Req: will someone put a guide on how to mod this waster?

Jonathan_Kaplan · Post by **Jonathan_Kaplan** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:19 pm

So it seems that there is a remarkably cheap plastic waster out there, that uses the cold steel design. I saw a review of this thing a while back, which said it was great for the price, but that it had some comfort, handling, mass, and balance issues. So I was wondering: since these things are sooo incredibly cheap, could someone maybe get one and figure out how to modify it to reduce the flaws? It would be great to put a youtube guide up, perhaps?

http://budk.com/cold-steel-hand-and-a-h ... CS92BKHNH/

I mean, $45 after shipping... that is pretty cheap right?

Shane Smith · Post by **Shane Smith** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:27 am

The biggest plastic waster problem I've had experience with is the flex along the edge and the wierd bounciness they all seem to exhibit. They have paid for themselves in broken wasters by now though. I think the quirks are inherent to the materia lthey are made from. I don't know how you would retrofit a fix for that kind of thing.

Jonathan_Kaplan · Post by **Jonathan_Kaplan** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:12 pm

I thought the biggest problems with this particular model is that the balance isn't right, the sword part is a bit too massive?

Shane Smith · Post by **Shane Smith** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:40 am

Jonathan_Kaplan wrote:I thought the biggest problems with this particular model is that the balance isn't right, the sword part is a bit too massive?

I've never used that model. I'm speaking of plastic wasters in general.

Jason Taylor · Post by **Jason Taylor** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:00 pm

I've seen this one, though it's not quite a tutorial:

http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic ... c&start=20

I do think that some mods can be made to improve them without such a drastic change (I think this one needs a drill press). But just taking a rasp or a hadn file to the pointy edges would be a start. Some additional weight to the handle would be good. They do flex a bit along the edge, but I'm personally willing to put up with that, and it's unfixable, anyway.

The main problem with the Cold Steel wasters, IMO, is that the blade is massive and thick, and then the handle is too short and the whole thing ends up balancing 9-10 out from the cross. They are, however, just short of two pounds, so at least a half pound, maybe a full pound, could be added to the handle/cross area without making the thing far too heavy.

I plan on working on one of mine and trying to fix that balance problem soon. I'll keep yuo posted.

Jason

CalebSlagle · Post by **CalebSlagle** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:55 am

Yeah, I'm out to mod this thing too.

You know if you look at the cold steel demo videos you can see why they make their swords like they do. They swing everything, and I mean everything like a base ball bat when they test their products. I kid you not, the guy demoing all of the swords keeps his legs planted and winds up like a batter.

That’s why they make swords balanced like baseball bats!

I agree that taking off the sharp spots with a file and putting a bit of weight on the pommel would really add a lot of function to this thing. It seems like a really heavy bolt could be fixed into the pomel somehow.

Ryan Marcin · Post by **Ryan Marcin** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:35 am

CalebSlagle wrote:I agree that taking off the sharp spots with a file and putting a bit of weight on the pommel would really add a lot of function to this thing. It seems like a really heavy bolt could be fixed into the pomel somehow.

The My Armoury forum thread Jason posted includes a few pictures of a guy who lengthened the whole hilt by inserting a wooden spacer in the grip, based on an inserted threaded steel rod. I wonder how that affects the balance, because it could handle both problems: make it a proper longsword grip and shift the balance toward the guard.

CalebSlagle · Post by **CalebSlagle** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:43 am

Bah, that’s too much work. That project will turn into a monster let alone the long term sturdiness of the thing will go down.

I hope we can find a simpler solution.

Tony_Klabunde · Post by **Tony_Klabunde** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:09 am

I felt the bounciness of plastic.

I heard John a while ago give the cons of plastic. I will be going back to wood.

This is because I notice at IG 09 everyone I spared with plastic the bonce was incredible and My techniques were affected. WORSE was the realization that I am not affected by this Sparing anyone from Appleton. Which I found puzzling until I came to this conclusion. When sparing in Appleton we where compensating for the bounciness.

I concluded that when we spar; we were unconscionably blending the weapons together to redirect the energy, this is why when I spared some of you folks the bounce seemed more exasperated. I was completely unused to the intent of the swing.

When I started free play with wood I noticed the the weapons behaved more correctly.

Just my 2 cents...

Ryan Marcin · Post by **Ryan Marcin** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:38 am

Is the bounce that much different from the flex of steel?

Hmmm, could be a downside.

Jonathan_Kaplan · Post by **Jonathan_Kaplan** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:51 pm

I think a simple answer that involves cutting might help most? some stuff to lower the mass of the blade? Not the crazy stuff with all the wood and such... something that can be done with simple materials?

Ryan Marcin · Post by **Ryan Marcin** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:05 pm

Jonathan_Kaplan wrote:I think a simple answer that involves cutting might help most? some stuff to lower the mass of the blade? Not the crazy stuff with all the wood and such... something that can be done with simple materials?

Cutting material from the blade, to lighten that end, could adversely affect the integrity of the blade. There's already a risk of excessive bending and flexing from the plastic, it sounds like.

Anyone know its weight? If it's too light anyway, adding mass to the pommel or grip might be a better choice. But if it is too heavy, maybe shaving mass from the blade is a better solution.

Randall Pleasant · Post by **Randall Pleasant** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:54 pm

When you add a spoon of salt into you coffee instead of a spoon of sugar the quickest and best way to fit your cup of coffee is to just pore it out and pore a new cup of coffee. The best way to solve your waster problem is to just buy a good NSA waster.

Ryan Marcin · Post by **Ryan Marcin** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:17 pm

Randall Pleasant wrote:When you add a spoon of salt into you coffee instead of a spoon of sugar the quickest and best way to fit your cup of coffee is to just pore it out and pore a new cup of coffee. The best way to solve your waster problem is to just buy a good NSA waster.

Well, that's a solution too.

Jonathan_Kaplan · Post by **Jonathan_Kaplan** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:52 pm

Randall Pleasant wrote:When you add a spoon of salt into you coffee instead of a spoon of sugar the quickest and best way to fit your cup of coffee is to just pore it out and pore a new cup of coffee. The best way to solve your waster problem is to just buy a good NSA waster.

I reiterate: This thing is ~$45 SHIPPED!!!