[Editor's Note: scroll down to see photos of each entry and commentary from some of the team armorers. All photos by View Staff.]
Team Jack - Tony Quintana (Razmith)
**WINNER **
So the main aspects of the weapon can be divided into two parts, the blade and the handle.
Knowing I was making an axe, I chose to do a split pipe handle because when making an
edged weapon, edge alignment is important, and to help as a counter balance. I
wrapped the handle in leathers and used tennis grip tape.
The blade of the weapon is made of three layers of camp foam for axe blades, with pipe foam for the "sword" as well as the edges of the axe blades. The overlays are craft foam. All of the foam is
held to the core and together with DAP contact cement. After assembling the blade I
coated the blade with Plasti-dip, which is a non-latex rubber coating, and then a Rust-Oleum coat. And then a clear coat of Plasti-dip. (Do the handle wrapping after the bladed portion).
- Tony Quintana
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| Double-bladed head |
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| Overlay detail |
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| Blade detail |
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| Smooth edges |
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| Wrapped split-pipe handle |
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| Handle decorative detail |
Team Saegan - Ben Greene (Sir K)
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| Overview of the blade |
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| Weapon side view |
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| Carved stag detail |
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| Blade edge detail (plasti-dip) |
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| Stag design mirrored on each side, meeting in back |
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| Handle detail |
Team Iste - Kevin Legace (Cronon)
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| Axe head with sock |
Team Piper - Paul Tilton (Grindin)
Like a lot of Team Piper, the foamsmith entry came together mostly at the last minute, so I got hurried through a lot of the construction process. First off I only had the materials from a half-built 4’6”, so I knew I wouldn’t hit the 5’ mark, but as a 1-path I was infinitely okay with that aspect of the weapon’s construction.
Starting with a partially finished weapon posed a new issue with using Plastidip, however- it was already all taped up. When I’ve constructed plastidip weapons in the past, I’ve dapped the seam shut rather than covering it with tape as I would with a socked weapon. I decided to see how the coverage was, rather than losing part of the foam by ripping the tape off- and I was actually surprised that there really wasn’t a tremendous difference. I would suggest dapping the seam, but packing tape will apparently do in a pinch with enough layers.
When making the axe-head, I knew that I didn’t want the majority of the hitting surface to be camp foam, so I wanted an edge of squishy foam- and that was probably the biggest learning experience. The squishy foam adhered extremely well to the camp foam with dap… and then I covered it in plasti-dip. Not only was the coverage not spectacular due to the nooks and crannies, it also turned it into sandpaper. A hint for future foamsmiths- DON’T COVER SQUISHY FOAM IN PLASTIDIP. It was the most common complaint I got on the scorecards, and I knew that it wasn’t what I wanted when I entered it, but didn’t have time to re-try.
Some of the positive feedback that I’d like to share was the burned-in icons on the axe-head. With a little time and a woodburner (or soldering iron) you can make some amazing patterns in foam, that really can make a weapon stand out. Additionally, a few layers of different browns and then dry-brushing a lighter layer can create a quick wood-grain pattern, which the judges seemed to appreciate.
- Paul Tilton
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| Axe head with burned and painted designs |
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| Squishy foam detail, with "wood-grain" painted handle |
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| Close-up of burned-in star on the back of the head |