Looking for heat shrink tape or "mesh"

[WhiteKnight]

I train in kung fu and when we learn a new weapons form we start with wooden practice weapons before moving on to steel. On several occasions, I have broken the tip of my wooden practice sword by accidentally swiping it across the floor during a motion. A small piece has broken off each time, but I've been able to reattach it with glue. However, this is getting to be inconvenient.

Does anyone know of some sort of heat shrink tape or mesh that could be used to protect the tip of the wooden sword? Ideally, it would be something that I wrap around the end of the sword and then heat to have it melt in or adhere to the wood. Almost like a sword condom that when heated will bind. Does anyone know of any materials like this?

Edit: Sorry, I should have specified before, it's a dao, not a jian.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Heat shrink tubing is exactly what you're describing and I think would work well for this application. You can probably find it at your local automotive parts store in a variety of sizes and colors.

 

[PottedMeat]

Got a Fry's near you? The one here has 3' lengths of heat shrink tubing up to 2" ( i think ) in diameter.

Or would that plasti-dip stuff work too? - you dip tool handles that have been damaged in it and it forms a protective layer.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

You need to take it to an enchanter in Bruma, Chorrol, Skingrad, or any of those other major towns and he or she will get you hooked up with a +2 or stoneskin enchantment. Stoneskin's a lot better than heatshrink, but I would personally just wait along the roads at night for a bandit to attack me, because then I can knock him out and take his glass sword. I need to go back to working on my English paper.

 

[WhiteKnight]

Originally posted by: PottedMeat
Got a Fry's near you? The one here has 3' lengths of heat shrink tubing up to 2" ( i think ) in diameter.

Or would that plasti-dip stuff work too? - you dip tool handles that have been damaged in it and it forms a protective layer.

I'm not familiar with the plasti-dip stuff but that sounds like it might do the trick. Heat shrink tubing will not work due to the shape of the weapon. Sorry, I should have specified before, it's a dao, not a jian.

 

[WhiteKnight]

^

 

[Dirigible]

You could get something like this:
http://h1071118.hobbyshopnow.com/products/description.asp?prod=HANU874

Comes as a long sheet on a roll. You cut some off, heat it up and it shrinks and adheres. I would think you would have to do some fancy tailoring to get the sword tip covered just right. Normally used for covering RC planes, so it is capable of neatly covering compound curves.

 

[desy]

Hockey tape?
I fix everything with hockey tape, better than Duct tape imho

 

[WhiteKnight]

Originally posted by: desy
Hockey tape?
I fix everything with hockey tape, better than Duct tape imho

I've thought about that, as I actually use hockey tape on the hilt of the sword already. I'm trying to find something that will generally preserve the appearance of the sword, which is an oak brown. Even though it's just a practice sword, I'll use it for demos and such from time to time.