What are sword blanks?

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What are sword blanks?

Postby Wart » Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:48 pm

Alright I saw this term used somewhere here on the boards, but nowhere can I find the meaning of it. I already used the search function. What are they?
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Mint » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:32 pm

...
Never heard the term used.

SHIELD blanks, on the other hand, are cut out pieces of plank foam commonly used to make coreless shields.

Also, the routed lengths of 2 lb. polyethylene foam that Forged Foam produces for re-blading swords are affectionately referred to as sword fries.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Wart » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:46 pm

I kind of assumed a sword blank was gluing layers of foam together then cut out the sword shape and get the core in somehow?
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Tiberius Claudius » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:02 pm

There are sword 'fries' which are pre cut/shaped lengths of foam generally thick enough to suffice as their own blade, but they must be secured to a core - usually through routing out a centered hole or gluing over the perimeter of an already-boxed core.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Sluj » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:44 am

Sword blank = sword fry = edhellen reblade kit
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Forkbeard » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:25 am

Image

http://www.edhellen.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EA&Product_Code=sale-sf&Category_Code=Sales

That's what everyone is talking about. And it's the best, fastest way to make swords.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Taxfrog » Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:45 am

I do have questions about these. I've yet to use them, and am out of my foam.

1) How well do they go over a box?

2) What type of foam are they comparable to?

3) What's the profile?

Thanks!
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Wart » Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:15 pm

Am I seeing grooves in that length of foam.... A method to box fast?
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Matthias - Dun Abhon » Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:50 pm

Wart wrote:Am I seeing grooves in that length of foam.... A method to box fast?

The Forged Foam (formerly Edhellen) sword fries are 3 layers of 1/2" foam, routed for a 1/2" outside-diameter core (with teeth cut into the top so that it folds properly), so that all you have to do is put glue on the foam and the core and stick them together. The foam on these fries touch all the way around the round cores, unlike the box method, and they're thick enough to be used as a sword without additional padding. It's a full blade replacement.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Cheeseheart » Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:55 pm

Forkbeard wrote:Image

http://www.edhellen.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EA&Product_Code=sale-sf&Category_Code=Sales

That's what everyone is talking about. And it's the best, fastest way to make swords.
FB



I take issue with the first part of that statement. Fastest, yes. But not best.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Forkbeard » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:02 pm

All factors counted up:
Speed of construction
Cost
Availability
Ease of use
That's why they are the best.
Thats why they are everywhere.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Cheeseheart » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:07 pm

All those things are true. But I believe sword fries come with their issues also. In any case, I was mostly making a statement about the materials used for these swords. There are better materials out there.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Wart » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:02 pm

So I can just throw this over a core, then cover, then pommel, and I'm ready to go??
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Sluj » Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:18 am

Yup
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Wart » Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:34 am

WIN!!!!
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Forkbeard » Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:47 am

You need to follow the glue instructions CAREFULLY.
You need to sand the core.
You need to put a "biscut" on the end of the core.
You need to clamp it together and leave it alone for a few days, too.
But you can make like 4 swords at a time with only about 15 minutes of "hands on" work time.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Wart » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:24 am

Now I must know what a biscuit is.....................
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Mint » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:31 am

It's a little chunk o' foam taped to the top of one's core to curtail the core's tendency to cut into your foam:

Image

Sand the sharp edges of your core first. When you tape down your biscuit, try not to compress it too much, say 20-30%. Also, use strapping tape, and then sand the surface of said tape just enough so that it is no longer glossy looking.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Wart » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:43 am

Thank you guys :D
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Remdawg Killionaire » Thu Jul 05, 2012 1:47 pm

Cheeseheart wrote:There are better materials out there.

No, there's really not.
http://www.warlordsports.com/Main.aspx?content=articles
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby BranofAlbion » Sun Jul 08, 2012 9:59 am

There is better materials, these don't have a 4# box but for the price it's a fair deal. It will still last you a good while because the blade width is 1.5" instead of 1.25" which helps them to last longer. I prefer a 1.25" blade but all in all good product for people who don't have time or are just to lazy to build their own blades. I do prefer volara for 2# though which is what they use.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Remdawg Killionaire » Mon Jul 09, 2012 12:38 am

Have you had a chance to do a routed #4 box, then a layer of reblade kit? I shave off the routed layer and voila. Sexy.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Arrakis » Mon Jul 09, 2012 3:06 pm

Remy the Wroth wrote:
Cheeseheart wrote:There are better materials out there.

