Wooden Sword help: Edges?

[Rheiner]

Hey guys, long time no see! I recently got a prop request for the Ordon Sword from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The guy offered me $35 for a PVC sword, or $60 for a wooden carved one. I'm experienced in wood carving (made my own Master Sword about a year ago), so that's the route I chose.

Thats all fine and dandy. Now the real problem is a request he made.

Being that it'll be made for an independent film he's making, he doesnt want the edges dentable. Knowing wood, I know that the blade does get quite a bit nicked over time. I've come up with 2 ideas: Make the blade laminate with the edges/center with a hardwood; or putting a layer of fiberglass over the edges before I fill and sand.

Any other ideas? I'm getting pretty desperate, so any help is GREATLY appreciated!

Keep rockin on guys!:cool

 

[Dracosfire83]

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[Rheiner]

Ah, good point. I'll have to take that into consideration, being that I'm seeing him tomorrow, I'll bring that up. I may be able to create a PVC copy for a negotiable price.

 

[Pigglywiggly1973]

Another route you could take is to use EV foam on the blade edge ... paint it the color needed then shape it into the wood so that way the edge will give a bit and not dent depending on how heavy the fight scene is...

 

[Mstruvmgc]

if you could find a way to maybe use some polycarbinate plastic that would be a good edge, very tough stuff. its what ultrasabers.com uses for their lightsabers. Stuff can take a beating.

 

[Rheiner]

if you could find a way to maybe use some polycarbinate plastic that would be a good edge, very tough stuff. its what ultrasabers.com uses for their lightsabers. Stuff can take a beating.

I'll have to take a look at it. If I can find a bit, I'll definitely be using that!

 

[FlyinPhil]

You could always use purple heart wood for the blade/handle. Its commonly used for practice swords, due to it being stronger/more dense than oak. It will still debt, but far less than any soft woods and most other hardwoods. That being said, the wood itself will run you probably close to $30-40(at least here in Canada). It will also take you a long time to shape it and it will likely put a lot of wear and year on your tools, due to it being so hard.

Iirc, practice swords made from it cost around $200. You are going above that and replicating another sword, so I'd charge him $300 and call it a day.... At least for a sword that meets his expectations.

Just my 2¢!

 

[Fudz073]

Another possibility is lining the edges with thin aluminum flashing. Pretty cheap at the hardware store. Realistically, even real swords ding and dent during use but the flashing should give some reasonable protection.

73
fudz