Filling a Hollow Core (Without Dowell Rods)

[Korbin the Mad]

This thread is about how to make the best of a stupid blunder.

A couple years ago I ordered some an 8' kitespar pole. I used 6' of it for a glaive. Given that I'd never worked with kitespar before, I foolishy ordered before researching, and ended up with kitespar too thin for that length of weapon. The end result is too much flex.

I've used the glaive at backyard practices before, just 'cuz. I like the length and I like the way it feels in my hands. It's not a bad piece of build, I must admit, which makes it all the more frustrating that it flexes topo much. Eventually I abandoned the weapon in the closet because I just wasn't sure what to do with it.

Well, now I want to make that choice. My options are:

A.) Find a way to mellow the flex to make it a passing glaive.

B.) Cut it down to size, probably making it too short for a practical glaive, and possibly make a min-length red or a long blue by salvaging the blade and installing a weighted pommel.

Obviously if A is possible, that's what I want. I generally stay away from the age-old dowell rod packing. I was brainstorming and began wondering if there was some kind of epoxy I could fill the kitespar with that would stiffen it up-- something like caulk, but more rigid.

Any ideas?

(Sorry for the lack of pics. The glaive is actually in another state at the moment.)

[Forkbeard]

Cut in into short swords.
There is no way to make a decent weapon by filling a core with ****.
Kitespar is a crappy material anyway.
Use better core material next time and chalk this one up to education.
If you try to fill this core you will only break it faster.
Next time you make a glaive, either use 11/16" solid fiberglass OR a bandpole.
FB

[varadin]

i have heard of people using insulation foam or gorilla glue to fix flex. Its a temporary fix because it will break down and eventually the flex will be back but now with added weight. Really there is nothing you can do to in my experience to get rid of it.

I say cut it down make it a passing weapon. It will break eventually anyways and youll be able to make a new better one that wont flex out.

[Korbin the Mad]

Hm. Looks like the truth has been spoken.

That's a very good point, about the epoxy breaking down anyway. A temporary fix that would ruin the core isn't really a good option when I could just cut it down to a different weapon that would pass.

Looks like I'm pretty much out of luck as far as making the glaive work. Oh well-- as FB said, this one gets filed in the "live and learn" folder.

[Tails]

Listen to FB, I made the same mistake once.

[Arrakis]

There is no way to make a decent weapon by filling a core with ****.
Kitespar is a crappy material anyway.
If you try to fill this core you will only break it faster.

Two Truths And A Lie? I love this game!


If only you knew the POWER of the Kitespar side of the cores.

[Forkbeard]

Fine, thin walled kitespar is a crappy material for anything but 30" swords.
Hows that?

[Tyrieal Isenguard]

I would cut it down and make two blue swords. If you want a glaive I would get a bandpole. For min reds I use solid carbon fiber cores, they are like 40 bucks a piece though.

[Glithar]

i Learned the hard way that filling with anything was a bad idea. after enough dap fumes, my friends and i thought it would be a great idea to glue some wooden dowels inside the pvc we used.

never again will that mistake be made.

after a few fights, the dowel inside snapped and flew through the coin cap, through the foam, and stood jagged sticking out the top of the sword. we had wood splinters everywhere.