Card Sam Col U

THE CARDBOARD
SAMURAI COLLECTION
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
03 INTRODUCTION
04 STARTER EQUIPMENT
05 LEVEL I PROJECT: “THE SMOKIN’ DAGGER”
24 FINAL NOTES: “THE SMOKIN’ DAGGER”
25 TOOL MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY
30 LEVEL II PROJECT: “THE KLASSIC KATANA”
52 FINAL NOTES: “THE KLASSIC KATANA”
53 CARDBOARD ARMOR
54 LEVEL I PROJECT: “THE FRIENDLY FACE”
68 FINAL NOTES: “THE FRIENDLY FACE”
69 THE DAYBREAKER ARMOR
144 A BOXSMITH RISES
145 FINAL NOTES
Boxsmith Workshop
The Cardboard Samurai’ Collection 03
INTRODUCTION
Greetings
Adventurer!
I am jebtheboxsmith. The internet’s king of cardboard!
I am so happy you decided to purchase this book and take one
step closer to becoming a masterful cardboard crafter.
Boxsmithing, the practice of turning cardboard into art has

existed for centuries. One of the earliest boxsmiths was none
other than Pablo Picasso, who painted many of his works on
scrap cardboard, as canvas was often too expensive and hard
to find. These fundamental ideas of resourcefulness and
creativity born from limitation are at the core of every
boxsmith and the art we make.
In the modern era, the boxsmithing practice has evolved and

expanded into many subdisciplines: Boxheads, Brand Warriors,
Canvas Crafters, Boxmasons, and of course, my personal
division: Knights of the Brown Table.
The mission of the Knights of the Brown Table is to make

cardboard art, show it off, and look good doing it. We
specialize in presentation over perfection, in making the
mundane extraordinary. That is why we don’t paint our work:
to highlight the transformation from garbage to art. To censor
our creation’s underdog story would be rude to say the least.
Everything we make is a statement piece, and that statement is

rebirth, redemption, and defiance of a doomed fate.
That’s what it means to be a Knight of The Brown Table.
So enjoy these creations of mine. May they help you along

your boxsmithing journey and remind you to always believe in
yourself.
Drink lots of water and happy crafting!

I’m rooting for ya.
— Jeb
Boxsmith Workshop
Starter Equipnemnt
One of the best things about being a boxsmith is that you don’t need a lot of fancy tools to get
started. I’m willing to bet you have most of the common ones lying around your house
somewhere. If you don’t, don’t worry, there’s a page on my website where you can buy anything
you’re missing. (It’s an Amazon affiliate page which means I’m legally obligated to mention that I
get a percentage of the money from anything you buy there, but I doubt that’s an issue).
Here’s the bottom line: As long as you have cardboard, a blade, a viable surface, and some
kind of adhesive (tape/glue), you can boxsmith. Anything beyond that just makes the job
easier, safer, and more efficient.
For these projects, you will need:
The template of your choosing

Enough cardboard to cover at least four sheets of 8.5 x 11 (or A4) paper
A boxcutter knife or a scalpel-like art knife
Scissors
A glue of some kind (I personally recommend a hot glue gun)
Tape
At least 3 popsicle sticks (Optional, but recommended)
A cutting mat or other viable surface
An N95 face mask (Cardboard gets very dusty when cut a bunch)
Boxsmith Workshop
The Smokin’ Dagger
Designed by Jebtheboxsmith
Project Overview:
The Smokin Dagger is about as simple as boxsmithing projects gets, and that is by design.
I wanted to make a simple project that anyone could do and introduced all of the general skills a
boxsmith will practice throughout their career. Everything you make as a boxsmith will require
some evolution of the principles taught in this section of the book; from cutting your cardboard,
to using different adhesives, to even introducing spines to your build!
The way that this book is designed to function is to linearly level up your boxsmithing skill with an
easy, medium, and hard project. Starting with this karambit dagger, moving on to a full size
katana, and finishing up with an armored chestplate.
When you finish this book, you will be a true boxsmith in name and deed, with your very own
armor and weapons!
So without further ado, let’s begin!
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP ONE
Print out all sheets of the template kit.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWO
Take your cardboard box and cut it along it’s four individual
sides.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THREE
Take your masking tape and tape the four corners of the
template page to the sheet of cardboard.
Repeat the process for the rest of the pages.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOUR
Alternatively, you can roughly cut out and tape down the
individual pieces. This method is more ideal if you have less
cardboard to work with.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIVE
Using your box cutter, cut out all the template pieces.
Be careful operating a knife of any kind. Make shallow cuts,
tracing the shapes of the template, and piercing a little bit
deeper with each pass.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIX
Alternatively, you can use a scalpel.
Be EXTRA careful. Scalpels are usually way sharper than

