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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2010 21:15:38 GMT
Ok, so one of my best friends has a daughter, age 2. She was out watching us cut the other day and then she held her hands towards me and said "twiy twiy" (read "Try") as in her way of telling me that she wants to try to swing the sword.
Obviously, I didn't let her cuteness persuade me... this time.
But I got to thinking and she would have an absolute blast if she had her own sword and got to knock down bottles like the grown ups. I just can't think of a good material to use.
I don't want the thing to look cheap and would like it to last a while so if she does grow up to have an interest in swords, she can come on some forums, much like these, and say "Hey look! My first sword when I was 2!"
The best idea I have so far is get a 2x6 and carve out everything that is not a sword. Then wrap the grip in leather, maybe even make a scabbard for it too. Of course there would be no sharp points anywhere, and then I'd probably stain the blade after burning some heartfelt words into it.
But, I'm totally open to other ideas.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2010 22:23:14 GMT
How about start with a bokken a lot less work than starting with a plank, you would be starting out with something made of good hardwood instead of pine and you could use a waki bokken if that was long enough
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2010 22:41:55 GMT
Hey cool idea to help a kid out like that, though I would suggest not giving a 2 year old a wood sword. You want something padded for that young. Not just to protect other people, but to protect them. You don't want her wacking herself with a wood sword. You will be heart broken by those tears. At 2 yrs old kids just don't have the same coordination, and they are growing so fast that it is hard for them to keep up. You might try something like the Nerf N-force swords check out the review here on SBG /index.cgi?board=swordreviews&action=display&thread=15183&page=1If your goal is to give her a sword that will help her develop a love of swords latter in life these or others like them are a much better choice. I am sure you could cut one down if needed to give her something more to her size also.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2010 23:22:37 GMT
Padded only for a two year old. Think real hard about where her high thrust is going to land. The NERF swords are a bit stiff and should be used with supervision but would be your best bet. The swords in the review are still going strong with only mild wear and tear.
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Post by stromloswordsusa on Aug 10, 2010 23:46:10 GMT
Nerf be thy friend. My kids are used to seeing swords too - and I looked around before getting the Nerf swords. I have a 6 year old, a 3 year old and a boy who just turned two. They go at it pretty hard and have not managed to hurt each other too much (esp after I got a couple of those cheap plastic shields!). Fun for the whole family... Rob
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Post by randomnobody on Aug 11, 2010 0:03:31 GMT
My nephew and I used to go at it with plastic swords, back when he was 3 or 4. When Nerf came out with these things, I seriously considered picking some up, but they're just a tad too flimsy for my er...purposes.
...What?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 0:23:06 GMT
BTW don't forget to get more than one, she needs to be able to spar with her friends and family, right? Otherwise who knows what other sword like object might be used instead of a nice safe foam Nerf sword.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 1:09:22 GMT
you could also start with one of the Cold Steel training swords. grind down the Polypropylene on their hand and a half till it's a suitable everything. that way she can stick it under her dad's car without it breaking, and it starts out with a pommel, so you don't have to worry about attaching a pommel to the bokken.. And another reason is when it gets wet, the wood weakens, which won't happen with the rubber.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 1:13:08 GMT
Well, at this stage in her life, she's just coming into the "Let me do it" and since me and my friend don't hit each other with the swords, I don't think that she'll want to hit anyone else with the sword. Basically, I just want something that she can knock over an empty plastic bottle with, so she doesn't feel left out.
Oh, and Random, I don't know if you were looking at the same nerf swords that me and everyone else were, but the ones I've picked up in the toy section had a rather sturdy plastic core. I've really been tempted to get the axe tho, or hell, maybe even two bastard swords so I can spare with my buddies.
But before I go fabricating anything, I suppose I should clear it with her parents and see if they would have any problems with me arming their daughter.
Oh, and for the record, I'm not trying to start an early sword addiction or anything, She just seemed interested in doing what the grown ups were doing, and I figured that it would be another fun form of exercise. Also, the cutting vid's forum has been slow lately, and I thought I'd add a little cuteness to it with a 2 year old swordsman... er girl.
