Weapons Construction

Two main types of boffer weapons are allowed at Legends, CPVC core and "lightweight" core made from fiberglass or carbon fiber. There are also bows and thrown weapons in the game. Thrown weapons are made of foam and tape only; they have no core. Bows are generally store bought, and all their projectiles must be foam and tape ONLY.

CPVC Core weapons

Safety is the primary concern in making weapons for Legends. The rules and guidelines for weapons are specifically intended to insure this. If you have an idea for a weapon that seems to be outside these rules, you need to contact Legends and get approval for the concept and then have it checked for safety at Check-In for the event. Be prepared with another weapon in case that one fails to pass, though.

Legends weapons are generally made of CPVC (plastic) pipe, foam pipe insulation, foam rubber, and duct tape. Colored duct tape or cloth can be used to customize or decorate them. Vinyl electrical tape should not be used in the main construction of weapons, but it can be sparingly used for decorative purposes. It should never be put on any part of a weapon which is intended to strike opponents. Precise specifics for the creation of "legal" weapons is contained within the Legends Rule Book, which can be ordered before any event.

Making a good, safe weapon is harder than it first seems. Most first attempts result in unsafe weapons, so look at your first effort as a trial run.

Projectile weapons such as bows and crossbows are allowed at Legends, but there are strict safety limitations. All projectiles must be made entirely foam and duct tape. A variety of safe toy crossbows are available commercially. Be sure to have plenty of bolts/arrows: they are easily lost.

Bows can be no more than 30-lb. test There are Nerf(c) -and other- brand toys which can be used at Legends. In any case, any "modern" writing or logos should be rubbed or cut off such items. Thin pipe insulation can be used for arrows. It is advisable to contact Legends before purchasing any bow weapon, though.

Materials:

 Tools:

Procedure:

1. Cut a length of CPVC to about 4-5" shorter than the desired total length of the weapon (the foam thrusting tip will make the difference). Include the handle/grip length in this measurement. Scrape or sand the edges of the cut pipe until smooth.

2. Mark on the CPVC where the grip will be and cut a length of foam pipe insulation to cover the rest of the weapon. The insulation should be cut long enough to extend 3/4" beyond the end of the CPVC. Wrap a few bands of tape around the CPVC where the foam will cover it (just enough to make the foam fit snugly).

3. Slide the pipe insulation over the CPVC (leaving 3/4" extending beyond the end of the pipe) and (temporarily) secure it with a piece of duct tape. Stuff a rolled/squished piece of foam or pipe insulation into the hole at the end of the pipe and cover it with a piece of duct tape to prevent the CPVC from poking through the foam thrusting tip.

4. Cut a 2-3 inch cube of open-cell foam for the thrusting tip. Tape this to the end of the sword using as little tape as possible and compressing the cubes as little as possible. The completed tip needs to be soft but not bend over. This is the most difficult part of making a weapon, and it is the most likely place for the weapon to become unsafe.

5. Sculpt either another piece of foam (with no CPVC) or some open-cell foam as a cross piece, if you want one. Slide it over the hilt end of the weapon and attach it with some duct tape to both the foam "blade" and the CPVC.

6. Cover the edge of the weapon with long strips of duct tape, running from the hilt to the tip. Do NOT spiral the tape. If done correctly, most of the weapon will have only one layer of tape.

7. Cut a 2" piece of foam pipe insulation and tape it to the butt end of the hilt (as a pommel). It should extend about 3/4" past the end of the core. Stuff some soft foam inside the hole and cover it well with tape.

NOTE: If you were making a hafted weapon (such as an axe or halberd), you would cut a head entirely from open-cell foam. You would then attach this to the end of the weapons's shaft and cover it with a single layer of duct tape. The weapon head cannot have any sharp points that could be poked into a player's eye.

You may want to decorate the weapon. Everything from colored tape to leather or feathers can be used on the hilt area. Remember that nothing but pieces of tape can be on any part of the weapon which could strike another person.

