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Author	Topic: Creating Wooden Training Sword?
Maerek Member	posted 03-22-2003 09:13 AM Seeing as how I have no access to any type of metal smithing, and am under the age of 18, I was wondering if there is any way I could find plans to make a wooden training sword, with attached weights. Any help would be appreciated! IP: 64.240.182.171
Serpreme Member	posted 03-26-2003 08:26 PM As a successful wooden sword maker,i can tell you that it can done easily. All you need is to have the right tools and your schools Wood Shop class should be all that you need. The first thing you need to do is to determ the kind of sword you want. As most wood you will have access to will be maple or some kind of weak wood like that,since you are going to be using this as a practice sword not only for the use of melee but also for making of them themselves. You will need to make the swords kind of big since the thinner they get the weaker they get. Go figure eh? Umm what kind of sword do you want? tell me that then i can help you. My freind has made a katana like sword and i made a bastard sword. IP: 66.220.225.235
Maerek Member	posted 03-27-2003 05:39 PM I was just thinking of some generic longsword type - something that weighs more than a normal sword of that time period would weigh (10lbs is what I'm aiming for - it'll kill my arm, but it'd be fun to play around with - I'm a big fitness freak! :-D). I have access to my dad's woodworking tooks, which should (hopefully) be ample for the job! IP: 64.240.182.165
swordsmith12 Member	posted 04-01-2003 06:20 PM Actualy maple is ok. its not the hardest wood around, but its certainly not junk, kind of in the middle. Harder than the soft woods, but not as hard as oak or hickory. I have a maple kat that is more than sturdy enough. The one important thing is to make shure you dont use soft wood. Recently I tryed to make a falchion waster from an elm log. BIG MISTAKE. I was almost done with the rough shaping(using my copper cleaver, A.K.A, the rusted lawnmower blade.). I was working on the handle after finishing the general blade, and the blade(although an inch thick and over 2 inches wide)cracked rite acrost the middle. the funny thing was, i was working the handle, and only holding the blade enopugh to keep it still.But thats elm for ya. Its not much stronger than willow, but just enough to be considerd stronger.(actualy it was from a siberian elm..in Indiana...go figure.) IP: 63.155.68.59
Maerek Member	posted 04-01-2003 06:45 PM Yeah, I'm not sure exactly what type of wood I'll have access to, but I'm guessing that I want Maple or Oak? IP: 64.240.182.165
Peter Administrator	posted 04-01-2003 08:11 PM Most commercial wasters are made of hickory. Purpleheart Armoury used to make theirs from purpleheart, hence the company name, but seem to have stopped doing so. I've been eyeing some of the hickory tool-shafts in our local hardware shop, especially those intended for hedging-bills - about 5' long and 2" in diameter; a bit of work with plane and sander would probably turn out an acceptable waster blade/grip for a lot less than buying one. Not as well finished as a professionally-finished item, but enough to start with, and less annoying if/when it breaks. But weights...? I've never seen a wooden practice sword with weights attached. ------------------ "I care little for your Cause; I fight not for your Crown, but for your half-crown, and your handsome women!" IP: 159.134.255.196
Maerek Member	posted 04-02-2003 04:44 PM Yes, well, in terms of weights, I was thinking that I could get ahold of some semi-thin metal sheets that I could wrap around the sword, to add weight to it. IP: 64.240.182.165
ThOrSHAmmEr3 Member	posted 04-14-2003 02:12 PM American Elm is a very strong wood, perhaps the piece you were using was decayed or the crack was formed by drying... Hickory is excellent except it is difficult to steam it into a curved shape. It is definitely not advisable to cut out a curve, if you are going to use it for any sparring. you want to split the pieces off of a log and then work them down with drawknife or hatchet... IP: 208.59.31.6
Ianus New Member	posted 05-06-2003 10:25 AM I am planing to build a backsword-waster from a 8/9ich \2cm thick board of oak, do you think this would be thick enough to withstand some combat practice? IP: 195.3.113.86
Justin Thompson Member	posted 05-07-2004 10:29 PM I made a Ninja To out of an old piece of wood I found. I've given it some test swings against other hard objects and I can't see any signs of dents. Although the black electrical tape has taken quite a beating. IP: 66.205.123.8
Red_Ground New Member	posted 05-17-2004 01:59 PM ok, well i saw the movie Troy the other day and sad to say, it sucked. but im not here to discuss the movie. during the movie, Achilles and his cousin are practicing fighting with wooden swords, and i thought wouldn't it be cool, if i had one.the thing is i dont know diddley squat about wood sword making. What would be the best wood for making a sword about 3 feet and an inch think? does it matter? what tools would i need? IP: 67.251.130.147
OhOssian Member	posted 07-15-2004 08:02 AM wood iron wood or black locust. weights lead tire weights taped to the center of the blade will allow for balance and poc adjustments I used to use big tent spikes for short sword training and a 6 foot 50 lb iron rail road wrecking bar for staff training. It increases wrist strength, and control, speed, endurance going back to my 2 lb ironwood staff my speed and control etc. were much better. IP: 134.126.24.126
Samurai1fan Member	posted 07-21-2004 07:52 PM I made a katana from a cured piece of yellow pine, although I'm thinking it is too light for practicing and I think it will eventually crack or break. Any suggestions will be good. IP: 209.142.177.210
