Mjolnir: Thor's Hammer

Everyone knows Thor's hammer from the MARVEL movies. I had a blast creating my own, and am eager to share step-by-step directions with you!

• .EVA foam
• spray foam
• contact cement
• super glue
• 3 foot piece of galvanized steel wire
• 3/4 inch PVC pipe
• 3/4 inch PVC end-cap
• PVC pipe cement
• band saw
• drill
• knife
• metallic silver spray paint
• embossing gun
• scrap leather
• dark brown leather stain
• a clamp
• shoe polish

Read over the instructions and collect supplies before you begin. Most of the materials can be found at hardware stores and Walmart.

Cutting out the pieces:

Using a carpenter's square, first cut out two squares of EVA foam that are 5.75 by 5.75 inches. Then cut one circle that is 4.25 inches in diameter. Next, cut two rectangles that are 8.5 by 5 inches. Last, cut two rectangles that 8.5 by 5.75 inches.

Beveling the edges:

Note: Do all bevel cuts so that the angle is toward the smooth side of the foam, as in the photos.

Tilt the band saw table to 60 degrees. Then take the two squares and bevel all of four sides at 60 degrees. Tilt the band saw table again to 45 degrees. Take the 8.5 by 5.75 inch rectangles and bevel both of the long edges to 45 degrees. Last, bevel all of the corners of the two squares at 45 degrees.

Take the two smaller rectangles and drill a hole in the exact center of each, large enough for the PVC pipe. Then glue the four rectangles together with contact cement to form a box. Make sure to have the wider rectangles on the outside. Also be sure to have the angled edge on the outside, and the texture of the foam on the inside. When the glue is fully dried, cut a 20 inch length of 0.75 inch PVC pipe and stick it inside your foam box. You may need to super glue the handle in.

This step will require 1-2 hours of attention, as the foam expands and dries. While you are working with the spray foam, wear disposable rubber gloves the whole time, as spray foam is extremely sticky. Take the spray foam and fill the hammer head about 2/3 full, leaving room for expansion. Press on the sides every few minutes for about two hours to ensure that the head keeps its shape. After two hours there will be minimal expansion, but it will not be finished expanding until after twenty-four hours. After twenty-four hours, take a coping saw and cut off the foam that expanded out of the ends. If the foam rips one of your seams, don't worry just wait for it to dry and then cut a little bit out of the inside with a knife.

Take the two squares and glue them on either end of the hammer head. You might have to trim the squares down a little on the band saw. Pick up the foam circle, and using a compass, draw another circle in the center of the large one (see Photo 2) that is 3.25" in diameter. Using a knife, draw in the runes around the edge. Runes are basically an alphabet made up of straight lines and used in old alphabets like Norse and German. The runes on Mjolnir say, "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall posses the power of Thor." Make sure to barely score the surface. Take an embossing gun, and heat up your circle and the hammer head. What this does is it closes up the air bubbles on the foam, and it will also make your runes a little easier to see. Put contact cement on the back side of the circle and glue it to the top of your hammer head.

When the glue is dry, take it outside and spray paint the head metallic silver. You may need to use a few coats of paint. (I used four coats.) After final coat let dry two hours. Then apply shoe polish all over, a small amount at a time, working it in as you go.

Cut a piece of leather that is 13.5 inches long and wide enough to wrap around the handle. Stain only the smooth side.
Cut another strip that is 17 inches long and 1 inch wide. Stain both sides. Last, cut a piece of leather 2.75" by 4.5." Then cut the rectangle as shown in the last two photos. Do not stain it. Set it aside for now; it will be used in Step 9.

In this step, cut a slit on either side of a 0.75" PVC pipe cap, so that the inch-wide strap will fit through it. This is best done by holding it with a channel lock and cutting it on its side with a band saw. Cut a slit on either side just a little over an inch wide. Make sure the inch-wide strap fits in the slits.
Sand the exterior of the PVC cap.

Take the piece of unstained leather that was cut in step 7; using a utility knife, put an inch-wide slit under the tall crown pieces (use first photo above as a guide); and spray paint it silver. When it is fully dry, wrap it around the PVC end cap (but don't secure it yet), and thread the stained 1" strap through the leather, tucking each end into the end cap about 0.5." Using super glue, adhere the ends of the leather strap to the inside of the end cap to make a loop. At this point, also glue the silver leather around the cap, being sure to leave the two long flaps free for a later step.

Take the 13.5 inch long piece of leather and flip it over so that the side you did not stain is face up. Paint this whole side with contact cement and wrap it around the PVC pipe.You might need to fill the crack, where the leather edges join together, with super glue. After this is fully dried, take some PVC pipe cement and adhere the end cap to the end of the pipe. Make sure the flaps don't get glued down. You will do that in the next step.

Take a three foot section of galvanized steel wire and clamp one end of it to the top of the handle near the head. Wrap it in a spiral around the handle with each spiral about 1.25 inches apart. Keep wrapping until you get to the end of the leather near the pommel. Leaving the clamp on, cut off the wire at the end of the handle. Using super glue, adhere the wire, all along its length, to the handle. When the glue is dry, also glue the spray-painted leather flaps to the handle.