Making Avalon-Safe Weapons

Welcome to Avalon's Weapon Making tutorial. Here we will show you, the player, how to make an Avalon-Safe prop for use at an Avalon function. This tutorial will take you through the steps of how to make a Katana-shaped sword, spell packets and a medium bow. Of course there are many other types of weapons that can be made and used at our events but these 3 weapon types shed light on the basic methods used in making weapons.

~ Long Sword ~
~ Spell/Arrow Packet ~
~ Medium Bow ~

If you choose to make a different type of weapon, hold in mind these basic requirements:

~ Any blade-type surface must have 2 layers of closed-cell foam (swords, staffs, etc.) or 4-5 inches of open cell foam (axes, mauls, etc.).

~ Either tip of the PVC must not be felt through the padding.

~ All stabbing tips must have at least 2 inches of open-cell foam with holes punched in the tape covering the foam to allow for air to escape.

~ No weapon may be weighted.

~ If a weapon is shorter than 20 inches, it may be made out of 1/4 inch pipe (1/2 inch closed-cell foam).

~ If a weapon is longer than 20 inches, it must be made out of at least 1/2 inch pipe (3/4 inch closed-cell foam).

~ If a weapon is longer than 5 feet, it must be made out of 400+ psi 3/4 inch pipe (1 inch closed-cell foam).

~ All beginning weapons must be made with grey/silver or brown/black duct tape. If your weapon is brown or black then you will receive a wooden weapon tag. There are many other colors of weapons in our game, but you must find these in-character.

~ Most Important: Do not make a weapon that you yourself would not like to be hit with in accordance to the Code of Conduct.

Please follow these basic rules. Avalon Game Marshals will be inspecting your weapons and will confiscate them if they are not up to these standards.

Making an Avalon-Safe Sword

Materials
In order to make an Avalon-Legal sword, you will need the following materials: PVC or CPVC pipe (1/2" core), Duct tape (non-metallic), Electrical tape, Double-sided (Carpet) tape, PVC or CPVC Foam insulation (for 1/2" core pipe), Closed-cell foam padding.

Step 1
Get a general idea of what you want your sword to look like. Here I will be making a Katana Blade. First, cut the pipe to the length desired using a hacksaw or a leatherman saw blade. By Avalon standards, a one-handed sword or bastard sword has to be a minimum of 25" and a maximum of 40" long.

Step 2
In order to make a katana blade, the pipe needs to be curved. The easiest way to do it is fill the pipe with boiling water and cap the ends with the plastic PVC pipe tops. Then, bend the pipe. Once the pipe is bent into shape, empty it out and let it cool. Beware that the pipe will straighten itself out slightly once it is emptied.

Step 3
Slice off a section of pipe insulation, fold it in half and jam it into the end of the pipe. Make sure that some of the insulation sticks out and flows over the edge of the pipe. This is called "capping the ends" and is necessary so that, once the rest of the foam layers are applied, that you cannot feel the edge of the pipe through the foam.

Step 4
Find where you want your hand grip to be on the pipe. Then, measure the length between the bottom of your grip and the end of the insulation tip. Cut another piece of insulation that equals the aforementioned length. This end is the pommel and the insulation is the pommel padding.

Step 5
Apply carpet tape to the pommel, then wrap the pommel padding around the pommel end.

Step 6
Measure the length of the blade itself and cut pipe insulation to fit. Apply carpet tape to the blade section of the pipe.

Step 7
Apply the cut insulation to the pipe. Since the blade end of the sword will be dealing out and receiving most of the punishment in combat, you should double-pad the blade for safety's sake. Once the first layer of foam is firmly attached and secure, apply carpet tape to the foam.

Step 8
Take another section of pipe insulation and, after measuring it to be about an inch longer than the blade, cut it in half lengthwise.

Step 9
Apply the new foam sections to the blade. Fold down the excess foam at the tip of the blade and secure it with a piece of duct tape. The results should look something like this: (see picture)

Step 10
Take your block of foam cushioning and cut out a blade tip to stab with and pommel end.

Step 11
Attach your stabbing tip and pommel end to the sword using double-sided tape. Also, put duct tape around the insulation on either side of your grip. This will make things easier and look better when you put electrical tape on the grip of your sword.

Step 12
Next, take long strips of duct tape and apply them to the length of your sword blade and pommel. The end result should look something like this: (see picture) NOTE: DO NOT APPLY MORE THAN ONE LAYER OF DUCT TAPE. Doing so will make the sword too hard and could harm your fellow players in combat. Weapons that are too hard will be confiscated.

Step 13
Take your knife and poke small holes into the stabbing tip and pommel. This is to insure that once the tips are compressed, they re-expand and function properly. Now, you are done.

Before you enter game play, you should have your weapon inspected by a Game Marshal in order to make sure it is Avalon-legal and meets safety standards. When the weapon is approved, you will be given a weapon tag to attach to the sword. Attach the tag with a clear piece of packaging tape to either the handle or lower, broad side of the blade.

