My darling wife is allergic to latex, so I’m not allowed traditional LARP weapons in the house.
I’m interested in good phys reps for wands and rods. I’m happy to look at both LARP combat safe and not options (I’m mostly non combatant due to the inability to practice due to lack of weapons). The big challenge is “without any latex in them”.
I am not a crafting type, so would be looking to buy and not make one myself.
So, what can people suggest? Links? Etsy shops? LARP weapon making gurus who want a challenge?
It’s common for weapon-makers to put a layer of clear colourless isoflex-primer (NOT isoflex itself) over the latex to protect it. That would protect people from the latex too, but I suppose there would still be a small risk.
Years ago at the Maelstrom game I saw a few weapons painted/coated with plastidip instead of latex. I don’t know which version of plastidip it was (they have different properties), and I don’t know how well it lasted; certainly I didn’t see those weapons for more than two or three events, but maybe the owners stopped playing, and most of those weapons had curved cores of unconventional construction, so the cores might have failed. I think it’s harder to get a good metal-look effect with plastidip, but for a wand or rod that’s not so relevant. On the forum that people used at the time, Sean (of Skian Mhor, long-established larp-weapons and props company) said that latex was best and that he had tried all sorts of things.
Your best bet is probably to talk to any maker whose weapons you like and whose reliability you trust, and see if they’re willing to have a go. Maybe with plastidip, maybe mixing pigment into isoflex-primer, maybe using plain acrylic paint on the foam and then a clear isoflex-primer coating, or maybe they can think of something else.
I recently made a couple of bucklers without using a drop of latex, and I’m looking to continue on with my weapon attempts (got two axes and a mace down so far, and a hammer in the planning stages). I can’t comment on how long they’re going to last since they’re brand new and no longer in my hands, but they certainly felt pretty darn sturdy.
If non-larp safe, non combat, then a chunk of wood is perfectly allowable in Anvil, and is quite common for Mage staffs as they can then double as walking sticks. There are some beautiful carved ones out there, one with a maze design etched into it, several with collections of feathers, ribbons and the like tied round them. Most are hand made I think so whatever your imagination can come up with.
I have used plastidip on larp arrows. It’s pretty durable, but not so easy to get realistic looking finishes that the commercial weapons makers get using latex and isoflex. It does come in brown, which you could use as a base, you can use acrylic paint to decorate and then put a couple of layers of clear plastidip on top which would probably look OK. Can’t help you with sorting out cores and fancy foam construction as arrows don’t need that!
I’ve been using some stuff called Flexipaint, which advertises itself as being a latex-free alternative for foam things. It’s pretty tough, but it still needs a coat of isoflex, though. When I tested it (the gold, anyway), it reacted the same way PVA did with water - turning white and a bit goopy, then drying normalish again. I’ve not had chance to test anything in the field yet, though.
I got a busted up 42" sword from a freecycle at Maelstrom and decided to restore it using Plastidip as an experiment. I haven’t used it much, but it’s held up for 4 years and hasn’t gone “crunchy” like old latex tends to. I used black for that Obsidian Dread Sword look, and didn’t bother with a clear layer, just multiple coats.
So you could always look for a worn but still safe weapon and then repaint it that way.
We use plastidip at times. Generally for smaller weapons and also for horns.
I use this stuff, ussually in brown or black
Plastidip
I apply a layer of primer first. When you add the plastidip to a basket it asks you if you want the correct primer and tells you what that is.
We then paint over the top with acrylic paint mixed with prosaide (2:1 ratio). Airbrush with acrylic ink.
It can be isoflexed.
You use pax? Interesting: I’ve only encountered that as being used for make-up on skin.
But there it stays very sticky even after drying, so it needs a setting-powder.
Do you find that?
Maybe it depends on the type and consistency of the acrylic paint…
While watching punishedprops on youtube I discovered neoprene paint. Which is an alternate to latex for weapons and stuff. I think plastidip is a variant of that. It may be hard to source the paint in the uk.