RADLANDSis a quick, fun, and safe LARP with a post apocalyptic setting.

You can make maces that look like rusty metal, but are made of soft foam- perfect for your RADLANDS games, LARP sessions, costumes, or just fun and mayhem!

You'll Need:

Star shaped Pool Noodle, Large, preferably a dark color
1/2" Conduit or CPVC plastic pipe, about 28" length for one mace
Foam Pipe Insulation,that fits snugly onto the pipe
Black Duct Tape
A small piece of Fatigue Mat Foam
Hot Glue Gun

And for painting:

Plasti-Dip Spray Coating
Krylon Antique Bronze spraypaint
Black and Brown Acrylic craft paint
Small household paint brush / chip brush
Paper Towels

Step 1:

Start with the Star-shaped Pool Noodle. This will be used to make the Mace head.

Slice three sections off of the pool noodle, 2 inches wide each.

A serrated steak knife works great- just be careful and cut on a cutting board or cardboard.

Step 2:

Next, prepare the 1/2 inch PVC conduit pipe- you'll want a length about 32" long.

Wrap some electrical tape or duct tape around one end, about 5". This is to make the pipe thicker so it fits more snug inside the pool noodle.

Step 3:

Now to glue the head on. Use a hot glue gun to add glue around the bottom of the taped off area.

Then slide the first slice down onto the glue to glue it in place.

Repeat for the remaining two slices. BE SURE TO ROTATE each slice slightly as you put them on, so they are staggered.

Step 4:

Now to make the "bolt" at the top:

Get some foam fatigue mat and cut a circle shaped plug, to cap off the end of the pipe inside the top section of noodle.

Then cut a hex shape big enough to cover the hole, and then a smaller round shape to act as the "bolt".

Hot glue the foam plug to the top of the pipe, then the hex "nut", then the round "bolt".

Step 5:

Now to make the grip.

Slide your pipe insulation foam onto the bottom of the pipe, and slide it up until it meets the bottom of the mace head. If it is hard to slide on, add just a couple drops of water, and twist it back and forth as you slide it on.

Wrap the Foam insulation snugly with Duct tape, spiraling down the length of the handle and overlapping the tape edges slightly to get good coverage and protect the foam.

Step 6:

The final step: painting!

To paint the mace Head, use Black Plasti-Dip spray coating to seal the head and wait for it to dry.

Then spray a bit of Bronze onto that.

Then mix some black and brown acrylic paint and use a chip brush to stipple it over the entire weapon for a rusty effect. Use a paper towel to blot off some of the paint for a grainy pattern and to help it dry faster.

Finally, use a silver Sharpie pen to add highlights to the edges.

You can use the black and brown acrylic paint on the grip too, if you like, to achieve a weathered effect.

Have fun and play safe!