Amtgard legal Katana
Tips from players
It's been a while since I've had to make a pvc core katana, but it's a good way to start, as it's cheap and will get your arm strength up.
Direct heat will often lead to bends that are too sharp, uneven, and prone to breakage...if you're a perfectionist like me, you'll go thru a lot of pvc this way. I've found the best methodology is to cut it down to size and boil some water on the stove. Cap off one end temporarily (a cork or stopper is perfect). Pour in the water and cap off the other end. WARNING! Boiling water is hot, don't be dumb. Hold the two ends and let the heat and gravity do their thing, slowly. When the bend is sufficient, dump out the water and immediately run the core under some cold water to set it. It might take a try or two, if the water is too hot the core will buckle a little, making it weak, and if it's too cold it won't bend.
Ultimately, tho, there's no need to use pvc...a golf shaft will make a great katana...just gotta get the right foam and bend it around the shaft, not vice versa. I've never seen laminate fiberglass cores not give under the pressure.
Live, Love, Learn!-Chiba
I found some links that might help you out, all of them are from electric samurai, and they are all old threads. I'm also assuming that you want to make a flatblade katana with a curved core.
You can also use pvc as a core, and gently heat it, bend it slightly and let it cool. -Alona
