method to create a great-sword that does not hurt at all really and still appears to have many characteristics of an actual sword. Besides that I use a certain amount of European martial arts to give myself a bit of an edge against my opponents. So (in my own opinion) you can make a foam sword that you can play-fight with that acts realistically and is still safe and fun.
Christian Wilkett-Lumba I do something similar except a nodachi and I use basic kendo techniques it’s really funny watching people throw a fit when they lose before they can even react thankfully there are still some good sports though
i love how the video host actually responds to people with dignity.. most people have things not necessary for responses..
Opera music makes it more epic than it is!
This is the kind of feedback that is really helpful. Thanks. Your comments and suggestions are excellent.
Here, here! I haven't yet made a video to talk about making cloth covers but the best covers are the cloth ones. Learn to sew, (or lavish affection on a lovely girl who knows how) and make a cloth cover. You'll be glad you did. They look better, last longer and are much nicer to be hit with.
Great tutorials... It's sad this channel is abandoned :(
these tutorials are really good. very informative and easy to follow.
one thing I would love to see is a serious latex molded sword. something that may not be as wallet friendly but artistically and realistically superior.
seeing some tutorials on that would be more then enough to get a subscription out of me
I noticed that no one (seemingly) from any Dagorhir groups have commented on this video as of yet, and I thought I'd point out that duct tape should not be used on a striking surface. It'll hit really, really hard (or rather, slap). The weapon can definitely be reinforced with duct tape, but not on the striking surface's outer layer.
Other than that, I thought this video was really very interesting. (:
Good tutorial, and bonus points for using the Army of Darkness OST!
yes someone else knows
Great vids, and aside from what some of the others have said (except for the Bulgarians and Swedens who'd like to beat each other with hyper speed latex swords and don't fully appreciate the purpose of the video), I'd suggest you shave the blade down first, then put the guards on, then the weights and cover. That way you have less chance of the guards being broken off and a stronger bond.
For those who want to play Dagorhir, there's kind of a problem with this method; In the official rules Ducktape cannot be on striking surfaces. You can put the ducktape on the cross guard (would actually make it stronger) but a cloth cover, sock cover, even pantie hose over the blade would make it Dag Legal. This is a great tutorial though for those who don't want to use PVC. What he does is called the 'Sandwich' method and for super thin cores it works amazing.
@Raven1024 : Yes I make those all the time, while 5 inches is too much and will bend the rigid foam, .5-1 inch from the end of the closed cell and 2-2.5 inches open cell works well.
The sword in particular isn't allowed to be stabbed with because of the lack of open cell
ive been watching the videos in this series for a lil while now and i love how the epic music continues playing between him talking :P oh and great tutorials!! lol
this sword looks AWESOME. I got a foam sword at the KC renfest, but making my own sounds cool. i hope making a level 1 sword isn't too hard for a 12 year old =p
Ello.
I'm gonna get started on my first weapon set this week! Thanks for the tutorials! Great work.
I'll look forward to your video on making latex weapons. I've been waiting for a good one.
Great tutorial; I really like the idea of using driveway markers as a core. One thing that always bugs me though is finishing off a sword with duct tape. I think the fabric covers just look cleaner and more professional.
All in all, this gave me some really good ideas. Keep up the good work!
Yes. The musket sounds cool.
Let me clarify if I may(and please correct me if I am wrong): You should tape the blade in a few areas (as shown) to add extra strength to the blade but in Belegarth (and possibly other groups) a sword will not "pass" inspection (in other words it will fail). (Man, I used a lot of parenthesis).
Covering your weapon with tape will not cause it to fail in use (i.e. fall apart). I absolutely agree with you, however, cloth covers are the best! They look better and it's nicer to get hit by them.
I feel bizarrely awesome since I modified this and made a scythe!
Good Question. I have had a couple of battle card games published that use the people, places and events of the Book of Mormon (ancient America between 600 B.C. and A.D. 400). The 1st was called, "Book of Mormon Battles" (hence the website name) and the 2nd, "Warriors of the Promised Land."Like the Biblical Old Testament, there is a lot of warfare in the book, and so I thought rather than just reenact the battles with cards, kids might like to make fun weapons and "live" the experience.
I know I keep saying this but... there really are more coming! Thanks for the encouragement!