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Post by randomnobody on Aug 11, 2010 1:22:12 GMT
Oh, and Random, I don't know if you were looking at the same nerf swords that me and everyone else were, but the ones I've picked up in the toy section had a rather sturdy plastic core. I've really been tempted to get the axe tho, or hell, maybe even two bastard swords so I can spare with my buddies. The cores of the smaller swords is sturdy enough, but the "hilt" bits are soft and flimsy to my taste. Not to mention, the core is only "so" stiff. My nephew doesn't exactly hold back, and they do buckle. The broadswords, well...the core apparently only extends about halfway up those things, and the rest is just semi-hard foam rubber. The joint of the blade and guard is also quite floppy. As for the axes, well...they used to be better, but the last one I picked up had considerable bend to its edge, which was narrower than the first one I saw, and now they have a three-bladed "mace" thingy that's just slabs of rubber with some foam padding toward the base/staff. Blah. Back in my day, ...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 2:36:11 GMT
If she is only going to be doing it with adult supervision, just get a 3/4' dowel from any hardware store,make a guard out of a pool noodle and wrap it with duct tape.
It will be her sword but only for cutting parties. After the cutting the "sword" goes away until the next time.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 2:42:31 GMT
Giving a two year old anthing harder than a nerf sword is just asking for trouble!!!!!!!!! Mark my words. 3 months from now she's a completely different person. "She wouldn't hit anyone with it"? Really??? Come on. Kids change personality like clothes at this age. Please be responsible and use only foam.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 4:12:39 GMT
Giving a two year old anthing harder than a nerf sword is just asking for trouble!!!!!!!!! Mark my words. 3 months from now she's a completely different person. "She wouldn't hit anyone with it"? Really??? Come on. Kids change personality like clothes at this age. Please be responsible and use only foam. I have to agree, haven't you heard of the terrible twos!? Even the sweetest kid can get selfish and violent. As I had mentioned when recommending them, it is not just for the damage a wood sword might do to you or others. Kids have accidents and hit themselves, drop things, etc. The last thing you want is that cute girl crying and watch a giant welt form on her forehead after she swings, misses, and smacks her self in the head with the sword. Not to mention, honestly, selling parents on a wood sword will be harder than a Nerf one. A semi soft foam sword will be much more likely to get Parent approved.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 5:02:00 GMT
...my almost 3-year-old nephew and I fence with plastic golf clubs all the time. He seems to understand the concept of a gentle touch with the club for scoring points, rather than whacking people with it. At this point, I'd trust him with one of my wakizashi bokken if he was pointed at a bottle. Your mileage may vary.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 7:53:04 GMT
... she swings, misses, and smacks her self in the head with the sword. Are you kidding! I would have to hold back the laughter, and so would her parents. This kid isn't pampered. Well, she doesn't go playing with a toaster while bathing, but she climbs up on stuff and I used to try and stop her until her mother said, "Nah, she needs to learn that when she climbs on things and falls that it hurts." All within reason tho. Climbing on the back of the couch is one thing, climbing a ladder is another. What I might do is carve out a blade from a 2x6, or get a dowel and fashion a wooded guard, but then wrap the whole thing in pipe insulator. That way she can have fun with it now, and then when she's older, just take the foam off to have a nice wooden waster. My other option would be injection molding. I have a buddy who makes storm trooper armor for a hobby/living and he has everything that I would need. I'd just have to make the cast and then pay him for the material used. But I feel like wood has more sentimental value to it. Then again, if I had ANY of my plastic swords from when I was younger, they'd take the highest place of honor amongst my collection.
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Post by randomnobody on Aug 11, 2010 8:00:47 GMT
Injection molding sounds like unlimited potential waiting. All my best toy swords were broken by other, younger kids I was forced to "share" with and not allowed to get angry when they broke my favorite toys because "they don't know any better." Of course they didn't, that's why I wouldn't let them play with my toys in the first place! ...anyway, whatever you figure out, show us pictures.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 9:16:06 GMT
I vote for a padded Nerf sword. Something made of wood has too much potential to cause injury and break stuff.
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Post by randomnobody on Aug 11, 2010 10:17:03 GMT
Nerf has broken many things in a number of my houses, too. ...but it does hurt less to get hit with.
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Post by stromloswordsusa on Aug 11, 2010 13:10:36 GMT
My kids also have an extensive toy lightsaber collection (about 7 or 8 brought secondhand), but they hit just that bit harder than foam. With the foam they can swing pretty damn hard without injury.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2010 17:29:52 GMT
Of course they didn't, that's why I wouldn't let them play with my toys in the first place! Exactly! Sometimes children really do know better then adults.
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