How do I make a dagger?

As part of my quest to get people to document larp construction methods by askign dumb questions: how do I make a larp dagger?

I’ve seen some with cores, and some without, which seem to be just carved foam latexed or taped. Which is the best? What sort of core do people recommend (I have fibreglass rod from RD1, but that seems a little thick). What size do people’s recommend?

I wouldnt recommend a core if the dagger is going to be used for any kind of stabbing motion…

or thrown.

Coreless daggers are best for multi purpose use IMHO.

So, sandwich two layers of camp mat and carve then?

[quote=“IdiotSavant”]As part of my quest to get people to document larp construction methods by askign dumb questions: how do I make a larp dagger?

I’ve seen some with cores, and some without, which seem to be just carved foam latexed or taped. Which is the best? What sort of core do people recommend (I have fibreglass rod from RD1, but that seems a little thick). What size do people’s recommend?[/quote]

If you want a dagger, which I think of as a weapon if war suitable for parrying, it’ll need a core. But if it has a core you can’t biff it and you can’t stab. Assuming you want to go this way, get some 6mm fiberglass rod (poles from a dome tent are fine) and use them. Mitre 10 sells them for about $10-12 for 3-4 600mm long poles.

Then it’s pretty much a case of gluing on foam and making it dagger shaped. Not really much different to this:

jadeempire.freeforums.org/how-to … a-t15.html

except you paint it black and dry brush in silver

What department? Camping? I bugged my local Mitre10 today, and they didn’t seem to know.

It’s my understanding that for safety reasons, there is NO ‘stabbing’ allowed in any system. Has this changed?

Assuming it hasn’t, then making daggers as per any other weapons is probably your best bet.

That’s certainly true at most larps in the UK. I don’t think larps here tend to be so specific about it.

Personally, my guideline has always been to take extra care when stabbing, because it’s that much more likely to injure the target or damage the weapon. I don’t think I’d ever stab with a dagger, that seems extra risky.

I think it’s best to differentiate “dagger” and “throwing dagger” in terms of construction. Throwing daggers should be small and coreless. Other daggers are constructed like small swords, but using lighter cores.

I think that this is one of those “unwritten rules” that people tend to follow.

I think Adam was going to write them down at some point, along with some minimum construction specifications. I’m not sure how far along this is, but I didn’t get a reply from him when I inquired about obtaining a draft of what he’d done around Xmas. (I’m not worried about that, it was around Xmas after all).

[quote=“TequilaDave”]It’s my understanding that for safety reasons, there is NO ‘stabbing’ allowed in any system. Has this changed?

Assuming it hasn’t, then making daggers as per any other weapons is probably your best bet.[/quote]

We do stab with Stakes in St Wolfgangs. The proviso is that all stakes are made of low density foam and they should be of around 20cm or so, so you don’t end up punching the person you’re staking

30cm :wink: And they’re not allowed to have a core.

for modern, is it still ok to use thoes plastic knifes where the blade goes into the handle, so long as its only for stabbing? or is it, FOAM OR GO HOME

Problem with those is once the blade retracts your just jabbing someone with a hard plastic hilt. plus blade snapage with any side ways force.

I say go for it. These are toys and they’re just fine.

My first attempt at a short dagger, suitable to stick in your boot. The core is a section 8mm fibreglass tent pole (K-mart has them), the cladding two layers of camp-mat with an indent carved out to provide space for the core. You can’t feel the core through the striking edge, not that I expect it to do much striking anyway; its more an attempt at a prop than a weapon.

Clearly I need more practice at carving the blade, since despite my efforts to get a clean straight cut, I still ended up with some sawing (the worst of which has been sanded away). But practice is what this exercise is about (that, and using some conveniently-sized scrap foam).

I’ve already stuck a simple flat hilt on it, and now I’m thinking about grips and pommels.

For a larger dagger (I’m planning on doign a full-size knights one), I’ll use the standard 3-layer sandwich.

Easiest dagger hilt would be to cut a diamond shape of foam, and put a hole in the middle to thread the rod through - just like the old Excalibur swords. It won’t be fancy, but for a simple boot-knife would be just the thing.

For the hilt I went with a simple rectangle, with the corners trimmed off, so its scarcely larger than the blade. Same effect. I had some trouble with the grip and pommel, and had to strip it back and redo it completely after trimming it too far. I now have a grip which is slightly wider than it is tall, and a small octagonal pommel, which still needs a bit of sanding. I’ll experiment with wrapping the grip in string before covering it, to get a bit less of a squishy feel (real grips were made of wood or wire under the leather) - but that’s more so I can learn how to do it for other things. I still need to do a bit more sanding, but I’m reasonably happy with it for a first attempt at a bladed weapon.

And eventually, I will have to face the joy of latexing and painting…

It’s easy:

  • add 20% black acrylic paint to liquid latex
  • paint onto weapon and allow to dry (I encourage drying with a hair dryer, but nice sunny days are good too)
  • do 3-4 layers

when it’s all nice and dry, dry brush silver

when the silver is nice and dry, rub down with talc

show off to friends (v important :wink: )

I use a hairdryer to dry acrylic paint sometimes, but only in certain circumstances as it can sometimes cause a ‘skin’ of dry paint at the top layer with wet paint underneath.

Have you ever found that using a hairdrayer with latex causes similiar issues, or shinking/curling/cracking?

If not using a hairdryer, and lives in Wellington (where damp and windy is more probably than sunny) how long would you recommending let dry between layers?

I’d do the top coat in silver-coloured latex. Plain paint is more likely to wear off.