<p>It looks like it's meant to be translucent, even illuminated inside. So I'd be tempted to look into casting silicone for the blade, with a hollow core of the right colour, illuminated. Hollow saves weight as well as giving you somewhere to put the LEDs. To do that you'd make a positive master out of softwood and then a mould from that.  Making that blade shape from a single piece of softwood is the work of an hour or two with jigsaw, plane and sander. I'm half way through making a toy sword from softwood:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ZfiCI.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ZfiCI.jpg" alt="Sword in progress"></a></p>

<p>Another option to try would be working plastic (acrylic or polycarbonate) directly but it's hard to shape with a plane and you won't achieve the 3d shape of the blade with just a saw.</p>

<p>I'm not saying it couldn't be done with thermoplastic, but not by melting - you can't achieve the temperature control to avoid burning unless you've got very fancy kit. And it's the wrong shape to vacuum form. What you probably could do is make a a blade from several sheets solvent bonded together to give a stepped cross-section then sand out the steps. Lots of plastic dust means you'd need good dust extraction.  I've just been sanding some plastic sheet (probably acrylic) to clean up cut edges and make a frosted surface, and it doesn't sand very quickly.</p>

<p>The simple and cheap option is just make it out of softwood and rely on an impressive paint job to get all the colour effects. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T09:57:32.987Z
I was maybe thinking of using LEDs to make the light effect, and let's say that paint isn't the place where i'm the best. And if i understand correctly, thermoplastics isn't a viable option right ?

I also heard that transparent worbla could work but i wasn't sure about that.
Enzof2003
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T12:24:21.227Z
I'm going to try with some softwood and maybe some other materials, thank for the help
Enzof2003
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T14:17:15.563Z
I wonder about UV LEDs in the guard and flourescent paint.  I've put my previous long comment in the answer, along with a photo of the sword I'm making for my daughter
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T17:54:59.293Z
A thought on using thermoplastic--you can use fairly thin material if it gets rigidity from the shape (hollow with a little bit of a diamond shaped cross section).  That can be done without vacuum forming by combining two half shells.  Make a wooden form the shape of half the thickness of the cavity (flat on the bottom, with a triangular cross section; you can even get a little fancy at the tip by beveling the end a little).  Cut blanks from plastic sheet a little wider and longer than the form.  Use a heat gun on both sides of the plastic to soften it until it's limp.  (cont'd)
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T17:55:04.860Z
Then lay it on the form and continue to heat the top surface until it sags around the form.  If you really want to get fancy, make a mating form that's larger by the thickness of the plastic.  With the plastic very soft, press the second form on top and put some weight on it until the plastic cools.  Solvent weld the two halves on the lip of excess material.  Then trim away all but a tiny lip, and that can even be tapered to continue the contour.  You can stick LED lights in the cavity.
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T18:56:04.657Z
@fixer1234 I've never tried that method, though I have done some vacuum forming in the past. Maybe your comments combine into a rival answer. I'd be tempted to heat the plastic in the oven if it would fit. A couple of line bent projects recently have scorched trying to use a heat gun, before the plastic has softened all the way through
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T19:33:04.243Z
Yeah, with a heat gun, you need a low setting, some distance from the plastic, and need to keep it moving over all the plastic, both sides.  It's a slow process, allowing the plastic to soften all the way through.  You can do it on an insulating surface, like a sheet of plywood.  Warm one side, flip it over, warm the other; rinse and repeat until the plastic goes very limp.  The thinner the plastic, the easier it is.  Even clamshell packaging, which is pretty thin, can be rigid enough for this if it has some shape.  (cont'd)
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T19:33:10.017Z
It's easier to get scorching if you're doing line bends.  Your answer was already good, and more practical if you don't do this kind of thing regularly.  I upvoted yours and figured this could just be a supplement.
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-30T08:52:37.380Z
Cosplay weapons are usually oversized. I'm afraid such an amount of silicone would be too heavy (and probably too expensive).
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-30T09:54:35.990Z
@Elmy, that's a good point, but the core I mentioned (for stiffening) could be hollow.  It could reach most of the way down and gives somwhere to put the LEDs
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-29T08:05:07.547Z
2019-09-30T09:55:33.003Z
2019-09-30T09:55:33.003Z
Chris H
<p>A week ago, I wanted to try to create a prop for a cosplay. The weapon I choose was the Gehaburn from Neptunia:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/JqTVOl.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/JqTVOl.png" alt="gehaburn"></a></p>

<p>I was able to find how to do most of the prop, apart from the blade. I searched online for some inspiration and was able to find someone who managed to create a very good looking one, created by <a href="https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/dac417d4841fec0f5321404b61dae496/5E014858/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/28156990_426341927808146_6115981443219849216_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com&amp;_nc_cat=102" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Alucard</a>:  </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/xLcGNm.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/xLcGNm.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>  </p>

<p>My question is: What material could be used to create this kind of glass-like effect, or what material did Alucard use?</p>

