Anyone ever build a wooden waster?

[Guy Dawkins]

So have ya?
any pointers?

------------------
Guy Dawkins

[Russ Mitchell]

Made plenty of them. They don't have to be fancy to be good.

Get you a big stick, and a machete or good surplus bayonet. Chip it down to size, going in one direction only, so you curl off wood according to the grain. Following the grain is crucial... I've made wasters half the size of ones I've seen machine-made, and seen them last as long or much longer. But I'm opinionated, and think that with some exceptions, most of the commercial ones suck. This way is a lot of work (good if you have a fireplace, tho), and gets you the blade section balanced the way you want it, and gives it a nice taper (and if you do that, you then get a waster that actually has some flex to it, like steel blades, rather than being a giant sword-shaped club)... from there, I recommend making leather furniture for the waster, and drilling the "hilt" and dribbling lead in the end until you've got the balance exactly where you want. I mostly do sabres, which (in my context) are supposed to be rather forward-weighted, but it works. YOu can also use a wood file to clean up edges and get stuff smooth. Decorate to suit.

Will it look like "homespun?" You bet. Will other folks look at you like you've sprouted an extra head? You bet.

But if you do it right out of good materials, it'll last you for years.

[white mountain armoury]

i made mine as well, i used modern tools though, table saw to cut out the blank, router table to dress and shape it, drill press with fornster bit for the quillion and pommel. I use purple heart as its strong and not real heavy.