LARP Boffer Sword Pommel Base and Handle

When building a sword or other weapon for use in LARP or Fantasy Battlegaming, such as Amtgard, Belegarth, or Dagorhir, you typically construct your weapon on a core that's skinnier than your preferred handle size. These models provide a way to add a nice handle section at low weight-cost and additionally offer pommel sections that provide a base onto which it's easy to add a layer or two of foam in one direction and boom! instant legal-dimensions pommel.

I've included flatblade and omni models and each has a version for .524 kitespar, .505 kitespar, 3/8" square fiberglass, and 3/8" round fiberglass. I've also included pommels only for 0.75" (generic for ¾" bamboo or fiberglass or whatever else) and ½" Sched. 40 PVC. If you want another size, drop me a comment!

See the pictures for a visual guide on how these pieces work together, but the short version is: print how ever many sections of handle you need for your handle length, then slip them over the handle section of the core. You'll want to add a piece or two of tape to the core to make things fit nice and snug, depending on your printer tolerances. Then, tape the handle thickeners and pommel sections to the core/blade/whatever and each other and add foam to the bottom of the pommel to complete. I usually wrap everything in hockey tape (I like Renfrew) afterward for a clean look and nice grippiness.

Note: The handle sections are designed to not fit together snugly. There's supposed to be some play. This is to prevent stress concentrations, where you've stiffened the handle section of your core to the point that the stress of striking fractures the core right above the handle.

Print Settings: Print this in PLA (probably fine) or PETG or Nylon if you want it extra tough. Give it 4+ walls on a 0.4mm nozzle, and similar tops/bottoms. I use 5% infill with double infill wall lines (Infill line multiplier 2 in Cura) and that seems to work fine. Print them standing up in the obvious way (or ask Auto-orientation to orient them for you).

Enjoy!

• Arrakis, Kingdom of Crystal Groves, Amtgard

PS: The CC-BY-SA license is pretty permissive! Feel free to print these for sale and to modify the files for your use, just remember to attribute me :D