I originally created these videos for my card game website but posted them here in case they could be of use to anyone else.
That's entirely up to you. Experiment. As a basic guide, if you are just goofing around with friends, there is nothing wrong with Level 1 techniques. For more heavy duty play, stick with using the camp pad as described in Level 2 and 3.
I've often thought about a helmet but I don't have a clue how to do it yet. Thanks for the comments. If I were younger I would definitely be boffing but for now I just made the videos for my kids and the kids of my stake for a youth conference where we made lots of weapons for battle simulations. Glad you like them! fight with honor!
To save money just use a pool noodle for the foam and pvc pipe for the core
LnL - you can't use that anymore
Depends on the game. at Underworld Larp LnL's description is standard for weapons, actually the sword in this video would not pass safety for several reasons.
it would pass a dagorhir, amtgard and a few other larps though, as long as he went with a cloth cover and lost the duct tape. and the pommel/cross guard was wider than 2"
With regards to a latex sword tutorial, I'd love to see those myself! Let me know if you come across any.
I hope so. I get some cocky folks saying they can do better but I have yet to see a video (all talk and no action - talk about patheticness). I have tried to provide good instruction on some of the most common techniques but if you've got a better one don't keep it to yourself. If you can't find a tripod or a friend (or a pile of books) to hold a camera, send me the information or a link and maybe I can make a video of it.
Just an FYI, I'm pretty sure all these weapons are fine to use on Belegarth, from the research I've been giving. So if you want to use these weps but you can't do them in Dagorhir, remember theres always Belegarth to try out too.
I don't know how hard you guys hit with your weapons and what are the standart diameters you can get at your stores in the states. But we are using 10mm rod for 1hand weapons and 16mm diamters for 2handed weapons here in europe.
This is a question that is asked a lot but it is difficult to answer. It's like asking how much it costs to replace a gasket on a car - 50 cents if you have all the tools, $75 if you don't. If you have all the supplies it's really only about $7 in materials per sword. It's closer to $40 or $50 in you have to buy everything but you can make multiple swords.
@hoogie133 I find that when I don't use some duct tape support, the swords don't hold up as well.
I recommend a power saw to get a clean cut but hand saws will work too.
WARING: this video have a lot of tape
Lol
All hail the migthy duck tape!!!
Duct. Tape.
Contact cement can be found in hardware, home improvement and department stores in the adhesive area.
@Raven1024 Absolutely - I'm afraid it came down to bad planning on my part.
I own one of those latex boffers, and I would love to see them get adopted by Dagorhir and other groups!
But for many folk, safety trumps realism.
That's why I mentioned it.
Maybe when I contact my local dag group to join up, I'll show them my latex boffer. It currently fails for weight, but I think the weight limitation is only to ensure the home made boffers have the needed padding.
nice score in the background. army of darkness
@SilentRaeth1 3M Super 77 adhesive spray works too
@SilentRaeth1 Contact cement is going to be essential for this type of design. Apply to both surfaces and wait until it dries before applying the two together. Don't rush it and it will work great.
How are you able to cut such straight lines, also how do you know where you are cutting is exactly 2 inches? I don't see any marking on your foam at all
I really like it! Would I be able to use a sander to give this more shape or would it not meet belegarth standards if I did that?
one of the better techniques is to cover the whole sword in liquid latex. I do this with all my weapons and they look great. You can add latex based colors to color the latex. hope this tip could help some of the people wondering how to make their sword look better: The minus is that you have to be very cautious with the sword when you make it to prevent random shit showing.
wow really well done sword but if you dont mind me requesting u make a higher leved shield video cuz alot of the older such as myself and othersd would want to know how to eficiently make one not just a circle but different shapes and sizes
@Raven1024 Distance of reciprocation is different, yet due to the wide variety of blades to select for cutting: a jigsaw can preform just as easy for the average person.
Ex. Putting on a blade with tiny teeth can do detailed work & go slowly. A blade with small teeth will go through material faster, so on & such forth. Plus a person can use it later on for doing things other than in the kitchen.
My arguement is the Jigsaw is a perfectly fine usable option, & the best option is up to the user.
That loos so sweet. Now I know how to make the cross guards better! Thanks.
where did you get that sooo cool music
@Raven1024 Jigsaw has blades with small teeth & blades with big teeth to fit the detailing needs, therefore it is as easy to use as your carver, only difference is the direction of the handle. Plus the Jigsaw has a straight edge to make straight cuts.
