Making latex weapons

[Lance]

Thanks gents.

Yes, it is thinnest where the blade meets the haft. When carving the foam I was trying to get the illusion the that the blade was thinner than the haft by carving it thin and then tapering it out to the striking surface. It is still a little thicker than it appears in that pic, but that is the spot it bends at when it makes contact. I made the latex extra thick at that spot so I doubt it could ever tear, but the foam there may break down eventually. Time will tell.

Now....what to attempt next?

[Lance]

I am wondering if there is any technique used to reduce the glossy appearance of the sealant coat. The sword I built a couple of months ago has lost a lot of its shine but still has some of that glossiness and doesn't look like its gonna get much better. The sheen realy detracts from an otherwise very realistic appearance. Especially on the axe I just finished. Do you put an extra thin coat of sealant on? Or have you tried sand paper to retard the smoothness of the final coat? I didn't want to try anything for fear of ruining the weapon. Any help or ideas?

[Chief]

It might be that you are using too much of a sealant coat. You really only need to apply enough to seal the weapon, and any extra will increase the gloss.

If that does not work you can also use talc powder on the weapon to dull the finish [Talc over the sealant, not talc alone].
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[Lance]

Roger. Thanks, Chief.

I think I will add a good dose of mineral spirits to my sealant mixture. That reminds me, I don't know if you do it this way, but I found that just squeezing the whole tube of sealant into a sealable tupperware bowl and then adding the spirits makes a nice, pre-prepared, shelf stable supply. It takes some good stirring and about 24 hours sitting to be fully mixed. But now I have a bowl with enough prepared sealant to coat probably 20 or 30 weapons. Of course it must stay sealed at all times when not in use though. Anyway, I'll throw in some more spirits and remix with the intent of thinning the mixture further. Perhaps that will effect a thinner coat as I wasn't really trying to make it thick on the previous weapons. I will post the results next time I get a chance to make another weapon.

Till then I'll get busy with some talcum powder.

Wow that sounds dry and painful...

And I'm spent.

[Chief]

Yeah that is exactly how I do it. I pull off a nice amount of sealant from the gallon can, and then make small batches. You are correct, letting the sealant sit does make for a nice mix.
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Nothing beats a friend like a rubber sword...

[Aldriel]

Lance, if you want to reduce the shine of your sealant coat, you might want to try to add some talcum powder on your weapon before the sealant is completely dry.

Just make a test on a small surface first, it doesn't work with all kinds of coating.
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[Lance]

I will give that a shot on the next one, Aldriel. Thanks. I am guessing the idea is to mix the talc powder inside the sealant coat as it cures. Am I looking for a light dusting here?

[Aldriel]

You don't need to mix it to the sealant. Just sprinkle a fair amount of powder over the weapon while the sealant is still fresh. It should be enough.

Mixing the powder into the selant, might change it's properties. Chances are it's going to become stiffer and lose part of it's elasticity.
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Professional prop maker

http://www.ateliers-nemesis.com

[Lance]

I just picked up some fiberglass kite spar from an online store and am wondering if it is of the same dimensions as the those of the tubing normally used. It is maybe a quarter of an inch diameter and the walls are extremely thin. It seemed a bit small to me but perhaps that is just because I am used to working with pvc. So just wanted to be sure this is the normal size.

[Rraurgrimm]

Hmm, over here there have been looooong discussions about the fibreglass rods and which are most feasible to use.

Round or square rods? - usually the solid square rod is preferred, seems it is easier to glue them into place between the foam layers. Solid round rods find their use in axes and staffs - but some advise against their use in blade weapons since it requires more work to securely glue them into place within the foam. 1.2 cm/12mm (about 1/3 inch) diameter rods are the most common choice, thicker or thinner rods are rarely in use. Thinner rods tend to be too flexible and may have a whipping effect - while thicker rods tend to be too strong and heavy.

From Aldebaran:
'Glass fibre rod is virtually indestructable and will provide a former that is light yet strong. Some people use carbon fibre if they want a particularly light blade but carbon fibre rod is considerably more expensive.'

I've also used bamboo rods (sometimes taped) for staffs - though I reccommend not to use them for heavy combat purposes.

Fibreglass kite spars MAY be workeable, there have been discussions going on if they are too light and too flexible (whipping effect). Too light? Since most of the gaming systems over here (even the YourCharacterCanDoWhatYouAsAPlayerCanActOut) require pulled blows and the LARP weapons are simulations of a real metal weapon it is usually preferred to have a more or less heavy weapon. Light weapons may be easier to control but in the heat of a battle a lighter weapon might lead to machine-gunning the blows. And yes, there have been many discussions on this topic and there will always be.

As long as the foam padding is securely glued to the rod and there is a point protection of a tough cloth (f.e. soft leather) You'll usually have no difficulties (except thrusting, it requires special points to build foam/latex weapons for thrusting). But I admit I do not know what should be preferred for hard-hitting combat systems.
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rraurgrimm at googlemail dot com

[RyanPaddy]

[Lance]

Raurgrimm and Ryan, thanks. Yes you are correct Ryan, it is hollow tubing. Well, they were only a few bucks so not too big a loss. Now I know... Thanks for letting me know though before I started building one out of the hollow stuff.

I thought they seemed a bit weak, which is why I posted. Now to search for some solid fibreglass rods.

Thanks again.

[Harrington]

I've been using hollow kite spar for some time making weapons and have not had a breakage yet. One of my axes that I made some 6 years ago is still in use today.

But what I really wanted to say was about thrust tip protection. I've found that a couple layers of kevlar securely connected to the tip prevents the foam breakthrough. I've also run a layer of kevlar down both sides of the center foam of the sword. Adds a great deal of durability to the weapon. Of course, you need to have kevlar available to do this. I work in boat manufacturing, so I do have it. Also, kevlar is hard on scissors. But if you can get it, it works wonders.

[Harrington]

And another note on cores. If you want a cheap source of carbon fiber cores, check your local thrift stores or pawn shops. You can sometimes find golf clubs with carbon fibre shafts. Usually only good for shorter weapons, but hey, they come with a ready made grip.

[Duby]