thealmightyguru.freeforums.org

thought I'd post the things I've made...

first off, the big 'uns!


on the left is my friend's great sword which I only helped made, but I made an almost exact copy of it at the same time, with only two minor structural differences and the colors switched (the blade is classic gray). in the middle is my nightmare staff, of all my weapons, probably my favorite. and on the right is my giant meat cleaver. it is plain. it is heavy. it is useless! I love it.




this is the first incarnation of my staff. whenever I would stab with it, I'd get a face shot because the ends where so darn big. then one of the ends just ripped off, so I had to remake it.




this kriss no longer exists, sadly. it got a pretty nasty tear on the tip, so I had to take it apart. I was very proud of it, too. someday I will rebuild it!




this is my madu, an indian spiked buckler. I haven really found it useful yet.




just a short mace I made for a friend. I don't know what the core was (he provided it) but it was really light.

What did you use to make your blades curve like for the Kriss dagger? I've yet to try making such a wave design like that, nor do i really have need to at the moment. but I would be interested in how you did it none the less.

on the kris and madu, I simply built up the foam. just put on your core layer of foam, then cut small sections of half pipe foam (3" or less, I'd say), enough to cover a little less than the entire length of one side of the balde, attach one to the base of the blade of one side, the next directly above that on the other side, and so one. you can add an even smaller layer of the same thing after that for a more heavily defined curve (I'd say about 4" for the base half pipe and then about 2" for the smaller ones.) [I did this on the madu, you can see it if you inspect the lower blade]. you can even make a cool gradual straightening effect by using lager sections at the base and then using smaller and smaller sections towards the tip. then you just tape a final layer of half pipe around the entire thing, tapping down on the inside of ever curve, and finish from there.

I would recommend using pipe insulation for this instead of pool noodle, although in theory it might work fine, pool noodle is probably to bulky to form well to the curve or look pretty.

more!

so are these things all built primarily out of pool noodle then? impressive... what method you using to curve the core pieces?

pipe insulation, not pool noodle. can't stand that stuff...

bends are all either over the stove or in the oven. both using electric elements. I just decide if I want a localized or general bend, then turn the stove or oven (respectively) on, stick my pvc over (not on) the element or on the oven rack, turning it like a marshmallow until it gives as much as I want it to, then take it off and (with mitts) shape it how I like and take it outside or (in the summer) over to the sink for cool down. just make sure to have good ventilation.

how is the madu held? is it a single handle like a punch shield, or does it have straps?

punch shield, which is why it has a boss. there is a length of pvc going down the entire thing which supports the blades and shield as well as serves as the grip. the shield itself is actually quite small, I think it is less than a foot in diameter.