Foam Tetsuiga

[AnimeFanBoi270]

I want to know what kind of foam is good for making the Tetsuiga? Or Should I just use wood?



Thanks:) :cool: :dance: :drink: :square: :razz:

[Zegen]

I want to know what kind of foam is good for making the Tetsuiga? Or Should I just use wood?



Thanks:) :cool: :dance: :drink: :square: :razz:


I'm assuming you're making the Large version of the sword. For the blade I would use insulation foam coverd in fiberglass then use a dowel as the handle for support, followe by faux fur for around the base.

[Figle]

Never used foam but this stuff is amazing, wonderflex, this stuff is great for making props.

Here is the 2 places where ya can find it

cosplaysupplies (http://www.cosplaysupplies.com/wonderflex/wonderflex.html)

Dazian (http://www.dazian.com/cgi-bin/page.pl?action=show_style&style_id=337&group_id=)

Wonderflex FAQ (http://www.cosplaysupplies.com/wonderflex/WonderflexFAQ.html)

[UpstartCrow]

Please stop pimping your flex around here, It's really annoying and the stuff really isn't good for anything except very small molded parts, which you can make a lot better just by vaccum forming plastic. Which is also less expensive.

Anyways, wood works just fine for tetsusaigas and other large swords, a lot of people think it results in a prop that is too heavy but it really doesn't if you do it right. Here's what I do for tetsusaigas. Take a very large 1 inch thick plank of soft wood, poplar works very well for this prop.

Trace your outline with a carpenters pencil, keep in mind inuyasha is about 5 ft 6, and the tetsusaiga is about his height from tip to kashira (So the overall length should be your height, minus the width of both hands plus two fingers (propper handle length for a japanese sword. Next look for shobu Zukuri type japanese swords, and familiarize yourself with the blade geometry. This is the blade style that was extremely popular in the sengoku jidai, plus most renditions of the tetsusaiga show this blade type. Next care fully sketch the blade onto the plank, starting with the handle, and working your towards the kissaki (tip) if you start with the handle, everything else should come together easily just by finding the amount of curvature the blade will need to look accurate when you are wielding it. once that is done, make line for the back of the blade, a similar line for the edge, and one towards the back 1/3 of the blade (lengthwise)
Once you have sketched the blade, and double checked it, take a jig saw and very carefully cut the shape out (remember it's better to go slightly outside the line as removing material is easier than replacing lost material)

Once your blank is cut out, take an electric planer or orbital sander and smooth out the edges of the blank. once the blank is smooth on the edges, lay it flat and mark where the ridge is ate with masking tape. now using the planer plane the face to a slope, untill it is a few mm to touching the middle of the blade. repeat this on the opposite side, and repeat again for the back of the blade. With the back of the blade leave 5-10 mm before touching the middle. After that plane the back of the blade so that the back has an "edge" that looks like the tip of a triangle in cross section. Now use an orbital sander to smooth everything down reall nice and and up to about 80-120 grit.

Next your going to want to spray primer over the blank, and let it dry. For the paint job I reccomend an flat white undercoat with a misting of ivory (just enough to alter the color, not enough to replace the undercoat) followed up by a light misting of clear pearlescent (duplicolor's Mirage 3rd step works good for this) and if you sprayed it good, you should have something that looks like a tetsusaiga. The mirage really makes the blade "Pop" in the daylight. now very carefully mist a layer of semi gloss clear coat, followed by a misting of gloss clear coat, alternate between semi gloss and gloss untill you acchieve the desired effect an coat the painted area in clear coat. Give the blade a couple of days in a warm dry sunny place. Bring it inside at night. This will ensure the paint cures completely and that touch ups won't be necessary. Next, make sure the handle is rounded down, it should feel very nice in the hand. once that is done, take a 1/2 inch or even a 1/4 inch piece of wood, and trace a circle that is exactly large enough to cover the top of your hand when you make a fist, enlarge that by about 1/8 of an inch, now split the piece in half, and cut a half circle on the inside of each piece, make it just large enough for the handle to fit snugly inside when both pieces are put back together. once you have the fit right, hand sand the insdie of the gaurd with 40 grit, and sand the meeting area as well. if you want a little bit od additional strength, drill a couple of small holes down about 1/4 of an inch at both mating surfaces. Next cut the outside with a jigsaw, you now have two halves to the gaurd. taking some epoxy, join both halves together, filling the mating surfaces liberally, with epoxy. join both halves together and use a large enough clamp to hold both halves tightly together. ensure that it is left an aposition where the gaurd will cure in the right placement. Once the epoxy is cured you can move onto the next step, or you can very carefully nail in a couple of 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch thin wood nails or hobnails for extra strength (though it's not necessary the epoxy makes for a very sturdy hold.

Next take some long nap fur (faux fur woorks very well) 2-3 inches for nap is good, get enough to cover every surface of the gaurd. Cut out a piece that is as large as the gaurd's top and botton face, as well as a strip that is large enough to circle the edge of the gaurd. apply eithe contact cement, or epoxy to the cut outs as well as the gaurd. join the pieces carefulluy, and allow them to cure. Once this is done, take any of the fuz that came off while cutting the strips, and go over the seams of the gaurd, wherever there is bare wood showing, dab a little cement in that area, and fill with the fuz, mashing it into place. let this dry completely. Once that is done take an old white t shirt (the older and more off white the better) and roughly cut long strips of approx 1/2 inch fabric out of it, you do not want straight clean cuts for this. You want jagged, misshappen cuts, but you do want the strips to be 1/2 inc wide.

Next, place a piece of tape around the "pommel" of the hilt (last 1/2 inch works) and round the end to meet with the tape line. SLather this area with leafing adhesive, and leaf with either brass or copper leaf.once this is done. take a piece of newspaper and masking tape and shroud the pommelattaching the tape to right below the edge of the pommel.

Now slather contact cement on the exposed handle, making sure it is an even coat. Now pick up the strips, starting with an edge, place and tightly spiral wrap the strips down the handle. Once you get to the masking tape and paper shroud, remove it, and carefully brush on the remaining unleafed area. Finish wrapping to this point, and let cure. once it is done curing you can continue to brush certain areas and add smaller strips untill you acchieve the desired effect. once everythinf is completely cured you have a brand new tetsusaiga.

*NOTE* if you wish to have a false edge round the edge of the blade using a sander before painting.