Belegarth

Hey.

I am based in the UK ( so basically no actual Belegarth ), but your website seems to be the most informed. I am looking at making some basic 'blue swords' using this guide:

http://geddon.org/Updated_Blue_Sword_Tutorial

Being based in the UK, I just want to check that my materials are going to work. All the guides I have seen use american stuff, which often doesn't mean much in England. My main concern is my adhesive. I will try using 'Diall double sided carpet tape'. Unfortunately I can't find a link. It is basically good quality carpet tape, and is supposed to fix to all materials, so can hopefully attack my foam to my core.

My foam should be fine. It is just an equivalent to your walmart blue foam.

The core is the part I am most concerned about. I will be using PVC ( easiest to secure in UK ). However 'schedule 40' and 'schedule 80' don't appear to be terms used in the UK. Is this alright:

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/hardware/iro ... Id=9293691

That should be long enough for a 39 inch sword, so I'll cut some off to make it approx 30-34"? Will this sort of thing be stiff enough? It is light enough to be wielded ( I've picked it up ), but is it suitable for what we are doing?


Thanks very much for any replies.

Swords can be built entirely using carpet tape as the adhesive, but be sure to protect those weapons from extreme heat and cold, and from wet or moist conditions, as carpet tape stiffens and loosens in cold and heat respectively, and is not waterproof.

As for the PVC that you linked, it appear to be the right stuff. SCH40 is thick walled, as that appear to be, and SCH80 has thicker walls still, and is somewhat stiffer. However, I would recommend against building such a long sword on that core. PVC is really only good up to about 30-32" before flexing and snapping becomes an issue. A core cut at 29" will give you a good 32" sword, which is a nice length for a beginner.

Hope that helps,

Thurat

P.S. If you decide that you're going to pursue bringing Belegarth to your neck of the woods, and want to start your own realm, post over in the "New Members" Forum, or send me a PM, and I can set you up with links to the necessary resources to do so.

extreme temperatures shouldn't be a problem, and as long as I bring it inside after use, it shouldn't get wet.

On the length, I only just realised that the padding will add an inch or two, so 29 inches should be perfect for the core.

As for starting my own realm, it would be awesome to do so, but to be honest, I don't think there is enough interest in my area. I believe that there are some historical re-enactment groups around, but I don't know of any specifics. I think I'l probably just be making two or three blue swords first, and seeing if anyone will give it a go.


Thanks very much for the help, I'm just waiting on the PVC now!!

Where are you located at in uk?

Northwest, north of Manchester.