 

Lightweight Core Weapons

Supplies:

The Core:

Fiberglass and carbon fiber rods are available in kite shops. They use them as the supports, called spars, in the kite. However, kites rarely need spars as big as we will use in making a boffer weapon. Most shops can special order them for you. Kites of Boston, in Quincy Market, usually carries these in stock especially for LARPS. But any serious kite/hobby shop can get them.

Get a core that is about 1/2-inch in diameter. These come in lengths of up to 5 feet.

If you need to cut the core, wrap the area you will cut in duct tape first. Then cut through the tape. Size the core exactly as you would a standard CPVC core, to fit the weapon, minus the tip.

The Shell:

The pipe insulation foam used for the shell of the weapon still has to be 5/8 inch wall thickness closed-cell foam. You can find insulation for small pipes, perhaps even half- inch pipes, but it's likely you'll still have to cut them down to match the core. They come with a perforation running only part way through the diameter of the foam, as shown in the drawing below by the line.

Make a cut running down the length of the insulation.

Make this cut parallel to the perforation in the foam. Remove the piece of foam between the new cut and the one that came with the foam. The purpose of this is to reduce the diameter of the insulation, making a better fit to the core. (Also, the reduction of foam reduces the weight of the weapon, it also means less duct tape to cover the foam, another weight reducer.) Cut the length to match the weapons blade minus tip. Save the extra for use in the pommel.

Next take some small cuts off a roll of duct tape, about a half inch long each. Use them to strap the foam back together, as shown below.

Now you have a piece of foam that will fit the fiberglass/carbon fiber core perfectly. The exact amount of foam you have to cut out takes some getting used to; you want to take enough out to make the weapon light, but not too much. If you take too much out, the foam will fit too tightly around the core, making it hard and unsafe, and the tape seam you made will be stressed and pull apart.

Next, prepare the core for use. First, attach a plastic cap over both ends of the core rod. These should fit snugly. Then insert the capped end into your foam shell, so that the cap is 1/2" to 3/4" short of the closed-cell foam wrap end. That is, the core should not come flush with the end of the foam wrap, leaving a gap of about 1/2" to 3/4". This gap should then be filled with a some leftover closed-cell foam piece(s). Then put a piece of duct tape about 8" long centered over the top, with the ends wrapping down opposite sides of the foam wrap. This serves to hold the leftover piece(s) in place.

Place a standard 2 - 2 1/2"-inch thrusting tip on the end of the foam wrap. Be exceptionally careful in doing this. Because the foam is smaller in diameter, the thrusting tip is also smaller, and provides less room for error. The tip should be soft, yet firm enough to hold up to thrusts and not fall over. Complete the weapon as usual. Place one layer of duct tape running along the length of the shell, covering the shell completely, and securing it at the base to the core.

Place the piece of foam you saved in the beginning on pommel end of the weapon. Wrap it in one layer of duct tape like the blade, and secure it to the core.

You will likely need to build out the grip area to get a better hold of the weapon. You can wrap layers of cloth tape, wrap string or leather cord, purchase a tennis racquet grip, or use a thin layer of foam taped around the core to do this. This is up to you. Your finished weapon can be decorated according to standard Legends rules.

Remember, that all weapons are to be inspected at check in, and any weapon can be cut open and checked at any time at the game. Bring repair materials with you to the game. And as always, continue to monitor the condition of your weapon throughout the event, and after. If you see signs of wear, like the core forcing its way through the seam you made in reducing the shell, you should immediately get a new weapon, or repair your current one. Any major repairs, such as replacing the entire shell, should be reported at Logistics and re-checked for safety.

Weapon Construction Example Photos

The following photos demonstrate some of the techniques used in constructing weapons for use at Legends. Some of the pictures contain advanced, optional techniques. If some of the pictures seem confusing, don't hesitate to ask.

Examples of CPVC-core construction

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Examples of lightweight core construction

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EPILOGUE

Remember, that all weapons are to be inspected at check in, and any weapon can be cut open and checked at any time at the game. If you can, bring repair materials with you to the game. And as always, continue to monitor the condition of your weapon throughout the event, and after. If you see signs of wear, like the core forcing its way through the seam you made in reducing the shell, you should immediately get a new weapon, or repair your current one. Any major repairs, such as replacing the entire shell, should be reported at Logistics and re-checked for safety.