Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Lara Croft

[Hekate]

While waiting to get everything I need for my Rocket Raccoon build, I've decided to start on Lara Croft. I'm currently building her ice axe.

After staring and analyzing every picture I could find of her's and of actual ice axes (read hours and hours while going cross eyed), I've drawn out what I see when I look at it. I will say I'm not that great at free hand, so I tried tracing over some handles. When that didn't work, I looked up previous temples and still wasn't satisfied. Free hand it was.

With that done, I traced the blades onto a box for a stronger templet. Once I had it cut out, I used foam board for the blade and used my Exacto. I cut out two of each blade and hot glued them together. I started sealing the edges with a putty to smooth it out and protect the serrated edge. That's where I'm at right now.

I have the handle traced out and plan to use wood for that. It will give it a good weight and rigidity I want.

Next will be the bow, but I'm not sure what I want to make that out of. Any ideas and suggestions? I will say that I'm on a budget and resin is out of the equation for now.

Since my iPad wants to act up and not post pictures, I'm going to try on my phone.

 

[Hekate]

Hekate

 

[division 6]

Looks like you are off to a good start.
I have a real DMM ice axe so if you need any pictures or measurements let me know.

For your bow doing the first one is the cheapest since all you need to do is find 5 or 6 long sticks from a tree then add your cording.

I'm sure you've already seen them but if not there are some excellent threads in the costuming section from some very talented ladies that would be happy to help you out.

 

[nomuse]

There's a tute on Instructables for making the first bow. http://www.instructables.com/id/55LB-Lara-Croft-Tomb-Raider-Bow-Halloween-Prop/ The recurve bow doesn't show up until you set off after the second pilot from the crashed rescue plane, so no problem carrying that one with the ice axe.

(But dangit, no matter how hard I minmax, I can't manage to get axe attacks before the first guy with a shield. Best I've gotten is Dodge Counter to use on him, and that required doing the DLC tomb).

 

[division 6]

I usually get the axe attack by the time I get to the radio room right before crossing the bridge in the snow heading to the radio tower.

 

[Hekate]

I've made a foam board handle for now until I can get wood. Also for anyone else who might want to do it this way. I traced and cut out four pieces for the handle. All this and the four pieces for the blade were done on one foam board ($1.50 at Walmart).

The blade pieces were hit glued together last night, sealed and sanded as well. Today I have cut the handle pieces and am sealing right now.

For two of the handle pieces I have left the top portion off to accommodate the blades. I have also cut out a channel in those two pieces, one reversed, to hold a dow rod that I had for curing ribbon when I made hair bows. The rod will give it more stability and rigidity. Once I put a second coat of sealer on I'm going to hot glue them together.

HINT: The hole in the bottom was difficult to cut with an Exacto, so I used my wood burning tool to burn out a circle. Be careful if you cut this part out as it will be very fragile. This is just my personal preference to have it.

I'm going to seal it again when all the pieces of the handle are glued together to fill in any gaps. No turning back now!

Also, thanks for all the suggestions and praise.




Hekate

 

[Hekate]

Okay fast build and not even going to say this is my best work, because I KNOW I can do better. Plus I'm finding the foam board is it my favorite thing to work with.

That part I was talking about the end being fragile... Yeah, one broke on me. But because I'm Drea, I improvised. Since it was one o the outer ones, I cut the other side of to make it appear recessed.

I've coated it a second time and I'm waiting for it to dry, then I will sand it. I placed the blades in for reference. I'm now thinking of using something else for the blades when I make the wooden handle.

I'm going to use fun foam to make the grooves but cutting all the way through then covering it.

I plan on putting silver duct tape (the metallic shiny one, not the every day kind) as a base before painting. That way when I give it its worn look the silver will show through.

For the handle I'm going to look at several things, including using thermal formed foam with a pattern pressed into it. The jury's still out for now.

So far this has been about a $5 project. Oh, and I'm doing all of this with twin three-year-old girls running around saying "Mommy, what you doing?" every few seconds. I'll be so glad when they start school...


Hekate

 

[Hekate]

Okay, update time. I have added fun foam with the grooves cut out and glued them to the handle. After that I added the HVAC duct tape I had left over from repairing our oven/stove vent. It looks kind of craptacular right now, but I'm hoping when I finally get to paint it it starts to look better.

I have decided how to make the recurve bow. I'm taking 3/4 inch PVC pipe left over from the sprinkler system. I cut about a 5 foot section, measured half way down and marked it. I then measured 3-4 inches from the center on either side. Then from the top I measures 6, 7, and 8 inches (this may be modified later) as well as from the bottom. Once I get a heat gun, I'm going to heat from the line that's 3-4 inches from the center to the end and flatten it. I'll repeat on the other side making sure to keep it as straight and level as possible. I'll then heat the center area and, with the flat sides facing me, grab it to form the grip.

I'll heat the ends and bend and curve them to the shape I want. I could make this into a functioning bow when I'm not Cosplaying, but for the time I am I will use either an elastic cord or or something similar.

I'm going to use a matte white primer to cover it from top to bottom, front and back. I'll then use a deep brown or a stain over that. I plan on wrapping the grip with a wide rawhide strip.

 

[Hekate]

 

[Twitcher24]

Did you get any further with this in the end?