Props

Ah the nitty-gritty of the cosplay world. An amazing costume can be taken from Gold-Star-Sticker quality to “Hall of Shame” worthy just by having a poor-quality prop or no props at all. What would Seras or Yoko be without their rifles? Props can be made from everything from cardboard and hot-glue, to metal and wood, to fiberglass and modeling clay. All of the various methods and materials have their pros and cons, and make no mistake about it: props can get very expensive. However, we are willing to try anything and experiment so that we can bring our customers the highest quality, most affordable, and most practical props possible. Also remember that making the perfect prop means knowing all of its dimensions and details. When ordering a prop, please provide as many reference pictures as possible, including some of the character holding/interacting with said prop. That way we can get an idea of how large the prop should be in relation to you.

Types of props:
Blade- Sword or dagger that must go through weapon’s check at a con.
Pole-Arm- Any staff or Spear-like object that is taller than waist-high.
Hand-Held- Any prop such as guns or fans, which are made to always be held.
Over-Sized- Just what it says. Yoko’s rifle, Gara’s gourd, etc. Some swords may be considered over-sized as well.
Item- Something you carry, but doesn’t stay I your hands. Like the Death-Note or a bow.
Other- Bags, animals, or plushies that are crucial to character recognition but do not fall under any other category. Like Gigi from Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Materials:
Cardboard- cheap and light-weight, but also flimsy, not water-proof
Craft-foam- cheap and light-weight, flexible and stronger than cardboard, but still flimsy
Couch-Foam- Cheap and thick, spongy and easy to work with, but not durable
Formable-Plastic- Expensive, but light-weight and very durable, also water-proof
Fiberglass- Expensive, but easy to work with, medium weight, but VERY durable and realistic-looking and Water-proof
Wood- Expensive, heavy and difficult to work with. Gives authenticity to a prop.
Metal- There are different kinds of metals, we only use aluminum and only in small quantities.
Wire- Cheap, light-weight and durable in thinker gauges. Used as Structural Support.
Clay- Cheap, heavy, and brittle, but is easy to work with. Used only for minor details.
Plaster- Cheap, medium-weight, and durable when dry.
Resin- Expensive, medium-weight, and fragile, looks amazing for masks and other smooth surfaces.
Latex- Expensive, light-weight, flexible, fairly durable, gives good detail.

Depending on the type of prop and the materials used to make it, some props can get very expensive while others are a snap to buy make and ship. Some props cannot be made using certain materials. For example: making Cloud’s buster sword out of wood would be a bad idea, but using latex would be an even worse one. We do not have the facilities to do any vacuum forming of plastic, so please don’t try to order a Storm-Trooper.