The jigsaw did get me through the Middle East, which I included for credibility, not because it is my favourite, I have lots of tools I use more than that one. I included it as a low cost option that really works.
yes, I found the Ozark blue camp pads, but couldn't find the Wenzel Camp pads. When I asked the guys who worked there, they acted like they didn't know what I was talking about. Could I make the sword with the Ozark instead of the wenzel?
@KingPhoenix6666 I agree. I think you'll all find that two layers is just fine.
@Raven1024 My group hasn't had any issues with it for the past 3 years, but we are moving towards clothed weapons now anyway
I agree! The best covering is cloth.
How would you recommend notching the pads without making the surfaces uneven? I would imagine having uneven surfaces could cause a weaker bond with the glue.
It's for safety reasons. These are built for full contact sparring and pitched mock battles, so the thick blade and heavily padded pommel are essential to keep the players from actual harm.
Would you want someone all hopped up on Redbul™l to accidentally hit you in the eye with anything less on a back-swing, just because he didn't see you? That wide 'paddle' is far less likely to compress enough to dig into your eye socket than, say, ¾" PVC covered in pipe insulation!
Safety first!
Well, to elaborate. In Dagorhir, one of the oldest LARP's that ever come about -spanning about 30-something years- the subject matter of exotic weapons have been around for as long as the combat "sport" has been invented. Lots of things have been made and tested. Now there are 2 main problems with the scythe: The durability of the core, and the difficulty in making it so that it won't fall apart or hurt anyone. Only a few guys were able to make one work.
@Raven1024 : Well, it's not really about the bruises, as you get those anyway, especially if you are in a full contact group or using pvc core weapons, the problem is usually how safe the stabbing tip is, as if it gets too small it can stab an eye and whatnot.
When he is talking about the cross gaurd, can you slide it on before doing the counter weight? so you don't have to cut the little slit?
Kinda makes me realize that I'm glad I play in a game that doesn't allow camp mat weapons. It's either PVC Cored Closed Cell Weapons or professionally made latex. Good instructive video though.
You can also use softer foam on the sticking surface to make it a softer hit... as well it will allow you to make the blade thinner for a more realistic look...
thanks man, i made this but the hilt part is starting to peel off from being hit any tips?
Guten tag! I look forward to your videos on the correct way to do it ;)
OOooh! Now i get it! I thought you were talking about making the pads thinner. Have you used this method before. How could I make a consistant groove? thanks
Whats better for the sword? A thick layer of contact cement on the sword or a thin layer?
I would recommend a thicker handle. Everything else looks good, but a thicker handle just feels better in the hand.
The opening and closing music is "Building the deathcoaster" from the Army of Darkness soundtrack.
You tell him Hamish.
Funny story. When my oldest son was about 3 yrs old, he created a recipe called, "sugar beans." He told us that you take some green beans, put them in a plastic graduated medicine cup with water and sugar and then put them in the refrigerator for 12. Twelve what?! Just 12. Apparently, if you had to ask, you weren't ready to make "sugar beans." It still cracks me up.
@Arkloyd
"That wide 'paddle' is far less likely to compress enough to dig into your eye socket than, say, ¾" PVC covered in pipe insulation!"
I thought 3/4" pipe was usually reserved for the bulky axes, mauls, and in some cases stalves, and not the short and long swords, or claymores and the like, but then again, it does vary from game to game.
Despite the fact that one can be made and passed. It'll only be like an elongated axe blade with a small strike range with probably a stabbing tip at the end of the pole. On top of that, the usefulness of the weapon is as selective as a catapult in a siege battle. You'd only use it for a few things like one-on-one, or in siege battles where you'd had to be behind a shieldman.
I am thinking about starting to do Larp, could I be able to make/use this on my first day? Or would I have to use a level 1 sword?
Covering it with latex seems like a good idea to me - could help sculpt it better. But i would finish off with sealing the whole thing with silicone
@Halofreakanoid Well yeah but you can easily make realistic swords with plenty safe stabbin tips. you just make the core like 5 inches shy of the tip and make the tip out of softer but still semi rigid foam, so it holds it's shape but compresses relatively easily.
