How to Make a Duct Tape Battle Axe

This battle axe is perfect for a backyard battle or a game of LARP (Live action role play) in the nearby forests.
It is easy to make, and with adult supervision kids can make there own.

This is the first instructable in a series about how to make weapons and other equipment for LARP.
My main focus is that the weapons have to be safe, so kids can play with them without direct adult supervision, without getting hurt. And secondly so easy to make that big kids, with help, can make it them self.

Next edition to my duct tape weapons guide can be found here
www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-duct-tape-sword/

You will need
Sketch block
a pencil
A hobby knife, with interchangeable blades.
Extra blades
Used dull blade
a piece of cardboard
a black marker
a cutting pad
contact glue
duct tape
reinforcement Tape
foam pipe
a sleeping pad
65 cm of 3cm thick bamboo or broomstick

Start by finding some pictures of "real" battle axes. Ex. do some google search.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=da&sa=1&q=battle+axe
http://images.google.com/images?hl=da&sa=1&q=dane+axe

Now you have enough inspiration to make you own design.
Just draw some quick sketches. They don't need to be beautiful, it is just so you will get the idea about how your axe will look like.

Now draw the design of your choice on the cardboard. This will be your template so be careful and take your time to make it perfect.
I start by making the drawing with a pencil, and when I'm satisfied with the drawing, I make the final drawing with the black marker.

Now draw the axe 3 times. And the smaller pieces 2 times on the foam. Pay attention to the placing of the pieces so you don't waste to much of the sleeping pad.
If the stick for the handle is to long, now is the time to cut it into length.
To be sure the pieces ends the right places I put numbers on them.
In piece 2 cut a hole for the handle.

On piece 1 and 3 I put a cross of reinforcement tape. This will stabilize the axe to ensure that it will not break or be ripped apart  at the thin part.

Now apply glue to one side of piece 1 and 3. And apply glue to both sides on piece 2. Also apply glue to the end of the handle. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes, and press the pieces hard together.

Now apply glue to the two small side pieces and the outer side of piece 1 and 3. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes, and press the pieces hard together.

Be careful the two pieces glue together very quickly, so be sure that they are aligned you will not be able to correct it. The only way to correct it, is by cutting away on the outer side.

Now cut the sitting pad into strips. I need two pieces for this axe. Normal I use pipe insulation but it was sold out the places I use to buy it. But they had this sitting pad, and that will do the job.
Cut a triangle grove that fits into the triangle of the axe. And slip the pipe onto the handle.


Safety note
If your using the same glue I use you need to have good ventilation. If it's not to cold it's best to glue outside.
It's possible to get waterbased contact glue if you make this with kids, I recommend using that.

To make the foam look like a real battle axe you need to cut the edge. If the layers got unaligned when gluing, this is the right time to cut that edge also.

Put strips of duct tape on the axe. Be careful when applying the tape special around the corners. Take the hobby knife and cut the tape into strips so it will not get wrinkled. When applying a new strip of tape, don't make the overlay more than 1 cm. If you put on to much tape, the axe gets hard and heavy, making it dangerous to play with.

I use the black marker to draw some decoration and to highlight the edge to give the axe more depth.

Now make you own axe and start battling!