My Bat'leth

Introduction

Just a little while ago I decided that the weapon I vanted to learn its use was the Bat'leth, the basic Klingon weapon, a race of humanoids a bit rude appearing on Star Trek series.


Acquisition

For that reason, I needed one, so I searched where to get one on the Internet. Those I found for buying weren't very good. I found a dude who made them for his personal use (no, he didn't went killing humans around), like a hand made weapon, a real weapon. Very impressive, but this is not what I need, I want a thing for practice, no for being arrested for weapons possesion.


Construction

I decided that wood was the best option and decided also to make it by myself, it's not so complicated. I acquired a plywood board measuring 120 x 40 cm and 6 mm thick. The typical Bat'leth is 116 cm long and this is how I made it. In this site I found the exact measures and hoe to calculate them if you are shorter than a Klingon. It is also necessary an electrical jigsaw, emery paper and a good varnish. And, in dorder to finish it, a bit of plastic foam and cotton threat for the handlings. Apart from the obvious things, it is necessary to sandpaper before every varnish application (I did it twice).




Practice

Dan Curry is the visual effect dessigner of Star Trek and a martial arts expert who invented the Bat'leth, based on some drafts of less used chinese weapons. He was searching for a different weapon, ergonomics, a thing he thought is was not common. The dessign was made before a weapon for the new Klingon was even thinked, but he took advantge for making this weapon with the series budget. On the seventh DVD of the season six of Star Trek: The Next Generation series, there is a documentary about Dan Curry's weapons where he does an appearing practicing some movements with the Bat'leth that he teached to the Klingon of the series.
Based on these movements and some others from Taiji, I plan to make a form for practicing the Bat'leth.