boxcutters. They cut much better, but they require more focus
to use safely. Be smart.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SEVEN
Now that you’ve cut out all the pieces for this specific template,
you should have something like this. Now would be a good time
for a roll call.
This is also a good stopping point for a water break. Hydration is

very important!
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP EIGHT
Now let’s put everything together. Take the pieces from pages
two and three and put them together.
These are the foundational pieces of the dagger and form the
main silhouette.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP NINE
Take three popsicles and glue them one of the two silhouette pieces.
This is what we boxsmiths call a “spine”. It’s designed to go inside the

project and give it greater structural stability and durability.
It’s rarely a necessity, but it is highly recommended.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TEN
Whether you have a spine inserted or not, glue the two
silhouette pieces together.
It should look like this:
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP ELEVEN
Now we begin the detailing.
To begin, you will need the pieces shown here:
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWELVE
Take those pieces and glue them to the silhouette as shown
here.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTEEN
Flip the project over and repeat the previous step on the
opposite side.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTEEN
Take your last two pieces and glue them on like so.
Boxsmith Workshop
FINAL STEP
Repeat on the opposite side.
Boxsmith Workshop
PROJECT COMPLETE
Boxsmith Workshop
Boxsmith’s Style
Now that you’ve successfully completed your Smokin’ Dagger,
why not try customizing it? Really make it your own!
I personally gave it a handle wrapping and sheath made from a

toilet paper roll and masking tape! Can you figure out how?
Boxsmith Workshop
Final Notes:
Congratulations on completing your very first boxsmithing project! You try giving it for a... spin,
yet? But in seriousness: It should go without saying that you shouldn’t try and attack people with
your new dagger, or any boxsmithing project. Not only do you risk hurting someone, but it’s
pretty mean, and might damage all your hard work too.
Obligatory legal disclaimer aside, the Smokin’ Dagger is great for practicing both karambit tricks
and barebones boxsmith basics. I myself once went a solid hour trying to figure out all the
different and cool ways I could spin it. OH and when you have two of them? Even better!
Equally important: you have been familiarized with the primary tools a boxsmith uses. The next
project up is the Klassic Katana. It’s has a very similar assembly to the Smokin’ Dagger, but
scaled up significantly.
This means you are going to be using your tools for much longer and for progressively more
complex tasks. Before that happens, I want you to learn the basics of tool maintenance and
safety. It’s not very exciting, but it is EXTREMELY important. Knowing proper tool and body
care is what separates the amateurs from the pros. And if you’ve read this far, than I’m
assuming you want to be a pro. So pay close attention, because we are now gonna talk about...
Boxsmith Workshop
MAINTENANCE
AND SAFETY
Since you’ve finished your first project,

you are now properly acquainted with
the different tools a boxsmith uses.
We are now gonna go over long term

usage, maintenance, and safety.
If you've ever played the hit video

game Minecraft, you would know that
your equipment wears down over time.
For many tools a boxsmith uses

(primarily the box cutter and hot glue
gun), the same concept applies.
Knives get dull, glue runs out. Always

make sure you are properly stocked
before beginning a new project.
The goal of this section is for you to

learn how to take proper care of your
tools and what to do when mistakes
happen.
KNIFE
MAINTENANCE
Knives get dull. When this happens,
you are faced with a few options:
replace or sharpen.
Replacing your blade is the most

common solution. Most craft knives
come with replacement blades
and/or blades that are designed to
break off the dull segment.
While not mandatory, you could also

buy and learn how to use a decent
knife sharpener. This can save you a
lot of money since you don't need to
buy new blades as often!
KNIFE SAFETY
When used correctly, a knife is a boxsmith's
most valuable tool. Used incorrectly and you
can get hurt. Here are a few knife safety tips:
-Dull is dangerous! A dull knife is harder to

use, harder to control, and easier to hurt
yourself with. Always cut with a knife that is
sharp.
-Always retract your blade when it's not in

use.
-Be mindful of placement.

