Low Profile thrusting tips construction (sca)

Torum · Post by **Torum** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:23 am

okie dokie.... well first off i have made a bunch of these and found that i can succesfully make one that is legal hawever to put it bluntly they still suck!!
i am asking everyone and anyone to tell me how they make thiers, in particular is it possible to make one and maintain the ability to get a good blow with a tip shot...
well thanks alot guys i know you will be a help..

mortisfan · Post by **mortisfan** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 8:57 am

My method:

Cut two 1-1/4" disks out of a computer keyboard wrist rest. Contact cement one to the end of the rattan. Contact cement the other disk to the first disk creating a stack. Contact cement a collar of suede leather (or equivalent) around the disks and overlapping down the rattan at least an inch. Tape as normal.

The contact cement keeps everything in place VERY well and wrapping your tip in a collar of some kind as others have advised also will help keep the tip from getting ripped off. The key is to make sure whatever your using for your collar is not too stiff so that it will not allow proper compression.

Bonus tip: Cutting circles from foam.
I've always hated trying to cut a circle with scissors or utility knife. I stumbled across this idea and it works great for camping pad style foam (and ok for the computer wrist-rests). From your local hardware store, get a copper pipe coupling for 1-1/4" and 2" copper pipes. Grind down one edge in order to sharpen it. Then just twist it through the foam like your coring and apple. Perfect circles every time! And a lot quicker. Also the copper pipe coupling ID is slightly larger than the 1-1/4" and 2" minimum requirements so if it does get "taped down" a bit, it should still be legal.

Hope this helps.

-Finn

Morgan · Post by **Morgan** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:09 am

1 1/4" steel ball bearings are good.

Jean Paul de Sens · Post by **Jean Paul de Sens** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:39 pm

Finn, I did the same thing with steel pipe and pvc... I'll have to check out the copper pipe fittings...

As for thrusting tips:

Code: Select all

Low pro's are pretty easy, once its explained.  

Supplies:
Strapping tape.
Blue foam.
Nylon webbing.  This one is important.  I've tried blue jeans, which don't work as well, and some people use leather (but I find it too rigid).  I'd like to try some silk, but for now nylon webbing has the best strength to low weight ration.   I typically just pick up 15 yards of the stuff at Wally-World (about $0.70 per yard) 


1) Cut out about 2 blue foam circular disks (1.25" in diameter).  If the sword is significantly bigger than 1.25", make the disks the size of the sword instead.  FYI, I have a tool I made to make cutting out the circles faster.  A hole saw (like on the drill attachment would work too).  Btw, if you want to be more kind, use 3 blue foam disks... 2 Fulfill's ansteorra's rules.
2) place disks on top of each other like so 

___________________________________
|                                  |
|__________________________________|
|                                  |
|__________________________________|
|                                  |
|__________________________________|

|------------1.25"-----------------|


2b) (optional) I have epoxyed each disk together before, and it seems to make the whole device act like one unit. Your mileage may vary.

3) Tape with (strapping tape) together by wrapping around the the top so that a side view looks like this :

  ___________________________________
|            |      |                 |
|____________|  T   |_________________|
|            |  A   |                 |
|____________|  P   |_________________|
|            |  E   |                 |
|____________|______|_________________|

4) rotate the tip 90 degrees and tape again.

5) Now, from the top, the circle should have a cross going over it of strapping tape.

6) Attach the tip to the end of the rattan using several (2 to 4) or the top loops of strapping tape over the top of the thrusting tip.

7) Before covering with duct tape, cut two 6" to 8" long strips of nylon webbing Like in step six, attach the strips over the top of the tip to the shaft to help provide lateral bend resistance.  Best results so far have been using this method.  Pay particular attention to the strip that goes in the "edge" orientation, as this will receive the most stress from cutting.  A way to minimize this (I haven't tried this but it just occurred to me) would be to make the strips 45 degrees off the cutting edge so that both strips of nylon webbing would resist tearing.

8) Take the strapping tape and starting 2 or 3 inches from the end of the rattan, spiral the strapping tape up to the top of the thrusting tip.

9) spiral wrap down from the top of the thrusting tip.

10) Cover with duct tape (remembering to follow your kingdoms rules if it specifies color).

Only difference in my construction on two-handed weapons is that

a) Use 4 or 5 2" circular disks
b) I add a support ring under the disks to help keep them from folding over.

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 2:06 pm

almost the same as every one else but not quite so hear it goes.

instead of circle pieces I use a inch and a half strip of foam/mouse pad.
role it up and glue it together.

same coller method. I use 3m 77 spray adheasive when I can.

thin coat of glue on both sides. let it get a little tacky then put it together.

I some times make these up a head of time and just add one more revalution of foam over the assembly when constructing regular trusting tips.

one of these days I will put together a tutorial with pictures. if I ever get a camera

Torum · Post by **Torum** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 8:47 pm

thanks guys...
well i will give it all a go!!
and in a few weeks i will post a topic on how each worked..... if i remember...lol
ohh well thanks anyway

Dalewyn · Post by **Dalewyn** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 8:38 pm

As for the material on the tip to keep it from ripping off, I've heard of a few things: leather, nylon webbing, silk, and bias tape. I found leather stretches, nylon is very tough but adds weight, I haven't tried silk, and the only sword tip I've seen with bias tape looked awsome to me, going to try that one next.

St. George · Post by **St. George** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 8:48 pm

The trick to using nylon is this: make sure it is that same type of weave that seatbelts are made from. I usually get my nylon off of old backbacks- it is very light and lasts forever.

Alaric

tessathehuntress · Post by **tessathehuntress** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 9:44 pm

My tip.. heat up the copper pipe and it will go right thru the foam, no need to twist it to get it to cut the foam. It also works to seal the edges a bit.

You can also get an attachment for your drill.. different diameters.. and it will cut out foam circles too. Just go zap zap and you have a circle. Depending on the thickness of the foam as to how quickly you can "zap" them. If anyone is interested, I'll find out the name of the attachment.. it looks like a solid metal tube with jagged edges at one end.

Oh.. and if you make a bunch of these. There are manufacturers out there who if you order foam in bulk (like 500 pieces).. they will "punch" out the circles for you.. usually ends up being .05 to .15 each depending on the type of foam.. it may be a bit more, since y'all are using larger diameters (I think?) than we do in CA.

Tessa the Huntress
tessathehuntress@earthlink.net

Adriano · Post by **Adriano** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 11:27 am

My current thrusting tips are simply cylinders cut from one of those foam "noodles" sold as swimming pool toys.

Low Profile thrusting tips construction (sca)

Low Profile thrusting tips construction (sca)

Re: Low Profile thrusting tips construction (sca)

my tip