To get started, you need tools:
- carpenter's axe
- big strong knife
- maller knife
- coarse sandpaper
Tolkienists and other roleplayers make frostmourne sword from wood, less often from special materials (mostly professional realistic swords made of special plastic and solid handle).
Choose sword type
It can be a big thick two-handed sword for fierce tournaments,
The swords can be either a big fat two-handed sword for fierce tournaments, a medium long kendo sword, a light one-handed sword (which looks great with two hands!), a scimitar or an assassin's dagger.
Once decided, see if the type of blade chosen is straight and symmetrical, the balance and strength of the handle is important; in the other case it is specific to each other type.
The diameter of the handle should not be less than 4 - 5 cm. Note: the weakest point is between the beginning of the handle and the beginning of the blade.
Wood type
It is best to use sturdy dry pine, but never wet! Oak and other sturdy woods will do. Basically, if the sword is decorative any material will do, but if you make it from raw pine with the battles in mind, put it in a warm dry place for a week first. I also suggest looking for thick shovel sticks-they're sold at hardware stores and at wounds. This is probably the sturdiest solution for wood, but this option is not suitable for all types of blades.
Determine Sword Length
The general length of a two-handed sword is just below the chest, for a long sword it's to the stomach or just above, for a short blade it's to the waist. Below that are already daggers.
The length of the handle for a two-handed sword is determined as follows: girdle the handle with both hands 2 times, i.e. 4 girdles. For a simple long sword maybe a little less. For a one-handed sword, 2 girths. There is a thickening at the end of the hilt, at the beginning, closer to the blade too.
Choose a suitable material
It should be strong enough and preferably not damp ( wood can be heavy, in fact a metal sword is many times heavier ).
Start stumping with the axe, from the beginning of the blade, moving towards the end.
Then a little lower, from the beginning of the handle to the end of the handle. Make sure that there are no thin spots, sharp transitions or sharp spots.
Sharp transitions are acceptable only at the thickenings at the end of the handle, and sometimes at the beginning of the blade. But this often serves to create "dangerous" places of possible fracture. Very, very often the sword will break in this place.
Watch out for the absence of thin places in the blade, especially in the middle and closer to the end. A gentle thinning at the end of the blade is acceptable. Do not make the blade sharp - it can lead to injuries! Especially do not sharpen the tip of the blade! Try to round off the dangerous areas smoothly.
Next, you can carve embossed patterns, outline the handle, and make some serifs on the blade.
Work with sandpaper, preferably coarse sandpaper, this will avoid splinters and discomfort, as well as give roundedness to some parts.