CelticEpic Member	posted 08-31-2006 04:59 PM Hey no clue about the katana but good luck with it. My big question is about after the main part of the wooden sword, the blade and handle are cut but the corners of the blade are perfect right angles. What is the best way to sand this down to avoid denting cus these will be needed for all out fighting and I want as little visible damage as possible, and suggestions? I made 13 swords all from Appalachian Hickory, any advice? ------------------ Thou shalt not chafe thee cousin....and you Achilles!....Let these threats alone till accident or purpose bring you to it. IP: 71.50.212.69
RomeLovingSwordFreak Member	posted 08-31-2006 05:53 PM To the people who know 'diddley squat' about wood-working, well this is what i do. I don't know whether you'll want to buy your wood, or do it the old fationed way like me: cutting your wood. I generally use a maple sapling, although ash has served me well aswell. First, when you cut it, you have to let it dry, preferably before removing the bark, because if you start working on it right away, it will dry too fast and split. That's probably wat happened to swordsmith12's elm. Anyway, let it dry for a couple months, or a year if you're making a bow. Then i rough out the shape with a hatchet. Then i procede to rough it out further with an old bowie that my grandpa bough years ago. The I use wood rasps and jack knives to do the finer work, and finish it with sand paper. For weight, I've tried wrapping wire around the handle and making a large pommel. Didn't do much at all. I suggest just making your sword really thick and fairly long for the weight. (i dont think you'll manage 10 pounds though) You could try to get your hands on some lead or iron though, for the pommel. IP: 69.70.239.174
jlhman21 Member	posted 08-31-2006 06:24 PM Celtic, thicker edges means less visible denting from edge-to-edge contact. Are these 13 blades meant for stage fighting or are you intending to use them for practice, as wasters? If they are for the stage, then I would expect that they would be swung with far less force, so you wouldn't need to worry about visible dents as much. ------------------ John IP: 66.92.5.205
CelticEpic Member	posted 08-31-2006 08:11 PM Um I'd like to use them for both, onstage and for whenever my and my friends just feel like something like that. In the Shakespeare plays we plan on doing I am trying to come up with some interesting and complex looking battle sequences so I'd like to use them as wasters onstage if that helps. IP: 71.50.212.69
jlhman21 Member	posted 09-03-2006 12:49 AM Well, a well made waster should be able to do either one with no problems. Here, a diagram of the cross section of a higher quality waster can be found here: http://little-raven.com/RS/MA/western.html About a quarter of the way down the page is the image. Something like that should be able to take an incredible beating. The reason I asked BTW is that a stage combat wood blade wouldn't need to be as strong (assuming the actors aren't idiots-sorry, I was a stage tech guy and well you might understand how that goes...) as the wasters meant for sparring should be. Ask if you have more questions! ------------------ John IP: 66.92.5.205
CelticEpic Member	posted 09-03-2006 09:28 PM What would anyone recommend as the fastest way to sand the blade down for a wooden sword like a waster? IP: 71.50.212.69
jlhman21 Member	posted 09-03-2006 11:28 PM Answered that in your thread. Have fun! ------------------ John IP: 66.92.5.205
sinsway New Member	posted 03-28-2007 05:40 PM quote: Originally posted by Serpreme: As a successful wooden sword maker,i can tell you that it can done easily. All you need is to have the right tools and your schools Wood Shop class should be all that you need. The first thing you need to do is to determ the kind of sword you want. As most wood you will have access to will be maple or some kind of weak wood like that,since you are going to be using this as a practice sword not only for the use of melee but also for making of them themselves. You will need to make the swords kind of big since the thinner they get the weaker they get. Go figure eh? Umm what kind of sword do you want? tell me that then i can help you. My freind has made a katana like sword and i made a bastard sword. ya how would i make a wooden sword that looks like a katana i would like to know IP: 208.104.85.220
MountainCrusher New Member	posted 04-15-2007 06:52 PM Do you really need a sword to weight train for sword play? A traditional training method in Karate to strengthen the arms is using a large wooden club. It'd defenitly be easier to make than a wooden sword. Were you looking to train in "style" with a nice looking wooden sword, instead? IP: 67.171.223.205
mullthepirate Member	posted 06-11-2007 04:33 PM Why would you need a strong arm for swordplay anyway? IP: 81.159.74.72
FullerH Administrator	posted 06-11-2007 05:00 PM Have you ever wielded a sword for any length of time? Your arm gets tired fairly easily if you have not worked up to it. It tires more easily with swords that are blade heavy such as a broadsword or a cavalry saber than with more balanced swords such as the smallsword ------------------ Trying to walk in the Light, Hugh 1 John 1:5 IP: 162.138.184.71
FullerH Administrator	posted 06-11-2007 05:03 PM The Romans used to train their troops with swords and shields that weighed double what their actual combat equipment weighed, thereby accustoming the men to the heavier weight in practice so that the acual weight would seem lighter in comparison. ------------------ Trying to walk in the Light, Hugh 1 John 1:5 IP: 162.138.184.71

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