Draw an imaginary line where the knife is
going to go and make sure your offhand
and anything else you don't want cut is out
of the way
GLUE GUN
MAINTENANCE
Glue gun maintenance is fairly simple:
Make sure to have a steady supply of
glue sticks ready and don't feed
anything into the glue gun that it
wasn't designed to melt.
Always check that your glue gun can

reach the correct temperature to melt
the sticks you intend to use.
Glue guns are kind of like microwaves

in the way that no matter which one
you buy, they all do roughly the same
thing. However, some are bigger, more
powerful, or have more features than
others.
Always check the details before

purchasing.
GLUE GUN
SAFETY
Glue gun burns are the single most
common injury a boxsmith gets, but their
pretty easy to avoid. Here are some tips:
If your glue gun has a stand, use it.
Watch where you put your glue gun

down.
Watch your elbows. You'll fully understand

what that means in time (boxsmith canon
event).
Keep your glue gun unplugged when not

in use.
BASIC FIRST
AID: CUTS
Cuts gotten from boxsmithing are rarely
serious, but it can still be alarming seeing
your own cherry Kool-Aid.
I am not legally qualified to give medical

advice, so instead here are the steps for
basic cut and scrape treatment from Mayo
Clinic’s website:
Citation:
Millman, M. “Cuts and Scrapes: First Aid.”
Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 17 Nov. 2021,
www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-
cuts/basics/art-20056711.
BAISC FIRST
AID: BURNS
Similarly, here is a Mayo Clinic article
on how to treat minor burns; the
single most common boxsmithing-
related injury, but fortunately, single
the easiest to treat:
Citation:
Perdue, GF. “First Aid for Burns.”
Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for
Medical Education and Research, 16
Feb. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/first-
aid/first-aid-burns/basics/art-
20056649.
Not Too Bad Right?

I, and your future self both thank you for taking the time to
study maintenance and safety. You now have everything
you need to confidently move forward to the next project!
Have fun learning to make...
Boxsmith Workshop
The Klassic Katana
Project Overview:
The Klassic Katana
Now that you’ve made yourself a Smokin’ Dagger, let’s apply those concepts to something a bit
bigger, the karambit’s Japanese big brother: the katana.
The katana has been a design that has eluded master boxsmiths for generations; finding the
perfect trifecta of looks, construction simplicity, and durability.
If it looked good but was super delicate, it was a failure.
If it was easy to put together, but looked bad, it was a failure.
And if it it looked good, was super durable, but was way too difficult to assemble, and neigh
impossible to replicate, then you best believe that’s a failure.
But boxsmiths do not fear failure, for failure is life’s greatest teacher and the mother of
innovation. We learn from our mistakes and keep trying until we achieve the results we desire.
It took me two years to design this particular katana, but being able to have a easy-to-make and
good looking katana to give to all of you at home, made it all worth it. There’s no greater joy in
this job than getting people into boxsmithing and seeing my designs genuinely help them to
learn an improve.
Not to get too sentimental, but I’m a big believer in legacy and the inherited will of kindred
spirits. My dream is that those of you who I teach today will one day become even better
boxsmiths than me; innovating and evolving the boxsmithing hobby in ways I can’t even imagine.
To be the small spark of a glorious flame, would be the greatest honor I could possibly imagine,
so thank you all for giving me even the chance to be just that.
These books I write, these templates I make, even the videos I upload will be here long after I,
ahem- “exit stage right”, and it’s my hope that they will one day be looked back on fondly as the
thing that taught the next King, Queen, and/or Emperor of Cardboard the basics of what they
know.
Now, that’s enough sappy existentialism. LET’S MAKE A CARDBOARD SWORD!!!
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SEVEN
Prep Work
Now that you’ve cut out all the pieces for this specific template,
you should have something like this. Now would be a good time
for a roll call.
This is also a good stopping point for a water break. Hydration is

very important!
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP ONE
Now let’s put everything together!
Glue the first three of the five main blade pieces together. It
should look like this:
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWO
Now add the fourth, hold off on the fifth/bottom piece, we’ll
add it later.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THREE
Take seven popsicle sticks and glue them in a fallen domino
pattern along the blade.
This will give the katana greater structural stability and
durability.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOUR
Here’s a closer look at how the popsicle sticks are arranged.
It doesn’t really matter how perfectly you place the sticks.

