Boffer weapons began with
simple construction.
Swords are constructed
with a shaft of 3/4th inch PVC plumbing pipe cut to whatever length
you choose. They are wrapped in 1 inch insulation padding and then duct taped
with a fair amount of compression. Be sure not to wrap too tightly or too
loose, as this will increase the degradation of your padding. (Constantly
smashing against someone else’s weapon breaks down padding regardless, but
improper wrapping speeds this.) Be sure to leave bare pipe at the base for your
hilt (handle), which you can then wrap in tape, cloth, rope or whatever. For
safety reasons it became clear that the pommel (tip of the handle) should also
have padding on it as well. Stories abound of men with crescent shaped scars to
prove they’ve been hit with bare pipe from someone’s pommel. Tip and pommels
should have at least one and a half to two inches of padding above and beyond
the end of the pipe. (It’s also a good idea to tape over the holes of the pipe
to stop the padding from sinking into the shaft.)
These weapons are what I
consider the “bronze” age of boffer weapons. They appear to be nothing more
than they are. Pipe wrapped in insulation and duct tape. This is why boffer
fighting had (has) little respect. Seeing a bunch of people running around with
glorified nerf toys did little to earn us respect. This design (with 1 inch
pipe and appropriately larger padding) is great for bo staffs, tonfas and
actual sticks, but it has little to do with real sword fighting. With a
completely round weapon, every part counts as an edge. This is for children.
And then came the flat
blade.
Fighters began to dress
accurately to the time period, but when they looked at themselves in the
mirror, they could not draw their eyes from the “noodle” weapons at their
sides. They began to search for alternative materials for “blacksmithing.” Flat
blades began with the “discovery” of foam block padding and camp padding. By
properly applying these materials to PVC pipe, you could alter the shape of
your weapon and approach a semblance of realism. Now we had an “edge” to
determine a front and a back and a side for the weapon. More skill was required
to wield a weapon that could not deliver a wound with anything accept for it’s
edge.
Creating weapons became an
art, instead of something that anyone with a few bucks could do. Pipe began to
be manipulated as well. Melting it, shaping it into Katanas and scimitars. A
true blacksmith of boffer weapons could actually begin to charge money for
services that the average person was not capable of. To learn this art, one had
to practice alone or be trained. This also added some realism to the world of
boffer fighting.
Safety is PARAMOUNT. The
following are just a few DON’TS to avoid when making weapons.
Do NOT use metal inside
the PVC pipe. While weighting a weapon is sometimes a good idea, one should
never use anything inside or outside of the weapon that could injure an
opponent in any real way.
Do not leave any bare pipe
when making a throwing weapon. Any part of a weapon that is meant to, or could,
come into contact with an opponent should always be padded with at least 1/2 of
and inch of padding. True damage inflicting areas of the weapon should have a
full inch. One must remember that the padding will shrink under the pressure of
the duct tape and the punishment of the battle.
Do not use electrical
tape. Sure, everyone loves the Crow, but electrical tape is for wounds, not
weapons. It gets sticky when humidity and your sweat trickles down into it.
Then it gets loose and falls apart. Not to mention that it is thicker and hurts
more. Remember, not everyone who fights can deal with pain as well as the next.
Do not allow your pipe to
bubble when you are melting it. If it bubbles, throw it out. It has become too
weak and will break. When melting pipe, it is best to simply warm it and bend
it into position slowly. Melting it until it wiggles is a bad idea.
Always check your weapon
before you bring it onto the field. Squeeze the length of the “blade” and check
it for damaged sections. You should NOT be able to feel pipe. If you can feel
pipe, your weapon is illegal and CANNOT be used. “Stitch” style padding is
sometimes acceptable. This means taking a scrap of padding and placing it over
the damaged area, then taping it down. This looks tacky, unless no one notices,
but it will do for a quick fix. But stitching up a weapon is only a quick fix
at best. To some it is illegal. You should, at your first opportunity, totally
re-pad the weapon.
When storing a boffer
weapon, be sure not to set anything on top of it. This is a real must for those
who leave their weapons in the trunk of their car. Do not hang them over
something, like a seat. In sunlight, long weapons, such as staffs, will bend
and stay bent in a matter of minutes. Even on cold, dark days a weapon is in peril.
Treat them as if they were precious. Re-padding a weapon is expensive if it
becomes habit. (Not to mention, a re-padded weapon is never the same as the
original)
Try not to get boffer
weapons wet, as this could lead to soggy padding that may never seem to dry.
Keep mud and sand off of them at all times, since this flotsam and jetsam could
end up in your opponents eyes and seriously harm them.