Making a LARP-Safe EVA Weapon

LARP-Safe EVA Weapon Material List

This guide is intended to show the process of making a LARP-Safe EVA Weapon that can be used at Veil of Ashes.

When making EVA Foam weapons there are several methods in terms of tools and handle materials. The list below will include the least expensive material while still maintaining the safety standards. If you have access to things like a belt sander, bandsaw, or router table they can be used for shaping the foam blank in replace of some of the other items listed below.

Other Materials:

• Gaff Tape
• Contact Cement
• Resin or Epoxy
• Hot Glue
• Sand Paper
• Utility Knife / Craft Knife
• Handel Materials
  • PVC Pipe
  • Wooden Tool Handle
  • 2lb. or 3lb. EVA Foam
  • Handle Grip (below are some examples of ways to cover the handle, however it is not an all inclusive list.)
    • Tennis/Hocky Grip Tape
    • Leather

LARP-Safe EVA Weapon Making Process

When making an EVA Weapon it is important to remember that we have strict standards on these weapons so that they remain safe for use at our game. Making your own EVA Weapon is an Art/Skill that takes time to master, and it is not uncommon for someone’s first attempts to fail the safety standards of our game, even when following the process below. Crafting this type of weapon also takes time to be done properly as there are several different steps in the process and cutting corner will result in a weapon that will not hold up to the combat at our game. Safety to our players is the number one priority.

The Core

The cores of EVA weapons will vary based on the type of weapon that you are making, for Daggers, Small Weapons, & 1-Handed weapons, we require a 3/8” Fiberglass Solid Core Rod. While for a 2-Handed Weapon, including Spears and Staves, we require ½” Fiberglass Hollow Core Rods.

The Rod must be cut to length and then both ends will need to be rounded to eliminate any sharp edges. After sanding the pommel end is capped with a 3/8” Vinyl End Cap. The striking tip should be capped with a piece of Clear Vinyl Tubing. The Clear Vinyl Tubing should be cut to a minimum of 2” so that at least 1” of the fiberglass core is covered by the Tubing, and then the remainder extends past the end of the Fiberglass core by at least 1”. Once in place, the end of the clear tubing should be filled with hot glue. This process is beneficial for 2 reasons, first and foremost is the safety of our players, this adds a level of protection and makes the end of the core flexible. This flexibility allows for a safer weapon and helps prevent wear and tear on the foam.

Designing the Blade & LARP-Safe EVA Weapon Body

The first step in the process of making the blade for an EVA foam weapon is to make a blank. This is done by layering at least 3 layers of 2 lb. EVA foam with a minimum thickness of 3/8” foam for each layer. It is recommended that your middle layer of foam matches the size of your Core to make the assembly process easier.

When designing your weapon, there are a few minimum thicknesses that you should account for:

Assembling the LARP-Safe EVA Weapon Blank

Once the blank has been designed, it is time to assemble it. The first step in this process is to cut a channel in the middle layer of EVA foam to fit your core. Once the channel is cut, the core can be inserted and glued into place. For this step it is recommended to use either hot glue or contact cement, but other glues can be used here as well. The goal is to attach the core to the EVA foam in a permanent manner so that the core cannot twist or move inside the blank.

Once the core has been attached to the middle layer of your EVA foam, a piece of gaff tape needs to be applied to reinforce where the clear vinyl tubing and foam meet on both sides. This helps add an additional level of resistance, so the core doesn’t penetrate the side of the weapon over time.

With the core attached and reinforced, the additional layers of EVA foam can be attached using contact cement. When completing this step, it is important to be sure to completely cover the surface of both pieces of foam with the contact cement and allowing it enough time for it to dry before firmly pressing the 2 pieces together. Any areas that did not receive contact cement will not properly adhere which will create issues in the next step.

Now that you have the weapon blank created, you can shape the foam into shape using a combination of cutting and sanding. It is always a good idea to mark out your design on the foam before cutting, and to ensure that you are meeting the requirements from the chart above. When you start shaping the striking surface it is important that you bevel the edges but not taking them to a sharp edge. Instead leave about a 1/8” blunted edge along all striking surfaces. This prevents the edge from getting too hard when you apply the Plasti-dip.

Design Details and Maker’s Mark

Now that you have the weapon shaped you can attach additional details to the weapon using 2lb craft foam sheets in the design of your choosing.

In addition to the design details, it is recommended that you also include a physical Maker’s Mark on your weapon so that we can identify who made it. The Maker’s Mark should be something unique to you, can be placed anywhere on the weapon, cross guard, or pommel as to not interfere with your design.

Making the Pommel and Cross Guard

The Cross Guard can be constructed out of 2lb. or 3lb. EVA foam, and then glued to the blade if it is not designed into the blade itself.

The Pommel can also be crafted out of either 2lb. or 3lb. EVA foam, however depending on what material you choose there are requirements on the pommel size.
• If you choose to use 2lb. EVA foam, the pommel needs to extend past the end of the core by at least 2”.
• If you choose to use 3lb. EVA foam, the pommel needs to extend past the end of the core by at least 1”.

When ready, the pommel can be glued to the end of the core or handle using hot glue.

Coating/Protecting the Weapon

All foam should be coated with between 5 and 8 layers of plasti-dip. This provides a durable exterior surface that will extend the life of the foam and protect it from the weather.

When applying the layers of plasti-dip, each layer should be allowed to completely dry based on the package recommendation prior to applying the next layer. Continue this step until you have achieved the desired number of layers and you have a smooth surface to paint.

Constructing and Attaching the Handle

When designing your weapon one element that you can work with is the handle this can be made from hard foam, wood, or even shaped PVC pipe filled with hot glue or epoxy.
*All handles should be completely solid and should not contain any metal weights or other devices such as electronics/batteries. If using PVC pipe, it needs to be filled with hot glue or epoxy so there are no voids in the handle.

We also recommend that you use a strong glue such as epoxy when attaching the handle to the core.

After the handle is attached to the core, it can then be covered with grip tape, leather, or cloth based on your design choice/preference.

LARP-Safe EVA Weapon Examples

Simon LeGood

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