So long as they’re all touching, you should be alright.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIVE
Take the bottom piece of the main blade and glue it to the rest
of the blade, along with two other popsicle sticks arranged like
so:
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIX
Begin adding the detail trip to the blade, starting from the tip
and working your way down.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SEVEN
There are eight trim pieces for the blade total; four on each
side.
They should cut off roughly right at the point the bottom piece
of the blade connects.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP EIGHT
Add the cover piece to the blade’s base.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP NINE
Flip the blade on its opposite side and repeat the support and
detailing assembly.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TEN
The main blade is now complete. Excellent work!
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP ELEVEN
Now let’s make the tsuba or hand guard. Start with the main two
pieces.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWELVE
Glue them together. Make sure they’re as aligned as possible.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTEEN
Next, find the two detail pieces.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTEEN
Glue them onto the main piece like so:
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTEEN
Slide the tsuba onto the blade handle, roughly 10-12 inches or
around 25-30 centimeters, and glue it in place.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIXTEEN
To finish up, take the last two pieces. They will form the habaki,
or the blade fastener.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SEVENTEEN
Bend the pieces until they can stand up straight.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP EIGHTEEN
Glue them onto the katana blade, right above the tsuba, one on
top of the other.
Boxsmith Workshop
PROJECT COMPLETE
Boxsmith Workshop
Final Notes:
The Klassic Katana
Your boxsmithing skill has just leveled up my dear adventurer. You have something in your
hands that thousands dream of: A cardboard katana! With it and your karambit you are now a
serious force to be reconned with.
With the katana’s completion, you have accumulated all of the basic skills cardboard weapon
making requires. But to be a boxsmith, you must understand not just cardboard weapons, but
cardboard armor as well.
That is what the second half of this book aims to teach.
Everything you have just learned still applies, but now it’s time to learn a little more versatility.
You’ve gotten good at cardboard projects that lie flat, now let’s learn how to make stuff that
curves, bends, and stands!
Buckle your pants, because it’s time to learn all about...
Boxsmith Workshop
CARDBOARD
ARMOR
We’ll start with a basic mask
and then move onto
something a little... bigger,
for the grand finale.
I want to also take this as an

opportunity to mention that
this is an excellent time to
take a quick break and get
some water. It’s easy to lose
track of time when your
boxsmithing, so health
breaks, primarily for water
and maybe some fresh air do
wonders for a boxsmith’s
physical and mental health.
Go give it a try!
The Friendly Face
Project Overview:
The Friendly Face
You’ve got the weapons, now it’s time for the armor. Enter: The Friendly Face.
In life, a friendly face is often key to building bridges in relationships, and in boxsmithing, The
Friendly Face is the key to building bridges from your understanding of making cardboard
weapons to making cardboard armor.
The relationship between cardboard weapons and cardboard armor is similar to the relationship
between pigeons and a doves. Nearly the same in every way, but still a bit different.
Everything the last two projects taught you applies to making cardboard armor, but there’s one
more entry level skill you should learn before attempting the full armored chestplate in the later
pages, and that’s getting comfortable folding your cardboard.
That is what The Friendly Face is made to teach you how to do. It even comes with an extra
printed set of the main pieces so you don’t need to print an entire new sheet of paper if you mess
up!
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP ONE
For this project, we will introduce using non-traditional
materials as spines.
In this case, we will be using a standard N95 face mask. It will

serve as both the central foundation of the project and give it
shape.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWO
Cut out all of the pieces. You will have an extra rectangle and
teeth pieces. Set them aside for now; they’re spares.
Arrange them like so to get a basic idea of the order of

assembly.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THREE
Take the rectangular piece and fold it in half. It doesn’t need to
lay completely flat. As long it looks roughly like the photo
shown, it’s good.
Depending on the cardboard you use, you might accidentally

bend it in more than one place. That is fine, it’ll still work.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOUR
Glue your N95 mask to the rectangle as shown. Make sure the
edge of the mask meets the fold of the cardboard and the nose
bridge of the mask meets the edge of the cardboard.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIVE
Make sure the glue dries completely as this next step will add a
bit of strain to the bond and it will break if not fully dried.
Glue the opposite side of the mask to the cardboard. When

