These awesome replica Skyrim swords were 3D printed to scale and then painted and electroformed to give them an authentic metal finish.
UK’s Gateros Plating decided to show off what its plating process can do by electroforming several 3D printed Skyrim swords and pieces of weaponry. The weapons were 3D printed on the shops Ultimaker 1.0 3D printer. Once they were cleaned and sanded, the replica swords were covered with the thin metallic coating that has given them their realistic worn metal appearance.
Electroforming is similar to electroplating, however it produces a thinner coating of metal that preserves more of the original objects detail. The process requires a surface that can conduct electricity in order for the coating to adhere to it, so the plastic swords are first covered with a metallic paint, and then submersed in an electrolytic bath rich in copper ions. With the help of an electrical current, the quantity of ions on the surface of the sword is reduced, drawing a thin layer of the metal onto the object and creating the metallic finish.
While Gateros Plating currently is not offering the swords for sale, it is actually possible to do your own electroforming and electroplating at home. Their website has plenty of tips and tutorials, and they even sell complete kits of materials to enable makers to 3D print their own replica weapons and give them metal finishes.
You can see how (relatively) straightforward the process is here in this zinc plating tutorial from their website:
Although the print quality of the swords isn’t perfect, I feel that it adds to the grimy metallic feel that weapons in Skyrim tend to have and really only adds to the effect. But if you want something cleaner you can 3D print your own swords in a higher resolution, coat them with acetone or use a better material that won’t leave as many striation lines. And the process would be easy enough to do with most cosplay props and weapon replicas. You can even use multiple types of metal to coat the weapons several times to create different metallic finishes.
You can learn more about the various types of plating services, kits and products that Gateros Plating offers on their website, or you can visit them on facebook.
