counter-weight

[Shredder]

... just wondering what people thought about this!

I made a fairly long flail reciently and I added pennies to the grip and the weight is fairly ballenced out now and it balences good. I also know that weight helps on curved swords.

[Glicyn Khyron]

i think that they help quite a bit

[Kurgan]

I've counter weighted some stuff and I like it. I don't do it to everything because usually nothing of mine is very top heavy but I've done it a few times and I like it.

[beekmaster]

Me and ZenChi were making a red curved sword (don't ask). The PVC core we were using was too flexible so we doubled it up. after we counterwaighted it with like 2.50 in change, it still wasn't balanced. so we have this huge pommel, and a really heavy sword. (btw Shelts, remind me sometime to re-pad that sword so you stop making dents in walls/shelds/my chest)

[Rroki]

Counter weighting is key. If it's too blade heavy, you can do some SERIOUS damage to your wrist.

[Necronos]

I've counter weighted my red sword and it works out well. The thing was just too blade heavy to swing one handed plus my wrists were shot due to an occupational hazard. The counter weight brought the center of balance right down to the grip and it is not easier to swing when/if you lose an arm.

The PVC core was just wide enough for a roll of dimes, so I worked out wonderful.

[Valder]

I just finished up most of my Numenorean flanged mace last night, and after a couple of timid practice swings, I think I'll be strapping some penny rolls to that sucka.

Additionally, the white foam I used (from computer monitor packaging) seems less than ideal. It cuts and shapes very easily, but didn't hold DAP well, and I predict this mace is going to hit like a school bus. Talk about hard foam!

Anyway - counterweights. Aye.

[Dmitri]

This foam from the monitor...it's not styrofoam, is it? I mean, computer packaging tends to be either open-cell that's wonderful for this type of thing, or styrofoam, which...isn't wonderful. It's not even bad. It's just not useable.

[calebmonkey]

counter weighting can make or break a weapon to me,if its too heavy,it turns to a loner,plain and simple.also i feel that metal is fine to use on your grip,but never in it,if youput a roll of pennies or whatever in the core sooner or later it will slide from the handle to the blade and either mess up the person you just hit or the next person that gets hit,either way someone gets hurt.if you relly want to counter weight though,i reccomend either lead strips or bead-chain like from dog tags only bigger.either can be wrapped around the handle and covered in grip tape with no problem

[Od1n]

What I found that worked for me good was stacking layers of pennies on the core where the pommel will go. When I made my flail and long sword I made 3 columns of pennies, like this:

|o|
|o| o = penny
|o|


I usually get 9 pennies per layer (all the way around the core, so about 3 columns of 3 pennies in sort of a triangle shape). It only took 9 pennies to effectively counter-weight my flail, while it took a few more for my long sword.

I really don?t like to put pennies in the handle because it gives it a funny grip, I find it just as or more as effective to put them in the pommel.

also how I stick the pennies to the core to add a little more weight also is take some duct tape, stick about 1/2 inch of sticky down on the core, then take the back side and go the opposite direction till the duct tapes sticky side is only showing, allowing you to stick the pennies on there securely if done right, then after they are all stuck on there, take duct tape and go over that layer and keep adding layers and pennies to counter weight to your liking.

Edited for spelling.

[Valder]

This foam from the monitor...it's not styrofoam, is it? I mean, computer packaging tends to be either open-cell that's wonderful for this type of thing, or styrofoam, which...isn't wonderful. It's not even bad. It's just not useable.

I'm still a relative novice, but I know to stay away from styrofoam!

The stuff I've got it the really stiff open cell stuff. It's pretty light, but doesn't compress very much on impact. I added a safety layer of blue foam on top of the white foam, which softened it somewhat, and had the nice effect of exaggerating the flanges.

I added four half-rolls of pennies to the pommel, and... now the thing weighs about three times as much as one of my blue swords. My girlfriend gave me some love taps with it, and I'm not looking forward to seeing the thing on the field. :-/

[calebmonkey]

i don't like the idea of penneis in the pommel either,not that its wrong or i haven't ever done it.it just seems wierd to have a pommel so noone gets core to the eye just to add a half pound of pennies to it.i've never gotten hit in the face with the pommel end of a flying sword,but i imagine it has happened before and wieghting the thing would only make it worse.at least if you get hit by the handel,you know it is un-padded and know it will feel like it. but do what you want,the chances of a serious injury from counter-weighting your weapon are slim

[Shredder]

It's not like I'm going to attack someone with my pommel - unless they deserve it, but thats another topic.

[Telaquinn]

Something I'm trying on some swords I'm building right now is copper wire for counterweighting. Im just wrapping the wire around the pommel until I have the right weight, then I use electrical tape to hold it and build the pommel around it. I think it would work alot better than pennies as I can compact it more while still retaining the pommel shape. Ill be done in a few days (work sucks most of my time away) and I'll post how it works.

Telaquinn

[Od1n]

i don't like the idea of penneis in the pommel either,not that its wrong or i haven't ever done it.it just seems wierd to have a pommel so noone gets core to the eye just to add a half pound of pennies to it.i've never gotten hit in the face with the pommel end of a flying sword,but i imagine it has happened before and wieghting the thing would only make it worse.at least if you get hit by the handel,you know it is un-padded and know it will feel like it. but do what you want,the chances of a serious injury from counter-weighting your weapon are slim

Thats why you put padding over the pennies.... believe me i padded mine enough you cant even tell theres pennies on the core. I even hit myself in the face with it pretty hard and you can't feel em, just the foam... and the force of the blow

Also, if you needed half a pound of pennies to counter weight your sword, I would recommend some other kind of medium like lead fishing weights or something.

[calebmonkey]

bishop;i do not doubt your pennie padding ability at all,it's still safe and thats the important thing,i just prefer other things

shredder:if i were you i wouldn't even think about pommel striking someone,because if you did that to me or anyone for that matter your breaking the first rule SAFTEY so don't be a douch-bag and play fair only cheaters like cheaters

[Od1n]

shredder:if i were you i wouldn't even think about pommel striking someone,because if you did that to me or anyone for that matter your breaking the first rule SAFTEY so don't be a douch-bag and play fair only cheaters like cheaters

I second that notion.

[Gilad]

I take wire and wrap the lower handle right by the pommel and the upper handle a little bit less than the lower handle part thing any way it works well gives a grip and is perfect for quick and easy training swords

[Aindreas]

My old greatsword use to be ultra heavy on the top, but when I ripped the pommel off and did my signature penny counterwieght it ballanced out and rocked *.