finished it should be able to stand up straight as shown here.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIX
Similarly to step three, fold the triangular piece in half.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SEVEN
When done, it should stand straight as shown here.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP EIGHT
Carefully glue the triangle piece to the top of the rectangle;
overlapping it by about a quarter inch or a few centimeters.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP NINE
Glue the two sets of the upper jaw where the rectangle and
triangle pieces meet.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TEN
Fold in half and glue the jawbone onto the cardboard. Make
sure the edges sit at the points where the rectangle, triangle,
and teeth all meet.
Boxsmith Workshop
FINAL STEP
Glue the bottom row of teeth onto the rectangle piece where
they sit next to the jawbone piece, not on top of it.
Boxsmith Workshop
EXCELLENT JOB!
Boxsmith Workshop
Final Notes:
The Friendly Face
Congratulations on making your first ever piece of cardboard armor!
If all else fails, you at least have a cool Halloween costume now. Throw on a hoodie, grab your
katana and karambit and BOOM: you’re now a cardboard ninja! That was my main inspiration
when designing the Friendly Face in the first place; to give you a quick, easy, and versatile
cosplay for your first time dipping your fingers into this wonderful hobby.
That being said, be advised Dear Adventurer: Ahead lies your most difficult project yet; A
samurai chestplate I call... The Daybreaker.
Given everything I’ve taught you, I think you have what it takes to tackle this, but if you don’t
feel you’re ready just yet, there’s no shame in it. It will always be here waiting!
With everything you have done, you are now, in name and deed, a true boxsmith. All that lies
ahead is a simple challenge to test your limits.
For if you pass, there won’t be a boxsmithing project you can’t do!
Are You Ready?
Boxsmith Workshop
The Daybreaker
Armor
Project Overview:
The Daybreaker
So, you’ve chosen to take on The Daybreaker... right on, Dear
Adventurer!
This is a bigger project, but we’re going to make it easier by

tacking it one piece at a time.
Think of this as about six easy/medium projects instead of one

hard project and you’ll be completely fine. It takes small bites to
eat an elephant and small strokes to paint the bigger picture.
I know you’ve got this, but I’m here to help along the way. Now
let’s make some armor!
Boxsmith Workshop
Daybreaker Part One:

Upper Chest/Back
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP ONE
This is gonna be a pretty standard procedure. We aren’t
introducing anything new for another few steps.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWO
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THREE
Similar to the Klassic Katana, this design has interlocking
pieces. But since the Katana has a popsicle stick spine and your
armor doesn’t we need to get a bit more creative with how we
hold the pieces together.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOUR
What we’re gonna do is add tape to the backside of the piece
you want glued and tracing the border in hot glue.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIVE
Once done, plug the pieces together and let dry.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIX
As an extra assurance, fill the little gaps of the borders with
more hot glue. Not too much, just enough to get in there, bit not
flood the surface too much.
If you add to much, you can safely scrape it off once it dries.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SEVEN
Follow the same steps for all the pieces, and you’re done! If you
haven’t noticed already, you are going to be assembling this
piece twice in total. You can begin now, or continue with the
next piece and double back later.
Boxsmith Workshop
Abdominal/Lower
Back Armor
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP EIGHT
Cut out all the pieces shown. Either once or twice, depending
on your preference.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP NINE
Cut out all the pieces and arrange like so:
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TEN
Similar to last time, add masking tape to the backside...
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP ELEVEN
...glue it into place, and fill in the cracks.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWELVE
When finished, it should look roughly like this.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTEEN
Take the upper and lower halves of the chestplate.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTEEN
Glue them together with the bottom piece resting above the top
piece.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTEEN
If you feel your torse might be longer than mine, then here’s
what you can do to increase the length a bit.
You will need two pieces of scrap cardboard a few
inches/centimeters long.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIXTEEN
Glue them underneath the two pieces of the chestplate like so.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SEVENTEEN
When complete, the chestplate pieces should lay flat next to
each other instead of overlapping.
Boxsmith Workshop
Front Fin Installation:

Now is the time to decide which of the identical chestplate halves
you want to designate the front side and the back. These fins will
go on the half chosen to be the front.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP EIGHTEEN
Retrieve the fins page. I made it the first page for convenience.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP NINETEEN
Cut out all of the pieces.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY
Glue the fin pieces together like so.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY ONE

Glue the fins to the front half of the chestplate.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY TWO

Flip the chestplate over and gently bend the sides so that they
curve inwards .
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY THREE

