Saiyan Boots From Dragon Ball Z

Ever wanted a pair of those white boots with the pointy gold toe that Vegeta always wears? Well now you can make your own!

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

You will need:

-White slouch/riding boots (I started with these, they go up to size 11 women which = 9.5 men)

-Craft foam

-Super glue

-Worbla

-Electrical tape

-Gold spray paint

-Black spray paint

-Black enamel paint

Tools:

-Seam ripper/razor blade

-Ruler

-Scissors

-Heat gun

-Paint brushes

Optional (but highly recommended):

-Wood glue

-Bondo

Step 2: Prep Your Boots

Many pairs of boots will have extra straps or embellishments. Remove all of these with a seam ripper and/or razor blade before proceeding. If you seam rip a part out, restitch it closed or use superglue.

Step 3: Cut the Toe Piece Out of Foam

Next, you will be cutting out a rounded triangle with craft foam.

Start by cutting a rectangle. The width of the rectangle should be equal to the width of the top of your boot about 2-3" from the very front of the toe. (2" for small feet, 3" for larger) The height should be 2.5"-3".

Leave about 1cm-2cm of buffer on the bottom and cut out a triangle.

Round out the point and the edges.

Check if the piece sits nicely on your toe, make adjustments if necessary. If everything looks good, use this piece as a template for your other boot.

Step 4: Glue Down the Toe Piece

Simple enough. Line your bottom edge up with the point you measured it at and super glue the toe piece down. Only glue the bottom edge and don't press down too hard or it will end up lumpy.

Try to get it right the first time, otherwise you'll have a hell of a time trying to get the excess glue and foam bits off.

Step 5: Strengthen It With Worbla

Quick info session for those who have never used Worbla:

Worbla is a thermoplastic that comes in sheets ranging from 14.5" x 9.8" to 39.25" x 59". It is is a hard and durable material that becomes soft like cookie dough when heated. It is a great material for making lightweight armor and is very easy to work with, however, it takes a lot of effort to make it smooth. It can be purchased online from yayahan.bigcartel.com, cosplaysupplies.com, or locally at TAP Plastics. (Yaya Han has the best prices, but she is often out of stock and does not have a variety of sizes.TAP is almost double the price online. My suggestion is cosplaysupplies.com.) You will not need a lot for this project, but if you intend to use it in the future, get a larger sheet. Constantly paying $25 for something slightly larger than a piece of paper really adds up over time!

Back to the tutorial:

Cut out a piece of Worbla slightly larger than your toe piece. Heat up one edge until it is slightly flexible, then place it over the toe. Lightly press it into the bottom line of foam until it holds itself down. Proceed to heat the rest until it conforms to the shape of your foam. Lightly press the Worbla into the foam until it sticks, but do not stretch it or press too hard.

Cut off most of the excess, then wrap the remainder underneath. Let cool.

Step 6: Blend the Sole of Your Boot Into Your New Toe

Cut out a crescent moon shaped piece of Worbla, slightly bigger than the amount of empty space left on the bottom. Just barely heat this piece until the top edge is sticky (if you overheat it, it will warp and the transition into the rubber part will not look smooth). Lightly press the two pieces of Worbla together until they merge. Once that has hardened, heat the bottom edge and firmly press it into the sole of the boot. Let cool.

Step 7: Repeat Steps 4-6

You have two boots, don't you?

Step 8: Optional Step: Smooth Out Your Worbla

Worbla will have a grainy, spackled look if you do not seal/smooth it in some way. My preferred methods are:

-Wood glue: Mix wood glue and water, then brush the mixture over the Worbla. Let each layer dry before painting on another. You will need at least 10 layers. This method is easy and gives a glossy finish, however, you will still have larger divots.

-Bondo: Mix Bondo as per the instructions on the can. Drop the goopy mixture over the toe and smooth it into the groves with a scraper (I use old gift cards). Once hardened, sand it down with x-fine sand paper. Repeat as necessary. Note: Bondo is a body filler for cars with very strong fumes, so it must be used in a well ventilated area. It is much harder to use, but your results will be perfect.

Step 9: Let's Paint!

Cover up and tape everything but the toe of your boot. Apply a few layers of gold spray paint. Let dry.

Once your paint is dry, take your electrical tape and block off all but 3 thin lines. This size tape should be the perfect width for your gold blocks.

Apply a few layers of black spray paint. Let dry.

Remove the tape.

Step 10: Final Touches

Take your black enamel paint and brush along the edge and the bottom of your boot until all discolored parts are covered up and the transition looks smooth.

Step 11: Rock Your New Boots!

Now that your boots are done, you're ready to cosplay as Vegeta, a member of the Frieza Force, or even The Great Saiyaman! Go out there and make the Prince of all Saiyans proud!

Tutorial by MEGANTRON Cosplay - More photos and future tutorials at:

https://www.facebook.com/MEGANTRONcosplay

Comments

[NickB33]

Hi Megan. I like what you're doing here and with your McFly jacket. :) For this, if you're going to use bondo and sand anyway, why not make the tip from thermoplastic beads (like Instamorph)? You can and a few nubs to the toe of the boot, and securely tape a card stock form onto it like you did with the foam. Heat the beads and press the plastic inside the form and around the nubs. After you pull the forms you could sand, cut, drill, and paint the plastic directly. (Instamorph on amazon:https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004MFLU4Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1444150026&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=thermoplastic+beads)

[MEG4NTRON]

I've been looking into using Instamorph for for some of my upcoming projects. I'm just scared of the stuff because I'm really bad at working with clay and it seems similar. Haha.

I like using Worbla because its more like building an armor piece around the boot, rather than gluing a molded block onto it. Plus, I have a ton of the stuff just lying around my house right now.

[NickB33]

All very good reasons to use Worbla. Besides, working with Bondo does sound pretty bad-assed. ;)

If you do try Instamorph, don't expect a soft clay feel. I think it's more like stiff silly putty without the springiness. At first I thought I wasn't getting it hot enough.

Enjoy your projects!

Nick