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| Nodachi/katana tutorial; genereal tutorial for weapons | |
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| Topic Started: Mar 15 2009, 11:08 AM (556 Views) | |
| wildcard | Mar 15 2009, 11:08 AM Post #1 |
The one... the amazing... the powerful... ME!
  ![]](http://209.85.122.85/static/1/pip_r.png)
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I made a nodachi (large katana) for a cosplay that isn't from SW/DW/WO or Koei in general, but this might help creating a soft and light weapon, that still has quite the effect. First I bought a 4 mm thin, 4 cm broad and about 2 m long wooden plate to use as a stabilizing core. This is still slightly flexible, but should generally do the trick. I shortened it to a lenght of about 1,60 m as I didn't need the sword THAT long. Then I marked where the handle was meant to end and placed the plate on a plate of foam that was 2 cm thick and rolled the foam around the wooden plate, making a single, short cut where the end of the foam connected with the rest. The next cut I might slightly under the marking of the end of the rip. I cut out the square and then put tape around the top and bottom before wrapping it all up. As you see here. Next I put the whole sword onto a 5 mm thick foam and cut out a slightly broader 'katana blade'. I took that one and cut it out a second time. This will later make the blade. Finished handle, blade parts and connection piece I considered making the little plate connecting handle and blade from modeling clay at first, but then choose to make it from the same 2 cm thick foam as I did the handle. I simply used a size-fitting object (in my case the tape), drew it's shape on the foam and then cut it out. Then I put it at the end of the wooden plate and pressed it lightly against it, to be able to make out the shape and mark it with a pencil. Cut a straight line in it then put it on the wooden plate and pulled it up until it connencted with the handle. Now I secured the two blade-plates with the tape from top to bottom in what seems like rings at first. Once it's all secured I made a complete 'cocon' of tape over the blade. You need to play a bit around at the end of it, if you want it nicely round. Same with the connection piece. I made a 'ring' of tape on the outside, then cut little cuts in it all around and put every second standing piece onto the foam, and repeated the process until I had all of it down. This helps shaping it round. To make a connection between all three parts I cut smaller pieces of tape and cut left and right into the piece around the middle, before putting the non-sticking sides together and pressing one sticking side first to the handle/blade parts, then the other onto the connection piece. Repeat this process until you got all foam covered up and nice shaped. This is my result And a close-up of handle-connection piece-blade Here you can compare it to a normal katana The size of mine is now 1,65 m, which makes it almost as tall as myself (1,68 m), yet it weights less than 5 kg. It is flexible and soft and should get you through any weapon check at cons - unless they dislike the lenght of it ^^° Of course it won't stay that way. Once you are done this far, you can start coloring it with layers of latex. I've found a metall-silver and metal-gold that looks pretty realistic  Remember thought: The handle of a katana/nodachi is usually covered by either leather or a certain fabric band that will help keeping a grip even if you are sweaty. I'll put up pictures of my finished version once I'm done (sometime during next month). |
 Could something THIS CUTE ever harm a fly? Spoiler: click to toggle I'm a proud fan of BOTH, Samurai Warriors AND Sengoku Basara. Bashing either at own risk. | |
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| Kaon | Mar 26 2009, 02:17 AM Post #2 |
no vain
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I'd like to say that I'm very impressed how your nodachi turned out; And I was thinking making a custom-made cosplay nodachi in a Although the excess duct-tape still bothers me.. In an awkward way. 
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 わずかの利益を得て 少しを巻き取って、 さらに速度を増して やがて全部巻き返す ゆえに得難きを得て 君と大地に立てば、 照らせ照らせわずかに 守る あるがままを… | |
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| wildcard | Mar 27 2009, 09:15 AM Post #3 |
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The one... the amazing... the powerful... ME!
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I recived my latex-colors yesterday, so I'll start coloring it (hopefully) in the next days. I'll try to make a step-by-step tutorial again. @Kaon: Well, I recently got known to a real LARP weapon maker who gave me a few more tipps. And yes, one can work without that much duct-tape according to him. You just need to buy a different foam, called Plastazote. The type he insisted I should use is LD45 Like here: http://cgi.ebay.de/0-25m-Hartschaumstoff-Plastazote-Schaumstoff-LD45-10mm_W0QQitemZ150326584677QQihZ005QQcategoryZ124301QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262?_trksid=p1713.m153.l1262 Apparently you stick this one togehter with a glue called Patex Compact and then you use a couple of layers of latex that will get soaked into the Plastazote. He recommended using black latex, as it's easy and cheaper to get by. Once the plastazote is soaked enough and dry, you can start adding layers of your choosen color to it. For a cosplay weapon 4 layers should be enough, a real LARP weapon is supposed to have 8. The layers usually need 5-20 minutes to dry thought. I always put layers as I see fit, thought. Well, I'll see if my Nodachi will turn out the was I want it to. If the foam I used in combination with the duct tape doesn't work out, I'll cut it up again and use the plastazote on the wood and try again I'll also attempt to make a sheat this weekend - if I get around it ^^° Time is a bit spare at the moment. So stay tuned  I'll soon update (maybe even later today).
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Could something THIS CUTE ever harm a fly? Spoiler: click to toggle I'm a proud fan of BOTH, Samurai Warriors AND Sengoku Basara. Bashing either at own risk. | |
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5:32 AM Nov 28