<p>The material would need to be : </p>

<ul>
<li>Inexpensive (creating it on a budget)</li>
<li>Easy to work with </li>
<li>Durable and water-proof </li>
</ul>

<p>Does anyone know a material which fits these criteria?</p>

<material-selection><material-identification>
What glass-like material to use for a weapon prop?
Enzof2003
# What glass-like material to use for a weapon prop?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-09-28)

A week ago, I wanted to try to create a prop for a cosplay. The weapon I choose was the Gehaburn from Neptunia:

[![gehaburn](https://i.sstatic.net/JqTVOl.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/JqTVOl.png)

I was able to find how to do most of the prop, apart from the blade. I searched online for some inspiration and was able to find someone who managed to create a very good looking one, created by [Alucard](https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/dac417d4841fec0f5321404b61dae496/5E014858/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/28156990_426341927808146_6115981443219849216_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=102):

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/xLcGNm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/xLcGNm.jpg)

My question is: What material could be used to create this kind of glass-like effect, or what material did Alucard use?

The material would need to be :

* Inexpensive (creating it on a budget)
* Easy to work with
* Durable and water-proof

Does anyone know a material which fits these criteria?

**Tags:** material-selection, material-identification


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-09-29. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

It looks like it's meant to be translucent, even illuminated inside. So I'd be tempted to look into casting silicone for the blade, with a hollow core of the right colour, illuminated. Hollow saves weight as well as giving you somewhere to put the LEDs. To do that you'd make a positive master out of softwood and then a mould from that. Making that blade shape from a single piece of softwood is the work of an hour or two with jigsaw, plane and sander. I'm half way through making a toy sword from softwood:

[![Sword in progress](https://i.sstatic.net/ZfiCI.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/ZfiCI.jpg)

Another option to try would be working plastic (acrylic or polycarbonate) directly but it's hard to shape with a plane and you won't achieve the 3d shape of the blade with just a saw.

I'm not saying it couldn't be done with thermoplastic, but not by melting - you can't achieve the temperature control to avoid burning unless you've got very fancy kit. And it's the wrong shape to vacuum form. What you probably could do is make a a blade from several sheets solvent bonded together to give a stepped cross-section then sand out the steps. Lots of plastic dust means you'd need good dust extraction. I've just been sanding some plastic sheet (probably acrylic) to clean up cut edges and make a frosted surface, and it doesn't sand very quickly.

The simple and cheap option is just make it out of softwood and rely on an impressive paint job to get all the colour effects.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I was maybe thinking of using LEDs to make the light effect, and let's say that paint isn't the place where i'm the best. And if i understand correctly, thermoplastics isn't a viable option right ?  I also heard that transparent worbla could work but i wasn't sure about that.  
> **username_0**: I'm going to try with some softwood and maybe some other materials, thank for the help  
> **username_1**: I wonder about UV LEDs in the guard and flourescent paint.  I've put my previous long comment in the answer, along with a photo of the sword I'm making for my daughter  
> **username_2**: A thought on using thermoplastic--you can use fairly thin material if it gets rigidity from the shape (hollow with a little bit of a diamond shaped cross section).  That can be done without vacuum forming by combining two half shells.  Make a wooden form the shape of half the thickness of the cavity (flat on the bottom, with a triangular cross section; you can even get a little fancy at the tip by beveling the end a little).  Cut blanks from plastic sheet a little wider and longer than the form.  Use a heat gun on both sides of the plastic to soften it until it's limp.  (cont'd)  
> **username_2**: Then lay it on the form and continue to heat the top surface until it sags around the form.  If you really want to get fancy, make a mating form that's larger by the thickness of the plastic.  With the plastic very soft, press the second form on top and put some weight on it until the plastic cools.  Solvent weld the two halves on the lip of excess material.  Then trim away all but a tiny lip, and that can even be tapered to continue the contour.  You can stick LED lights in the cavity.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 I've never tried that method, though I have done some vacuum forming in the past. Maybe your comments combine into a rival answer. I'd be tempted to heat the plastic in the oven if it would fit. A couple of line bent projects recently have scorched trying to use a heat gun, before the plastic has softened all the way through  
> **username_2**: Yeah, with a heat gun, you need a low setting, some distance from the plastic, and need to keep it moving over all the plastic, both sides.  It's a slow process, allowing the plastic to soften all the way through.  You can do it on an insulating surface, like a sheet of plywood.  Warm one side, flip it over, warm the other; rinse and repeat until the plastic goes very limp.  The thinner the plastic, the easier it is.  Even clamshell packaging, which is pretty thin, can be rigid enough for this if it has some shape.  (cont'd)  
> **username_2**: It's easier to get scorching if you're doing line bends.  Your answer was already good, and more practical if you don't do this kind of thing regularly.  I upvoted yours and figured this could just be a supplement.  
> **username_3**: Cosplay weapons are usually oversized. I'm afraid such an amount of silicone would be too heavy (and probably too expensive).  
> **username_1**: @username_3, that's a good point, but the core I mentioned (for stiffening) could be hollow.  It could reach most of the way down and gives somwhere to put the LEDs  

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