Let's face it, kids love swords. A sword looks cool on the swashbuckling movie hero, and so it can only look cooler on your child. However, we all know that handing your child a real sword is probably a very bad idea. Even some toy swords have sharp points on the ends, and inevitably, someone ends up getting hurt. Don't worry, though, you can make a reasonably safe toy sword for your child, much like the "boffers" that re-enactors use, just by assembling a few items you have around your home. Make several, and let your kids take turns whacking at each other!
Instructions
Make a Toy Sword
1. Cut a length of PVC pipe to the length of the sword. Use your saw. For younger children, you'll want to keep this length around 24 - 30 inches. If you have an older child, or one who is tall for his age, you could go up as long as 36 inches. Cut a length of foam pool noodle about six inches shorter than the PVC pipe. Slide the PVC pipe into the pool noodle. You should have about six inches of PVC sticking out of one end of the foam noodle.
2. Cut a piece of PVC pipe six inches long. This will be your hand-guard. Cut a notch in one side of this piece, in the center, and place it over the exposed length of PVC that is sticking out of the noodle. You should have a long, cross-shaped item in your hand, with the pool noodle covering the long piece of the cross. Cut a short piece of noodle and stick it on the short end of the cross, so that the entire vertical length is covered in foam noodle, and the short horizontal piece of PVC (the hand-guard) is visible.
3. Use the duct tape to secure the hand-guard to the pommel. Cover the entire sword in as much duct tape as you can possibly use. Do it neatly, wrapping everything tightly. When you get to the end of the sword -- the part that may make contact with a child's body -- cut a strip of bubble wrap and wrap it around the end of the sword. Secure this in place with duct tape as well. Don't squash the bubble wrap down -- if it goes flat, it's going to hurt a lot more when someone gets hit.
4. Use a pin to poke a few holes in the tape over the bubble wrap. This will allow air to escape when there's impact, and makes the tip of the sword a little softer.
