Why buy your kids a cheap, soon to break toy when you can make them a great hardwood sword that will be durable, fun to play with, and even look good?
This should not be considered the only way to make a nice wooden sword, but it definitely makes a nicer one than you can usually find. Most of the work can be done with hand or power tools. The blade itself requires the use of a tablesaw.
As such the usual disclaimers are invoked. The use of tablesaws and other power tools can be dangerous. Take appropriate safety precautions and if something seems unsafe to you, stop.
This should not be considered the only way to make a nice wooden sword, but it definitely makes a nicer one than you can usually find. Most of the work can be done with hand or power tools. The blade itself requires the use of a tablesaw.
As such the usual disclaimers are invoked. The use of tablesaws and other power tools can be dangerous. Take appropriate safety precautions and if something seems unsafe to you, stop.
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Signing UpStep 1: Step 1: How to make the blade
The blades are best made from a hardwood. I used white oak, but you could use maple, ash, cherry, red oak, etc.
Rip a piece 1 3/4" x 1" x whatever length you desire (I ripped 48" pieces and later cut them down to 24").
When you've cut all your pieces (if you're making more than one sword) change the angle on the tablesaw to approximately 15 degrees.
You will be making four (4) rips.
Follow along with the picture (crude, I know).
1st cut will give you your first bevel. It should be exactly in the middle for the part of the sword blade in the air, and slightly past the middle for the part of the sword blade resting on the table.
The idea is to get a crisp bevel on what will be the side of the blade and a small (1/8") flat spot on the "edge" of the blade. Less chance of a horrific injury when the kids are playing with the swords later. For the purpose of clarity we'll call the end now towards you "A" and the end that will be cut first "B".
For the 2nd cut, flip the piece so that the 1st cut is up and towards the fence. "A" is towards you.
For the 3rd cut you will flip the piece end-to-end so that "A" will now be cut first and "B" is towards you. 1st cut is still up, but away from the fence.
For the 4th (and last) cut, flip the piece so that the 1st cut is down towards the table and against the fence. You may have to adjust the fence a small amount so that the cut matches the other side.
You now have a sword blank. Cut it to the desired size.
Rip a piece 1 3/4" x 1" x whatever length you desire (I ripped 48" pieces and later cut them down to 24").
When you've cut all your pieces (if you're making more than one sword) change the angle on the tablesaw to approximately 15 degrees.
You will be making four (4) rips.
Follow along with the picture (crude, I know).
1st cut will give you your first bevel. It should be exactly in the middle for the part of the sword blade in the air, and slightly past the middle for the part of the sword blade resting on the table.
The idea is to get a crisp bevel on what will be the side of the blade and a small (1/8") flat spot on the "edge" of the blade. Less chance of a horrific injury when the kids are playing with the swords later. For the purpose of clarity we'll call the end now towards you "A" and the end that will be cut first "B".
For the 2nd cut, flip the piece so that the 1st cut is up and towards the fence. "A" is towards you.
For the 3rd cut you will flip the piece end-to-end so that "A" will now be cut first and "B" is towards you. 1st cut is still up, but away from the fence.
For the 4th (and last) cut, flip the piece so that the 1st cut is down towards the table and against the fence. You may have to adjust the fence a small amount so that the cut matches the other side.
You now have a sword blank. Cut it to the desired size.
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I checked out your tutorial, looks like you had fun making yours. Which is really the point, right? That's an accessible way for a lot of people to make swords, would be good for cosplay or renaissance fairs, neither of which I do. i'd be more likely to make one just in case of zombies ;)
My kids have really enjoyed these and are still using them. They've really held up over the years - and no trips to the hospital either ;)
http://www.thesimplefarm.com/2011/12/christmas-activities-on-simple-farm.html
Thanks for this.
Doug
Looks like you live a very similar life to us. My wife does a similar blog at http://www.cultivatingfood.com/ but she doesn't keep up with it as well as you!
Regards,
Michael
When you do, I hope you'll notice that I used the dowel to secure the pommel to the sword, not the handle to the blade. The handle and the blade are all the same piece.
As a professional woodworker (and knifemaker - I've had to make custom knives for my leatherworking) I consciously decided to make them the way that I did specifically so they would stand a lot of abuse and not break.
As a point of interest, 4 1/2 years later all of these swords are still being used (and abused) by my kids and their friends.The only breakage had occurred at the pommel, but I did expect that and was willing to accept that as they're decorative elements. The breakage happened to one of the pommels itself, which happened, I suspect, because their was a prior split in the pommel that got worse when exposed to the elements (my kids leave them outside).
As to the rapiers - since I don't have the inclination to make masks I purposely didn't make swords that required lunges ;) The thought of my kids poking each others eyes out kept coming up.
I want to make 2 swords that I can beat together for hours and they are fine.
My friend and i beat up 2 wooden swords in an hour or two to the point their almost unusable, and I want some wooden swords we can wack together for hours on end and they'll be fine.
Don't use Pine or Birch, and definitely don't use a 2x4 from Home Depot, etc.
Ash, White Oak, Red Oak, Hard Maple, Hickory, Mahogany, Cherry and Walnut are good choices.
Have fun!
I have been doing stage combat for 2 years now and I know a functional practice sword and dagger when I see one. We use stage steel blades for actual combat and for new members we used wooden and polypropaline blades. These are really nicely crafted blades you have here.
If you ever were up for donating a few of them let me know, I'd be glad to have them in my troupe.
Kind Regards,
Jake
Kaji952000@yahoo.com
I appreciate all the the thought behind the "safety" lectures, but as a parent I really don't want to limit my kids play. The worse that's happened in their "unsupervised" play is some rapped knuckles (they been using these swords for about five years now). They are sturdier versions of the "picket fence" swords that I used as a child. The kids don't want to learn martial arts, they want to play.
Let the kids be kids!!
As for the pellet guns, I don't really think she should be using that. Wait until she's at least seven. This is different from the wooden sword, where you would need strength to kill someone with it, a single finger movement can make it go BANG!!! and poke an eye out.
For the Info, I got my first Wooden sword and pellet gun when I'm 8.
Long answer is too long to fill in here.
If you have doubts about my short answer just look at the decreasing scores of students who have graduated from HS here in the US. The literacy rate is also decreasing every year. My belief is that there has been a decision to focus on social issues instead of focusing on basic educational precepts. The kids only have a limited amount of actual "learning" classroom time, but an ever increasing load of things to learn.
We also pulled our kids from the private school after one year as they actually weren't challenged in class. Our oldest just graduated from HS (as a homeschooler) and will be moving onto college soon.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5690559
it may be more in line with what you're looking for (Don't thank me for the link, it's the same one Jake Tobak suggested earlier in this thread).
Have fun!
Oh, and as far as those that are worried about safety, the reason I made the swords, with hilts, was that kids will use sticks otherwise and risk hurting hands and poking eyes out. Because these swords are solid, kids recognise they can hurt each other if they don't constrain themselves.
}}}
- Use a piece of knot-free firring strip (strapping?). Pine works fine, too. Oak is too dangerous. ;-)
- Use a pencil to mark out where the edges of the blade and handle will be.
- Use a flat-bottomed spokeshave to shape the blades
- Use a round-bottomed spokeshave to make contoured handles.
- Use a hand-drill and coping saw to cut out a rectangular hole in the pommel so it fits just above the handle.
- Fasten the pommel in place using a couple finishing nails.
My swords saw combat in a high school production of Camelot. A broken blade or two (knots) during the elaborately stage fight scenes just added to the excitement. The swords also develop "character" because of the soft wood.http://www.instructables.com/id/EMVOZXMBO2EP286GNG/