Katana Sword Prop with Sword Rack

cults3d

This sword was designed by DETHU Guillaume. I have obtained the author's authorization for making these modifications and sharing them with the community. Many thanks to DETHU Guillaume. The sword design was inspired by the Bride's katana from Kill Bill movies. I initially created this project as a gift for a friend who loves such things. To make it more 3D printable, I made some changes to the original CAD files, reinforcing weak points and creating an internal reinforcement system using M3 rods to handle the sword. The STL files are attached with a PDF file containing the part list and assembly instructions. You will need 1.5 meters of M3 rods, two M3x35mm FlatHead screws, good quality plastic glue, at least two or three sandpapers with different grain, spray paint to your liking, and most importantly, a lot of time and patience. Print the blade and scabbard in ABS or ASA to be able to sand them. Assemble it first and sand it several times to remove any imperfections or glue spots and marks. Use epoxy resin or repair putty if necessary for major imperfections, repeating the sanding process. Only paint those two parts when you are satisfied with their smoothness. I printed the blade and scabbard in Fillamentum ASA. The remaining parts were printed in PLA from Fillamentum: Ivory for the handle, collars, and pommel, Gold Happens for the guard, and Vertigo Grey for the rest. For the handle, I used cord purchased on Aliexpress ("Ito Rope"). My cord had a 1cm width and 420cm length. For wrapping, search for "ito wrapping tutorial" on YouTube and fill yourself with patience to wrap it away... (I used cheats and held the wrapping with sewing pins to help). You can do this part differently and with other materials. For the sword rack, I used a simple wooden board and two supports designed by me. I used 450x130mm, but you can make it bigger if desired. Paint the board or protect it with varnish to your liking. Print the two sword rack thingys, making sure to test their position before screwing them into place. I used velcro tape (soft/loop side) to protect the sword from scratches. Warning: Tell your friends several times that this is not a real sword for swinging around violently. (Even if they secretly have ninja training or something.) The internal reinforcements significantly improve general resistance and handling, but do not perform miracles. This is a prop sword; it will surely break if used for showmanship of sword skills. Sigh... Yeah, you probably guessed it: the sword I made got broken in an enthusiastic display of ninja skills from the person who received it. Glue again, lots of sanding, and repainting fixed it!