Making Avalon-Safe Ranged Packets

Ranged packets, which include "spell packets" and "arrow packets", are an integral part of combat and role-playing in Avalon. Making ranged packets is very easy. Here is a list of the materials you will need before you begin:

Materials
Several 6" x 6" squares of brightly colored cloth (see chart below), granulated bird seed, and a bag of rubber bands, ribbon (for arrows only), scissors and a tablespoon. Notes on color selection: You want your packet to be made of bright, solid-colored cloth so your target can easily tell when they have been hit (they'll be around his feet) and so you will have an easier time finding them and picking them up on the forest floor. Arrow packets are usually made of brown, but spell packets designate what element the mage casts from by what color the packet cloth is. That system is as follows

Earth - Green Cloth
Fire - Red Cloth
Air - Yellow Cloth
Water - Blue Cloth
Arrow packets - brown, tan or grey cloth with 12 inch ribbon tied and trailing

Step 1
Cut out 6"x6" squares from a large bolt of fabric. Cut as many squares as you want packets.

Step 2
Second, measure out one tablespoon of birdseed and pour it onto the center of the square.

Step 3
Grab the four corners of the cloth and bunch them up so the center of the cloth, with the birdseed, is hanging down inside.

Step 4
Take a rubber band (sorry the pix is a little off) and wrap it around the packet to close the cloth so the birdseed is trapped in a little, semi-tight, packed packet. For arrow packets, tie a 6-inch piece of ribbon to close the packet.

Making an Avalon-Safe Bow

Follow these steps closely and you should have an Avalon-Safe bow. Make sure to be careful with the potentially dangerous materials used in the creation of this bow prop.

Materials
You will need the following bend the bow. The materials needed for the creation of the bow are as follows 3 Oven Mitts, 1/2" PVC pipe, 2 PVC caps, 2 Protective Gloves, 1 Pot to boil water in, 1 Funnel, 1 Ladle, Note: The PVC pipe should be about 36" long for a short bow and about 48" long for a long bow. Somewhere in between 36" and 48" for a medium bow.

Step 1
Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Put on your gloves to protect yourself from hot water that might splash onto you. Once the water is boiling, put a PVC cap on one end of the pipe and put your funnel in the other end. Then, very carefully, use a ladel to pour the water from the pot through the funnel into the pipe. Once the pipe is near full (leave about 1/2 in. unfilled) with the hot water, take out the funnel and put on the second PVC cap.

Step 2
Find a chair or someplace to sit down, Place an oven mitt on your knee and then if the pipe is too hot for your gloves, use an oven mitt in each hand. Bend the pipe into a bow shape by pressing on either end.

Step 3
Once you have the pipe bent to your liking and take off the PVC caps and empty the water. Now you should have a pipe bent into the shape of a bow.

Now that we have our bow bent, its time to make it Avalon-Safe.

Materials
You will need these materials to finish your bow. 1 sharp razor, 1 roll of duct tape (brown or black), 1 Roll of electrical tape, 1 roll of carpet tape, 1 leather cord or a dark colored shoe lace to use for a bow string, a 6ft piece of 3/4" PVC pipe foam and a power drill.

Step 1
Drill a hole all the way through your pipe on each end about 1 inch from the end of the pipe. Make sure the drill bit you use is at least as wide as your string, but not too wide that when you knot the string, the knot will be pulled through the hole.

Step 2
Take your leather cord or dark colored shoe lace and thread it through the holes and knot it.

Step 3
Pull your bow string taught and thread and knot it through the other side. The pipe should give a little bit to allow you to make it taught. Once you're done with this, your bow should look like this.

Step 4
We must now cap our weapon. use a razor to cut a piece of foam (one for each end) about 3/4" wide and about 2" long, and cut the ends into points. Now fold the foam in half and put it in the end of the pipe. Tape the foam down to the pipe to secure it in place. Now use your razor to "shave" off part of the foam, Shave off a piece about 3" long, or long enough to wrap all the way around the pipe. Now wrap this piece of foam around the end of the pipe, but make sure it also covers the first piece you placed in there. Now tape it down and then wrap tape around it.

Repeat these steps on the other side of the pipe so that both ends are "capped".

Step 5
Take a marker or something and mark space for where you want your grip to be. Take your carpet tape and lay it down the pipe, an then pull off the backing, make sure to you don't put carpet tape on the grip section you marked off. This taping is done to keep your outer foam from twisting around the pipe during battle.

Step 6
Take your 3/4" pipe foam and place it around the pipe in the same places you put the carpet tape. Place a piece of duct tape around the ends to hold the foam together while you finish taping and to give it extra support during usage.

Now your bow should look like this:

Step 7
Time for the duct tape. Because this bow is going to be made of wood, I am going to use brown duct tape. If you can't find brown duct tape, black will also do for a lacquered wood look. Lay the duct tape vertically along the bow. Be very careful to not create wrinkles in the tape. These wrinkles become very hard and even though this bow is not going to be used to hit anyone, those wrinkles can still hurt.

Step 8
When you have the all the foam covered, you should have some extra ends near the part we marked off for the grip. Take your electrical tape, pull off a piece about 18" long. Stick one end to the edge of a table and start spinning the tape. After a while of spinning you should have a tight threaded and sticky piece of electrical tape. Wrap your piece of twirled elecrical tape around the grip section and its should stick in place. Then tape over it with duct tape.

Congratulations! You have just finished your Avalon-Safe Bow! You may add anything you want to the bow as long as it is made out of foam and has only a single layer of duct tape covering it. The sky is the limit for creativity. Browse the picture galleries for ideas!