Deadpool Katanas

[antrodite]

I just recently went to a con as dark tactical deadpool, but I had to make katanas. What’s deadpool without them? Anyway! I documented the process as best as I could so I could share in case anyone else could benefit from this. We did this in the span of just a couple days.

Materials Used:
- Plastic trunking that hides electrical wires
- Wooden yardsticks
- PVC pipes
- Silver heat tape
- Black electrical tape
- 10mm and 6mm foam
- Black acrylic paint

 

[Parzival]

I had seen your insta story with the Deadpool, I thought "No way is that them?" That's awesome! You looked great!

 

[antrodite]

We started with figuring out the angle of the scabbards, then cutting a section of each piece out with a dremel. It was hot glued together (along with some layers of duct tape, not pictured) to help reinforce it. It was a little flimsy, but after the katanas themselves are put in the scabbard, it was solid! We covered the back with black electrical tape instead of trying to rip the adhesive tape off.
We cut the ends of the yardsticks to fit into the PVC pipe and we used a dremel for this… wear safety goggles. Oh my goodness. Wear. Them. When the bit breaks, it goes flinging absolutely every where (and are also so hot to touch). Anyway! It was a pretty tight fit, but we put hot glue inside so it didn’t wobble around.
The yardsticks were covered in Polyken brand silver tape that’s used on duct work. It definitely does not go on perfectly smooth, but yanno… I remind myself that no one is looking that close. They’re in the scabbards most of the time anyway!

 

[antrodite]

I had seen your insta story with the Deadpool, I thought "No way is that them?" That's awesome! You looked great!

Dude!! Appreciate you so much, thank you!!!

 

[Chief118]

We started with figuring out the angle of the scabbards, then cutting a section of each piece out with a dremel. It was hot glued together (along with some layers of duct tape, not pictured) to help reinforce it. It was a little flimsy, but after the katanas themselves are put in the scabbard, it was solid! We covered the back with black electrical tape instead of trying to rip the adhesive tape off.
We cut the ends of the yardsticks to fit into the PVC pipe and we used a dremel for this… wear safety goggles. Oh my goodness. Wear. Them. When the bit breaks, it goes flinging absolutely every where (and are also so hot to touch). Anyway! It was a pretty tight fit, but we put hot glue inside so it didn’t wobble around.
The yardsticks were covered in Polyken brand silver tape that’s used on duct work. It definitely does not go on perfectly smooth, but yanno… I remind myself that no one is looking that close. They’re in the scabbards most of the time anyway!

looks amazing !

 

[antrodite]

looks amazing !

Appreciate that so much!!

 

[Peaches]

WOAH!! These are so cool!!

 

[antrodite]

Update time!!

For the handles, I covered them completely in black electrical tape so the grey PVC wouldn’t show through. Afterwards, we did a lot more electrical tape. A lot.
Each section is ten wraps around. Towards the end we used a wider tape and did fifteen to twenty times around, so it’d be a bit thicker. I cut off the excess and bam, katana handles. I left mine open since they’re so long, no one can see the end up that high, but you could get a PVC plug to make it smooth and covered over.

For the guard on the end, I just cut out a rectangle of 10mm foam and slid it down the blade. Did some wraps of electrical tape there until it was quite snug and wouldn’t move around, then added some hot glue to finish it off.

 

[Peaches]

Update time!!

For the handles, I covered them completely in black electrical tape so the grey PVC wouldn’t show through. Afterwards, we did a lot more electrical tape. A lot.
Each section is ten wraps around. Towards the end we used a wider tape and did fifteen to twenty times around, so it’d be a bit thicker. I cut off the excess and bam, katana handles. I left mine open since they’re so long, no one can see the end up that high, but you could get a PVC plug to make it smooth and covered over.

For the guard on the end, I just cut out a rectangle of 10mm foam and slid it down the blade. Did some wraps of electrical tape there until it was quite snug and wouldn’t move around, then added some hot glue to finish it off.

Well done! Your handles look really good. Are you just doing electrical tape, or are you planning on doing a layer of hockey tape to give you a little more grip?

 

[antrodite]

Well done! Your handles look really good. Are you just doing electrical tape, or are you planning on doing a layer of hockey tape to give you a little more grip?

Thank you so much! I’m sticking with just electrical tape, they really aren’t slippery at all. They also stay on my back most of the time since I need assistance to put them back in the scabbards lol

 

[Peaches]

Thank you so much! I’m sticking with just electrical tape, they really aren’t slippery at all. They also stay on my back most of the time since I need assistance to put them back in the scabbards lol

That makes sense to me! I'm used to putting hockey tape on weapons... but I'm also a LARPer, so consistent and reliable grip is important to me.

 

[antrodite]

The last part of this project was the center piece that connects both scabbards together!
I made my own template on graph paper, then used 10mm foam for the front, back, and sides. The white foam on top was 6mm. The small triangles on each side were done by scoring the foam (cutting it, but not all the way through) and opening it up slightly with a heat gun.

I just used black acrylic paint instead of spray painting it since it was already attached.. oops. There was no prep done to the foam, so it needed multiple layers as the first few mostly soaked into the foam pores.

To attach it to the tac vest, I sewed on metal snaps to the tac vest nylon and hot glued the other side of the snap onto the back of the foam. These are not very sturdy, so I’m super careful when I’m taking this on and off to make sure the snaps don’t take much weight. They are enough though to keep it centered and in place!
We also tied the bottom part of the scabbards into the tac vest itself. They would not have been able to stay up without this, since after both katanas are added, it can get a little top heavy.

Bonus pic of me figuring out the best way to attach eye glass lenses to the inside of the mask. As someone who cannot do contacts, I went and bought another pair of prescription lenses. The foam frame was good, but the foam was too thick for the eye pieces to close back into the mask. The duct tape looks janky, but worked the best!

 

[antrodite]

Enjoy some pics of the end result!!
Overall this was a super fun project and I enjoyed doing a different spin on Deadpool. It was interesting working with new materials and now I want to try doing some more non-foam things for my halo suit!

I will admit though, wearing a full resin-casted halo helmet is way more comfortable than this mask lol. Visibility was horrendous and it was so hot. So. Hot. I had issues with my eye glasses fogging up, so was basically blind anytime I had it on. My full helmet for Agent Washington has no fans yet has given me zero fogging issues.
I also could not sit down with the katanas, but can sit down in my full foam armor. Can you tell I was wishing for Wash at this con? Definitely going to rethink if I want this fit to be in my regular loop.

Quick shoutout to the other DP who helped me with this project and will soon be both a Caboose and an Agent Maine !! The Midwest Regiment gains yet another Ohioan.

 

[Peaches]

I've loved watching this come together, but seeing the finished product is just incredible! Well done!

 

[antrodite]

I've loved watching this come together, but seeing the finished product is just incredible! Well done!

Thank you so much !!