So there are a lot of new faces at the park and a lot of them are asking how to build things. Todays lesson is your basic (cheap) version of how to build a boffer. It will probably not last more than a few months of use but it's by far the quickest way to build a sword.

I prefer to build up my pommel then move towards sword construction as this tells me exactly how long my blade can be and still be within the limits of whatever size I'm going for. I prefer small pommels that end just past the base of my core as this gives me better reach with the weapon. I typically build my pommel onto an uncut core, then cut the core to length based on what I plan on making (short, long, etc) in general you'll have roughly 2-4 inches of foam in total on the ends of your blade so cut your core 2-4 inches shorter than the max length allowed for the weapon you're building (32-34 inches for short swords for example).

What you'll need:
1 core of your choice (bamboo, kitespar, golf club, I do not recommend pvc)
Green camp foam (Jones surplus typically has this for 10 dollars a roll)