When done correctly, the chestplate half should be able to stand
as seen here.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY FOUR

IF you haven’t already, now would be the time to go and
assemble the second half of your chestplate. Minus the fins, the
construction is the exact same.
While you’re at it, maybe take a water break?
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY FIVE

One more reminder that only ONE of the chestplate halves need
to have fins. You can put fins on both if you would like, but your
shoulders might get angry with you.
Boxsmith Workshop
Pelvic Armor
We’re about 2/3rds of the way done with the main chestplate.
Fortunately, this is one of the easy parts. Just a bunch of
rectangles and barely any folding!
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY SIX

These are the pieces required. Like with the main chestplate,
there are two of them.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY SEVEN

Cut and arrange the following pieces as shown.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY EIGHT

Glue the pieces together using the same technique shown for the
rest of the armor.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP TWENTY NINE

Cut out the following pieces.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY
Arrange the pieces in this order and glue them together
accordingly.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY ONE

When all the pieces are glued together, you should be faced with
something like this.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY TWO

Use the borders as a guideline and glue the pieces together, one
overlapping the other.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY THREE

Flip the pelvic armor piece on its backside.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY FOUR

Bend the topmost piece like so.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY FIVE

You want to make sure it bends all the way down. Apply
significant pressure if necessary.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY SIX

When complete, it should look like this.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY SEVEN

Assemble the duplicate piece if you haven’t already.
Boxsmith Workshop
Thigh Armor
Another relatively simple assembly. Just a bunch of squares and
lines.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY EIGHT

Grab the following pieces and their duplicates.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP THIRTY NINE

When all are cut, you should have this.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY
Glue them together using the same procedure as the other
armor pieces.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY ONE

Glue the two segmented rectangles together, using the
borderlines as guides.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY TWO

Glue the whole rectangle to the rest of the armor. Roughly half
of it should stick out the top.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY THREE

Bend the assembled piece along its fold lines.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY FOUR

Like the other armor pieces, the thigh armor should now sit up
on its own.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY FIVE

Assemble the duplicate if you haven’t already.
Boxsmith Workshop
Final Assembly
Now begins the time to put everything we just made together.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY SIX

Arrange all the pieces like so.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY SEVEN

Glue the pelvic armor into place. Make sure to do the same on
the opposite side too.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY EIGHT

Glue the thigh armor pieces down.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FOURTY NINE

The halves of the chestplate are now fully assembled. Now it’s
time to join them together.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY
Measure the length of your shoulder (from lower neck to upper
arm) and cut out two pieces of scrap cardboard to size.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY ONE

Glue the scrap cardboard to the fins of the front chestplate (The
inward side).
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTEEN
STEP FIFTY TWO

Glue the other side of the shoulder length scrap to the inward
side of the back half off the chestplate.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY THREE

Repeat on the opposite side.
Boxsmith Workshop
SHOULDER ARMOR
Optional, but really sells the armor look.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY FOUR

Cut out the following.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY FIVE

Arrange like so and prepare to glue.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY SIX

Glue them onto the katana blade, right above the tsuba, one on
top of the other.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY SEVEN

Glue the main three pieces together along the border lines.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY EIGHT

Bend the main piece so it curves inward like so.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTY NINE

Take the two thin rectangle pieces and bend them completely.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIXTY
Glue the smaller rectangle to the main piece at roughly shoulder
height.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIXTY ONE

Glue the longer piece towards the bottom.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIXTY TWO

You’re now done.
Boxsmith Workshop
NICE WORK!!!
The armor is finally complete! Now it’s time to learn how to wear
it.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP SIXTY THREE

