Blade inscriptions

Any advice on inscribing something on a foam sword blade? The obvious method is a soldering iron. I assume I need to use relatively large letters to avoid the latex just covering it all up?

Use a different colour for the lettering - even a slightly off shade of the metal used (think boltgun metal / chainmail) so that they show up more clearly even with a layer of latex (this can be done as well as using a soldering iron :wink: )

One method we’ve used to do raised lettering is to get adhesive foam lettering from $2 shops. Stick them on before you latex the sword blade. They look okay, but not great.

I’ve also used a soldering iron, which I think looks better, but is a lot more work, and just heating a piece of steel with a blow torch.

I have some very thin camp mat which you could cut out letters to emboss, but lots of work.

You could sculpt something in clay like a plaque and cast it in Latex, but again a pile of work.

I think painting them on sounds the best idea.

I wonder…

Could you use that acrylic “puffy paint” that’s used for writing on fabric? That it’s meant to go on cloth suggests it’d be somewhat flexible.

It usually comes in a small bottle with a narrow tip so you can squeeze and write at the same time.

Could you use that and then latex over it?

Here’s a thought, and it’s only theoretical.

And not implemented terribly quickly.

Get (make?) heat proof stencils.

But also non heat conductive. So would require a thin layer of glass wool or similar on the back. Or possibly just raising it a few mm off the surface on ceramic washers or similar.

Place the stencils on the camp mat, and use a heat gun/blow torch to etch the letters in.

There is a company called Ponoko that makes custom items. ponoko.com/
Stencils in brass would not be a problem. The rest might be…

Anyway. Just an idea.

Or possibly find some old large type setting letters in metal and heat them and press them into the foam.

Type setting letters! Great idea.

What he said. Genius.

That is a fantastic idea. Now, I wonder if I can find some (and in Greek).

Think this might work?

ebay.com/itm/Custom-Order-Ne … 018wt_1263

If he does custom stuff I’m sure he could use the Greek alphabet to make his stamps. Just wonder how much heat they’d take.

He has some pretty, pretty things: ebay.com/itm/Letterpress-Typ … 500wt_1284