How to Make a Broad Wooden Sword

Wooden swords have been used for hundreds of years to train warriors and soldiers in the art of combat. The wooden Chinese broadsword, or Dao, is still used in modern Kung Fu classes when students attempt to master armed techniques. The wooden Dao must be made of high quality hardwood to achieve the proper weight and durability. It must be carved expertly for balance and appearance.

Things You'll Need

  • 3/4-inch by 3-inch oak or maple board, 2.5 feet
  • 2-inch by 3-inch oak or maple board, 7 inches
  • 3/8-inch by 3-inch oak or maple board, 3 inches
  • 3/8-inch diameter dowel rod
  • Electric jigsaw
  • Electric drill
  • 1/4-inch drill bit
  • Clamps
  • Wood glue
  • Wood stain
  • Polyurethane or linseed oil
  • Sandpaper
  • Hand plane
  • Wood carving knife or draw knife
  • Wood rasp
  • Belt sander or angle grinder with sanding disk
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Instructions

  1. Designing and Cutting the Pieces

    • 1

      Research images of broad swords to find a style and design that you like. Some swords have pronounced curves, re-curved handles and more mass towards the tip of the blade to help with balance.

    • 2

      Carefully draw the blade design onto the face of your 1-inch by 3-inch board.

    • 3

      Clamp your board to a workbench or table and cut out the shape of the blade with an electric jigsaw.

    • 4

      Draw the shape of your hand guard onto your piece of 1/2-inch by 3-inch board. This shape is usually circular or ellipsoid.

    • 5

      Cut out the hand guard piece with an electric jigsaw.

    • 6

      Draw the side profile of your handle on the 2-inch by 3-inch board.

    • 7

      Cut out the shape of the handle with your electric jigsaw.

    Carving, Shaping and Sanding

    • 8

      Tilt your blade onto its side with the spine resting on a table. Draw a line down the center of the blade's edge with a pencil or felt marker, all the way from the blade's base to its tip.

    • 9

      Clamp your blade piece to a workbench or table. Place your hand plane or draw knife against the blade edge of the sword, with the front pointed towards the tip. Tilt the plane and begin to run it along the edge, creating a bevel. A shallower angle is best to start, as it will create a much wider bevel. Stop planing when your bevel reaches the line in the middle of the blade's edge.

    • 10

      Turn over your blade and clamp it to a workbench or table. Create the bevel on the other side using your hand plane or draw knife. Stop when you have reached the center line. The edge in the center of the blade should be about 1/16-inch thick. If it is too thin, your wooden sword will have a weak edge. If it is too thick, the sword will not be aerodynamic enough to mimic a real sword.

    • 11

      Sand the edges of the sword and the bevel portion until the blade is uniform and smooth. You may choose to put a slight bevel on the back edge of the sword or add a "blood groove" along the length of the blade on both sides. Use a wood carving knife to add this decorative accent.

    • 12

      Shape the handle. You can use a wood rasp, belt sander or angle grinder for this job. The overall shape and size of your handle should depend greatly on what feels good in your hand. Round the edges first and then remove material using your rasp, belt sander or angle grinder until the handle is roughly the desired shape and size. Sand thoroughly with varying levels of sandpaper, starting with the most abrasive and working towards the finest grain.

    Assembling and Finishing

    • 13

      Mark the center point on the face of your hand guard piece. Fit your 3/8-inch drill bit into your electric drill and bore a hole straight down through the center point.

    • 14

      Mark the center point on the base edge of the blade piece. Make sure the point is not only in the center of the base's horizontal axis, but the vertical axis as well. This is the true center. Drill a hole two inches into the core of the blade, being careful to bore straight down so you do not damage the outside surface of the blade.

    • 15

      Find the true center point on the top edge of the handle piece. Because of the re-curved handle, you may want to clamp the piece in place so that you can drill straight down. Drill a hole at least one inch into the core of the handle, making sure you do not drill so deep that the bit breaks through the surface of the wood.

    • 16

      Cut a 3 1/2-inch piece of 3/4-inch dowel and fit it into the hole in the top of the handle piece. Slide the guard on to the handle next, followed by the blade. If the blade does not sit flush with the hand guard, remove the blade and sand down a portion of the dowel until the blade fits perfectly.

    • 17

      Remove the wooden peg and apply a generous amount of wood glue to the holes in the handle, blade and hand guard before fitting the pieces together again. Clamp the pieces in place and allow the sword to dry for 24 hours.

    • 18

      Test the sword for balance and durability and make any necessary alterations to the blade or handle. Sand the entire sword and remove any excess wood glue.

    • 19

      Apply several coats of wood stain until the desired color is reached, or leave the wood with its natural finish. Allow any stain to dry fully before applying several coats of polyurethane or linseed oil to seal and finish the wood