The Energon Pub

This is from a Marvel Legends Showdown Punisher. I started it about a year ago when they first came out, but it got shelved. Just started the mask from scratch today. Still have to do the detailing inside the ear pieces and paint it. I'll probably recast it in sterling as well. Other than that I want to paint his clan symbol on his right shoulder and make some other masks for him (probably ver. 1 and ver. 3).

Very sweet.

Schweet!

Oh, I'm also going to be custom making a sword. The one in the pic is VvV Snakeeye's (as is the vest), but I want one made out of metal. The silver paint looks ok, but the one I'll make will be sharp and polished shiny. Opinions, should it be straight Sterling Silver, Sterling Silver with a petina/ gun blueing to darken the blade, or Stainless Steel (which is naturally darker than silver).

Oh, and as for the handle, I think I'll do it the way real swords are made and the metal of the blade will continue down the hilt, and then I'll glue half round styrene to either side of it to give it its shape. Then I'll have to make a matching sheath.

I'm liking the stainless steel. And if I'm right, over time it should develop a really nice patina.
And you could use it as a letter opener as well!

Stainless doesn't develop a patina. If it did, it wouldn't be stainless. I've got plenty of stainless steel stuff around here, that's a pretty bright silver color. (though, I've also got some that is a bit darker.)

I'd vote for the stainless, just for maintenance reasons. The silver's gonna tarnish, and oxidation is rarely to scale.

Another option for the handle, is to simply use tubing, and slip it over the tang. Rather than glueing half round to the sides. That's how I built the sords for my Greyryder customs.

ok, for color difference:

The top one is silver with the oxidation on half of it. The second is the stainless. The third is silver high polished. I went with it because I realized the stainless was too heavy for his arm to hold up. Silver is lighter by volume and is already pushing the limits of him tipping over.

I'm also making the sword from version 2. Both swords are further along than this today, but I took these pictures yesterday morning and haven't had time to update them. I also have one sheath most of the way done. Sheath designs are coming from GIJoe America's Elite #3. Best Snake-eyes fight scene.

Puts my plastic swords to shame.

Good job!

Those are gorgeous.
Just a thought, but have you considered aluminium as a possibility? I know it doesn't have the same shine as the steel or silver, but that could be considered a good thing for a stealther like Snake-Eyes.

Ramrider wrote:Those are gorgeous.
Just a thought, but have you considered aluminium as a possibility? I know it doesn't have the same shine as the steel or silver, but that could be considered a good thing for a stealther like Snake-Eyes.

nah, it bends too easy. Silver's about as soft as I want to go. Durability is also why the blades are going through the handles.

So on a non-sword related question, I was in Toysrus yesterday and I saw Grandslam. Thing that hit me, his belt accessory (with out the orange paint) would look almost exactly like Snakeeye's ver. 2 grenades. Do I buy this guy for the belt, or make my own somehow (not sure how to make bendy rubber parts) so that I can make the grenades removable? btw the belt is upside down in this picture (curtsy yojoe.com)

I've never tried it myself, but have you seen Sculpey Bake 'n' Bend? Apparently it works just like normal Sculpey, but once you bake it it becomes a flexible sort of plastic substance. That might be good for something like this.

I love the sword

minor update: here's snakes holding the sword, with the gap between his fingers down. This just shows that I got the handle just the right thickness so he can hold it any which way.


And here are a couple shots of the sheath and ver.2 blade (which I finished the metalwork on). Now I just have to add the styrene to its handle and do it's sheath. BTW the first sword, when it goes the whole way into the sheath, theres this little click and it stays in pretty well, even upside down. I'm not sure exactly how I did that, but man do I ever love it.

Brilliant work!

Ah, happy accidents... how they kick arse.

nice work on the Snake-eyes!

Snake Eyes looks sweet! Good job!