Finish padding the blade
- Cut a piece of open-cell foam 1-1/2" wide and 6" long.
- Apply the spray adhesive to the high-impact foam at the tip of the blade.
- Place the open-cell foam so that it stands out 1-1/2" out from the tip of the blade.
- Use masking tape to hold the open-cell foam in shape around the tip of the
blade.
- Run a 2" wide piece of thin leather or a double thickness of cloth along
the edge of the blade.
I've received suggestions to use plastic wrap, like painters tarp, instead of cloth or leather. Stay tuned for possible changes here. - Wrap a single layer of masking tape around the blade in a couple of spots to
hold it in place. (Remember this only serves for temporary holding, the masking
tape will not survive for long inside this sword.)
- Cut two pieces of 1/8" thick, 2" wide, self-adhesive pipe insulation long enough to run from the cross to the tip. Cut the corners off the tip end so that they fit on flat of the blade.
- Peel the paper backing off the pipe insulation and stick it to the flat of
the blade, overlapping the leather/fabric some to help hold it in
place. This should be done on each side of the blade.
Note: Center of Balance: 17.5" from butt - Wrap duct tape lightly in a spiral around the entire blade. Leave
approximately 1/4" to 1/2" gap between successive spirals to reduce
the weight. Do not wrap the duct tape tightly. We don't want
to reduce the cushioning effects of the high-impact foam. (I've received
suggestions to run the duct tape lengthwise. this reduces the accidental
compression of the foam and is supposedly easier to do correctly.)
- Wrap duct tape around the ricasso to hold the bottom of the spiral in place.
- Place a small amount of duct tape over the tip to protect the open-cell foam.
Note: Center of Balance: 18" from butt
Warning: The tip described above appears to be very light. I'm looking at ways to improve the protection of the wooden tip, including the addition of another layer of the high-impact foam. This would guarantee that the wood is well covered on thrusts.