Grab a belt loop it around your body and the front side of the
armor, hiding the buckle under the pelvic armor.
You can try looping the backside to your body as well, but it’s
significantly more challenging.
Boxsmith Workshop
STEP FIFTEEN
Assembly
Drop the pelvic piece like the hood of a care and viola!
Boxsmith Workshop
PROJECT COMPLETE
Boxsmith Workshop
A Boxsmith Rises!
Well well well, look at you!
An accomplished boxsmith stands before me. Body clad in cardboard and mind in iron!
You look great, you should feel great, and I’m super proud of you!
Now what comes next?
Honestly, that’s completely up to you. You have four marvelous starter projects before you and
infinite downloads to fresh template files.
Give yourself two katanas! Put a chain on your dagger and make it a kusarigama! Experiment with
adding adjustments to your armor!
My templates serve two purposes: to act as tools to teach and to act as canvases for your own
innovations. So do me a favor and make something crazy out of it! And if you post your work on
social media, make sure to tag me. I’d LOVE to see what you come up with!
That’s all for this time Dear Adventurer. It’s my hope that you had as much fun assembling these
templates as I did designing them.
Drink lots of water and happy crafting,
— Jeb
Boxsmith Workshop
Well Done!
You have just created your very own work of cardboard art!
I should mention that none of these designs are designed for
LARP in mind so I advise against striking people with them as
you could hurt someone or damage the cardboard.
What these creations ARE great for is showing off,

customizing, refining, and collaborating with other boxsmiths
to make even more cool stuff.
Take what I’ve shown you how to do and put your own spin on
it. That is the essence of innovation, and innovation is what
makes us all stronger!
Long live the boxsmiths!
Want More?
I’m always making new stuff. Why not give another project a
try?
If you want to support the content I make and get perks like
early content and access to archived collections, join my
Patreon!
If you want an easy way to meet other boxsmiths, join my

discord channel!
And lastly, one final thank you for purchasing this project.
Doing this for all of you is a dream come true and I really hope
you had as much fun building this as I did designing it.
Much love.
— Jeb
Boxsmith Workshop
Boxsmith Workshop
patreon.com/jebtheboxsmith
www.jebtheboxsmith.com
@jebtheboxsmith
Discord Server

Card Sam Col U

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Card Sam Col U

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE CARDBOARD

05 LEVEL I PROJECT: “THE SMOKIN’ DAGGER”

24 FINAL NOTES: “THE SMOKIN’ DAGGER”

25 TOOL MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY

30 LEVEL II PROJECT: “THE KLASSIC KATANA”

52 FINAL NOTES: “THE KLASSIC KATANA”

54 LEVEL I PROJECT: “THE FRIENDLY FACE”

68 FINAL NOTES: “THE FRIENDLY FACE”

69 THE DAYBREAKER ARMOR

144 A BOXSMITH RISES

145 FINAL NOTES

Boxsmithing, the practice of turning cardboard into art has

In the modern era, the boxsmithing practice has evolved and

The mission of the Knights of the Brown Table is to make

Everything we make is a statement piece, and that statement is

So enjoy these creations of mine. May they help you along

Drink lots of water and happy crafting!

For these projects, you will need:

The template of your choosing

So without further ado, let’s begin!

Repeat the process for the rest of the pages.

Be EXTRA careful. Scalpels are usually way sharper than

This is also a good stopping point for a water break. Hydration is

This is what we boxsmiths call a “spine”. It’s designed to go inside the

It’s rarely a necessity, but it is highly recommended.

It should look like this:

To begin, you will need the pieces shown here:

I personally gave it a handle wrapping and sheath made from a

Since you’ve finished your first project,

We are now gonna go over long term

If you've ever played the hit video

For many tools a boxsmith uses

Knives get dull, glue runs out. Always

The goal of this section is for you to

Replacing your blade is the most

While not mandatory, you could also

-Dull is dangerous! A dull knife is harder to

-Always retract your blade when it's not in

-Be mindful of placement.

Always check that your glue gun can

Glue guns are kind of like microwaves

Always check the details before

If your glue gun has a stand, use it.

Watch where you put your glue gun

Watch your elbows. You'll fully understand

Keep your glue gun unplugged when not

I am not legally qualified to give medical

Not Too Bad Right?

Have fun learning to make...

If it looked good but was super delicate, it was a failure.

If it was easy to put together, but looked bad, it was a failure.

Now, that’s enough sappy existentialism. LET’S MAKE A CARDBOARD SWORD!!!

This is also a good stopping point for a water break. Hydration is

It doesn’t really matter how perfectly you place the sticks.

That is what the second half of this book aims to teach.

Buckle your pants, because it’s time to learn all about...

I want to also take this as an

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

In this case, we will be using a standard N95 face mask. It will

Arrange them like so to get a basic idea of the order of

Depending on the cardboard you use, you might accidentally

Glue the opposite side of the mask to the cardboard. When

Congratulations on making your first ever piece of cardboard armor!