Even better make the very tip out of very soft material, with more rigid foam behind it, so the rigid stuff won't fit in the socket. This essentially gives your sword a boxed end like this one, but with an actual pointed looking end.
@voxximous A heavy straight edge and a sharp cutting blade are very helpful. Have someone else help you hold the straight edge - that can help too.
I'm not sure if I'm using the correct contact cement. The kind I'm using looks milky kinda like liquid latex. It also doesn't hold it's bond as fast as it does on this tutorial. I had to clamp some parts down. I am using dap contact cement, but the can label is green. Am I using the wrong kind?
@dragondevel5 My guess would just be get some plastic link chain from a hardware store, like the plastic chain people use to section off areas for evens and stuff. It's lightweight, relatively cheap, and doesn't hurt or break. I'm not sure how you would go about attaching that to your weapons, but for now, just an idea.
It says book of Mormon battles at the end. Your Mormon too?!?!? Thats so cool!! I love boffering so much! You should see my spear :) oh man, i just watched all your videos and you really know what your doing :) i would love to see a tutorial on making a helmet if you know how. Good work my friend.
Fiberglass is a great core - only problem is the cost compared to PVC... I mean that not necessarily in the cost of the fiberglass itself - you can get it cheap online if you know where to look, but the shipping is where you can get ripped off.
Gotta try the turkey carver idea some time.
A quick question do you get a side ways flex when you swing he sword and if you do is there a way of fixing that
I wanna learn how to make a sword like Nightmare's from Soul Calibur 2. Is there a tutorial for something like that?
@PIELOVER67 Contact cement, etc, is very good for keeping a weapon together - having made purely foam-and-duct tape, and flat boffers using PVC, foam from old DanceDanceRevolution pads and held together with Super 77 adhesive spray, I can safely say there is a noticeable difference. I even use them on round boffers now, which keeps them from sliding around like they tend to do over time/use.
It's best to use a PVC at the grip to counter balance the sword. Meanwhile, this is pretty good for a sword made for fast pace combat. Dagorhir requirements are filled. Except for the metal used to counter balance it.
@Routanne Stop by the various LARP sites - Belegarth, Dagarhir, Amtgard for what their rules of play are. The most simple version is:
No head shots
Limb is lost if it is hit
2 limbs gone and you are dead.
Torso front or back is a kill.
Hitting the hand holding a weapon does not count as a hit.
Play with honor - you should call it when your hit. Don't try to get away with anything. If there is a question about a hit, take the hit.
What's the diameter of the rods you're using?
Very good, What's name of the music?
it's from army of darkness
im going to use your method and make my own sword this weekend.
Where can I find some of that open cell foam for the bottom of the handle? I looked at several major home improvement stores and couldnt find any. I there is a website where I can find it that would be helpfull too. Thanks
I can't find a Wenzel Camp Pad any where. I have all of the other materials in my closet collecting dust. Can anyone tell me of a camp pad that could be used as a substitute? If so, what store can I find it? Thanks
6:52
"Now doesn't that look cool?"
I wouldn't say cool....
I would say EPIC!
what is that song that starts at about 2 minuets in?
You can use these techniques to let your imagination fly free but just a word of caution about curving PVC. It is easy to do with some heat (a heat gun works very well) but it looses some of it's flexibility so just be aware. Perhaps there are ways to work with it that I'm unfamiliar with. I've just seen some PVC bow videos that were very impressive.
I think I read something somewhere about using curved carbon fiber cores for scimitars and the like.
@jjfullmer Where do you get the 3/8 in. black foam? I know where to get the thicker blue foam, which is what I normally use, but I've never seen the black foam.
If you wanna see a i quess lvl 20 sword guide, this is the first step (link) to the guide.
part 1:
Latex Sværd Guide del 1 - intro
part 2:
Latex Sværd Guide del 2 - Limning og tilskæring
Part 3:
Latex Sværd guide del 3 - støbning af detaljer
Part 4:
Latex Sværd guide del 4 - Latex & Afslutning
@SilentRaeth1 Especially if the stuff solidifies on part of the nozzle, causing it to spray opposite of where you want it to go. ~_~
You can buy the poles from Hardware stores or farm supply stores.
Very cheap, too. Little more than a dollar each.
I’m being told that camp pad is no longer enough what do I do now