One of the most well-remembered props in the How to Train Your Dragon movies is Astrid's double bladed axe. I decided I wanted to make this prop so I watched a million cosplay, comic con, freelance-prop-builder, tutorials online and decided to build it out of EVA foam. It sill be sturdy, light, easy to paint, and realistic enough.
First attempt at a pattern failed. It was too small, underwhelming, and anticlimactic. SO . . . round two! I created a second pattern that was atrociously large, ran it past Miriam (Astrid) who gave the green light. So I went with it--hoping it wouldn't look humorously big in the end.
I cut out four pieces on thick 1/2inch EVA foam mats and sanded the textured side so it would take glue. My awesome cousins helped with this part. Thanks Guys!
After that, I sharpened the blade's with an electric carving knife, added a PVC pipe handle with a rubber table-leg top, and glued it together.
I use this DAP contact cement from Lowes. It smells like furniture finish and makes your nose run so I use it out in the workshop, not in the house.
To secure the rubber-table-leg top between the blades, I attached it with hot glue and contact cement and then used plaster to fill the cracks and smooth the edges around it.
24 hours later, THIS is what it looked like: assembled and dry and ready to paint. Painting the thing was my favorite part. Up until this point I was working with foam and plastic pipe. But, add a coat of paint and I'm magically working with metal and wood.
First step: I spray-painted the entire head and handle a chrome color. A couple coats of this was all it took to give it a new, polished-metal look. But I wanted a buffeted, roughened, weather-worn look so . . .
Second Step: I took silver spray paint, sprayed it onto a rag (my designated Spray-Paint-Rag) and buffed the entire head and handle, smearing the paint over the whole thing. Then, Last Step: I painted the handle brown with simple acrylic craft paint to give it a leather-look.
And there it is. In the very capable hands of Ruff-Nut herself (wearing Hockskull's helmet). I am super proud of this piece. The best part was when I showed Miriam the final product. After the initial "Wow" and "That's so cool!," she said, "Does anyone feel like being executed?" We all laughed. I hope the axe gives her a sense of power: -the self-assured dominance that Astrid has.
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