Larp swords

[Scoresby]

Hi I was just wondering where a good place to buy REALLY cheap LARP weapons is. I'm talking like 30-1$ US cheap. If there is no such place, how might I go about making my own. And also I was wondering about ranged weapons, how are they? I've never played once in my life, just getting started.

Thanks

[Wysterya]

I don't know anyplace that makes them that cheap. As far as making your own, the NERO National website should have directions, and I should have directions on my website, but I haven't gotten that up there yet. Just go cruise some of the other website of LARPs that involve boffer fighting, and somebody should have instructions. Do you mean ranged weapons like a bow or crossbow, or do you mean firearms?
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Determination is a two-edged sword

[Scoresby]

Thanks for the tip. I checked out that site and I found what I was looking for. As for ranged weapons, what I meant was bows and crossbows. Thanks

[Dilligafster]

Hi, since the topic of weapons came up, How many games out there use the latex weapons and how many use a variation of the PVC/foam weapon. Does anyone allow mixing of the types of weapons in game. As for the latex weaponsw does anyone have a "how-to" site for that? I am currently consulting with a new LARP and liked to get some feed back for future development. Thanks for any help.
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Death before Dismount
J

[Chief]

My home group allows both PVC/tape and latex. Though we only use round foam for things like clubs, and soft tips are not allowed. All tape swords and blades are made flat so they have a nice amount of padding [typically over 3/4 inch on blade edge].

We do mix these with latex, but tend to build our own because most commercial latex is too light to survive in our fighting envinroment. Not to say our latex weapons weigh 30 pounds, but they are typically heavier than the UK half-breeds [not meant in a bad way] currently floating around the market. They also have tips that allow for thrusting. I would say the current mix in the group is about 50/50.

I keep threatening to put up our building instructions for latex, but never get around to it due to real world work obligations. However if you have AOL IM and ever want to chat contact me at MidLand LARP.
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Nothing beats a friend like a rubber sword...

[Jupe]

Most of Fantasy LARP's in Finland tend to use latex weaponry these days. Done both myself, I still allow non-latex weaponry in some games.
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Very few rules, very good games and ... Awesome food.

[Dilligafster]

I was thinking that it was a splint, seems the ones(latex) I have looked at do not comform to many of the safety standards in the larps I have played paticularly the point which often has to be rounded. They are photos though so I'm not sure. Chief you make your own? How difficult is that? Is it cost effective vs PVC/foam. I'll try and get off line with you concerning constructing them, Thanks.

Joe

[Chief]

I look forward to hearing from you.
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Nothing beats a friend like a rubber sword...

[Ottosson]

about latex weapons and thrusting
do u allow it?
how dangerous is it?
is there anyway to make safe tip and still have a realistic point?

[LoZeno]

I do not allow thrusting, because I haven't yet found a way to make tips safe and still realistic-looking... but there are places where thrusting weapons are allowed, even if they have a huge rounded tip.
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Lo Zeno
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OuT Of mY MiNd. BaCk iN FiVe mInUtEs,

[Ottosson]

the problem isnt the tip but the core right?

[Ottosson]

30 pounds?!
13.6 Kilograms?!
what do you fight with? treetrunks?

[Chief]

The problem is actually a little bit of both. Many latex weapons have very little foam on them in order to achieve the "effect" people want. They look great, but when it comes to thrusting there is not enough foam to support the tip. This makes the tip prone to "folding over" [for lack of a better term] if you thrust, or sometimes even when you "tip" people with the weapon.

Due to the low mass of the weapon I don't really think this is a major safety issue, but it does make the weapon break down. It also makes for a "rough" stab when you do poke someone; a problem of comfort more than safety.

I will save my issues about how most US LARPs are worried about comfort more than safety for another debate

Round tips are often important not because of the eye issue. The angle required to stab someone in the eye with enough force to cause major injury is an extreme one. I mean running through the woods at night is more dangerous than fighting with pointed weapons. However, semi-round tips are important to increase the surface area of the thrust, reducing impact and preventing folding.

So the solution is more foam on the weapon Sure it does not look like a movie prop [as much as others] but we are not filming Braveheart here.
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Nothing beats a friend like a rubber sword...

[Ottosson]

but 30 pounds?
you meant 3 right?
even a 7 feet greatsword didnt weigh over 5 pounds...

[Chief]