No, there's really not.
http://www.warlordsports.com/Main.aspx?content=articles


That article is kind of bad. Bad as in "not right, mostly an advertisement".
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Remdawg Killionaire » Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:28 pm

Seems to me, you plan on making a business with a select demographic that sees a lot of 'word-of-mouth' advertising, it would be a fatal mistake to lie to your costumers about the quality and longevity of your product or misconstrue or report your findings. Seems like a company that a group of people who have so far brought more information, technique and general good to the sport as a whole, garnering good will and a sense of community amongst the different games, who have validated so much of what we all do might actually have tried to do a legitimate job in providing their profit-base with the best type of foam.
So is what you're saying, Arrakis is that they're lying; doing so as to make a greater profit? You're saying in your miniscule amount of time fighting that you know better then a group of people whose love for the game led them to starting a company to make foam weapons and that the article is useless and completely doesnt warrant attention, that with a collective experience and involvement in the sport god-knows how long(longer than you've been alive, nonetheless fighting or making foam weapons) are just out to make a profit and so they publish articles, video, run events and such so they make a dollar.
Because I'm sure they're just in it for the money.
:roll:
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Bran ap Eynon » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:56 am

I think you're reading a bit too deeply into his statement Remy. The article lacks an objective approach imo. Most of the content is trying to prove that the two foams they sell for blade kits are the best, rather than trying to find which foams are the best. They also used their own nomenclature for a few of the foams, rather than their commercial names (i.e. "drill spot", "duratube", and "aethertube") once again, blatant self promotion. No densities on the foams are specified in the article in a manner that is easy to find (there are some densities in the document they linked). There is some good information, but you have to get to the bottom of the article and read the wall of text to find anything mildly scientific and informative. Now, if they had written the article in a tone more towards informing the community how the tests proved that those foams were better and had listed their commercial names so we could find the foam and buy it ourselves, it would be a different story.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby randy » Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:00 pm

Arrakis wrote:That article is kind of bad. Bad as in "not right, mostly an advertisement".


+2
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Arrakis » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:39 am

Remy the Wroth wrote:Seems to me, you plan on making a business with a select demographic that sees a lot of 'word-of-mouth' advertising, it would be a fatal mistake to lie to your costumers about the quality and longevity of your product or misconstrue or report your findings. Seems like a company that a group of people who have so far brought more information, technique and general good to the sport as a whole, garnering good will and a sense of community amongst the different games, who have validated so much of what we all do might actually have tried to do a legitimate job in providing their profit-base with the best type of foam.
So is what you're saying, Arrakis is that they're lying; doing so as to make a greater profit? You're saying in your miniscule amount of time fighting that you know better then a group of people whose love for the game led them to starting a company to make foam weapons and that the article is useless and completely doesnt warrant attention, that with a collective experience and involvement in the sport god-knows how long(longer than you've been alive, nonetheless fighting or making foam weapons) are just out to make a profit and so they publish articles, video, run events and such so they make a dollar.
Because I'm sure they're just in it for the money.
:roll:



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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Caleidah » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:15 am

Psssssst. He was being sarcastic.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Dangus » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:52 am

Arrakis wrote:
Remy the Wroth wrote:Seems to me, you plan on making a business with a select demographic that sees a lot of 'word-of-mouth' advertising, it would be a fatal mistake to lie to your costumers about the quality and longevity of your product or misconstrue or report your findings. Seems like a company that a group of people who have so far brought more information, technique and general good to the sport as a whole, garnering good will and a sense of community amongst the different games, who have validated so much of what we all do might actually have tried to do a legitimate job in providing their profit-base with the best type of foam.
So is what you're saying, Arrakis is that they're lying; doing so as to make a greater profit? You're saying in your miniscule amount of time fighting that you know better then a group of people whose love for the game led them to starting a company to make foam weapons and that the article is useless and completely doesnt warrant attention, that with a collective experience and involvement in the sport god-knows how long(longer than you've been alive, nonetheless fighting or making foam weapons) are just out to make a profit and so they publish articles, video, run events and such so they make a dollar.
Because I'm sure they're just in it for the money.
:roll:



That Kool-Aid taste good, Remy?

Look at this guy, with his fancy, East Coast, elitist "Kool" aid. We don't need no aids, just grape drank.
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Re: What are sword blanks?

Postby Remdawg Killionaire » Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:35 pm

In the immortal words of one Coop Lee;
"DIP-DIYUP! Treatin'er right!"
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