Cardboard katana
From CosplayWiki
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How to Make a Cardboard Katana
Materials
Tools
Procedure
1) Cut the cardboard into large 8x8 squares. You'll need about 15 of them
2) Lay 5 of the squares you just cut out end to end. Then glue 5 more on top of them, offsetting the top layer by 4 inches from the left or right edge. Use a good amount of glue and spread it evenly on the surface. Note: Keep all the corrugated panels running perpendicular to the length of the squares, so that all the holes are on the same side.
3) Cut off the end and glue it to the other side.
4) Glue on the last 5 squares spreading the hotglue evenly.
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5) Draw the shape of the blade on the back of the squares you just glued together. It should be no thinner than 1.5" and the handle should be no thinner than 1"
6) Cut out a 3/8" wide hole inside the blade. Keep it at least 1/2" away from where the edge of your blade is going to be. It should also be made of straight lines only.
7) Cut the 3/4" dowel so that it will fit into the 3/8" hole you just cut in the center of your katana and push it into place.
8) Fill the gap around the dowel with hotglue and smooth it down with an index card or another piece of cardboard. Do both sides until the down is covered and the glue is fused with the block.
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9) Cut the shape of the blade out of the block of cardboard.
10) Draw a 1/2" blade along the edge of both side of the katana. This is going to be the edge of the blade.
11) Cut away the edge but only 1 layer Deep on each side. Cut it at an angle. Then peel off the layers from each side.
12) Fill the edge with hotglue, then smooth it over with the index card or cardboard. If there is any overflow of hotglue, simply cut it away once the glue has cooled. Note: Also fill any holes left in the edge itself afterwards.
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13) Cover the opposite flat edge/side of the blade with hotglue as seen in figure A. Then using the tip of the glue gun, push and rub the glue into the holes of the cardboard while the glue is still hot (Figure B). Then once the glue is cool, cut away the overflow. Repeat covering the entire blade.
14 Cut out the shape of the handle guard from cardboard then use it as a template to make a total of 4 of these shapes.
15) Glue all four pieces together, but only glue along the inside edge of the pieces.
16) Fill the sides of the handle guard with hotglue as was done previously with the blade, then draw a pattern on each side to be cut out.
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17) Cut away the pattern one layer deep, then fill the inside of the guard along the edge with glue.
18) Cut a square out from the middle of the guard the same size as the end of the blade.
19) Push the guard into the end of the handle and glue it into place.
20) Cut out pieces as seen here. Be sure to keep the corrugation running parallel with the length of the blade.
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21) Bend pieces and glue into place as seen here afterwards. Fill any exposed edges or cracks with hotglue.
22) Cut a piece to fit the handle end, glue it in place on the end and fill the edge with glue.
23) Wrap the handle with several layers of hockey tape then cut out diamonds from the tape and remove them. Note: do NOT cut away cardboard
24) Paint the blade and the handle. Using a sharpie can increase the illusion of depth.
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