The Diamond Sword is a 1:1 scale prop inspired by the 2011 video game Minecraft.
(This project was designed before the live-action film's version of the diamond sword was made public.)
Concept
The goal of the project was to take the concept of the diamond sword and bring it to real life. That meant rather than doing a fully 1:1 pixel replica, I designed it as an actual sword.
As part of my planning, I had to decide whether to base the design on the traditional version of the sword or the enchanted one. Although I was more familiar with the enchanted version, I chose the traditional design for its greater significance and iconic status.
Enchanted traditional
Digital Design
The sword was fully designed in SolidWorks. Based on the in-game size relative to the player character, I chose to base the sword's size around that of a larger gladius with a blade length of 22 inches.
The shape of the diamond in the pommel is an homage to the in-game texture of the diamond item.
Production
The sword is entirely 3D-printed save for a structural wooden dowel running through its center.
In order to make it appear as if it were made of diamond it was important to get the colors right. I wanted it so that even someone unfamiliar with Minecraft would recognize it as a diamond. To achieve this, I had to stray from a one-to-one recreation of the game’s design, which would have looked more like turquoise steel, and instead chose to go with a lighter, more crystalline appearance. This was also in line with the general mission statement of making the concept real, as diamonds are not turquoise in real life.
I tested numerous different paints and layering combinations until I found the right one for the blade. For the crossguard and pommel, I chose to deviate from the traditional diamond sword and model it off the enchanted version, making use of color shift paint to achieve the effect.
For the handle, I initially planned to use oak wood as an homage to the game However, I quickly learned I did not have the tools necessary to drill a hole in the wood large enough to fit the structural dowel, so I transitioned to using a 3D print which I painted to match.
Paint Tests
Can you tell which is real and which is painted?
