Forging a sword might traditionally require fire, steel, and a lot of upper body strength—but in the digital age, all you really need is Nomad Sculpt and a bit of imagination.
Whether you’re designing a life-size prop for your next cosplay or a 32-millimeter sword for your rogue mini, this guide will show you how to bring a blade to life from scratch. So, grab your tablet and channel your inner blacksmith—your digital one, anyway.
Step 1: Set the Scene in Nomad Sculpt
Start by opening Nomad Sculpt and adding a tube shape. Stretch the tube out to about 30 units in length. While Nomad doesn’t use a standard unit of measurement like inches or millimeters, we’ll treat each unit as roughly an inch—giving us a 30-inch blade.
Now, shape the top of the tube to a point, and taper the bottom as well to form the base of the blade. For structural integrity, aim for a blade that’s around 3 to 4 units wide at its base.
Step 2: Refine the Blade Shape
Next, you’ll want to define the blade’s silhouette. Add another control point along the tube’s centerline and begin sculpting the overall profile. Initially, the tube will look like a giant spike, but you can easily change that by adjusting the profile settings.
Click on the Profile option at the top. You’ll see a square outline—your default blade shape. Add three dots along the profile and adjust them to form a diamond shape, maintaining symmetry across the grid for consistency. Repeat this for each section of the blade until it transforms from spike to sword.
Step 3: Add a Fuller (Yes, That’s the Groove)
What’s a sword without a fuller? (Also known as the “blood groove,” though that’s not actually what it’s for.) Still in the Profile tool, click between two points to create a V-shape groove down the center. By toggling the center dot from black to white, you can make this groove rounded for a more authentic look. Repeat the step across the profile to ensure the groove runs through the full length.
Step 4: Build the Hilt and Handle
Now it’s time to switch from the blade to the handle.
• Guard: Add a cylinder, hollow it out, and split it—discarding the top half. Resize this to create the sword’s crossguard.
• Handle: Add another cylinder, tapering it at the bottom for a comfortable grip.
• Detail: Add an additional thin cylinder near the top for some extra flair where the blade meets the guard.
• Pommel: Finally, cap it off with a sphere, flattening both ends to complete the pommel.
Step 5: The Myth Behind the Blade
This isn’t just any sword. This is The Sword of the North.
Legend tells of an age when the world was colder, darker, and far more dangerous. In the frozen wastes beyond the Spine of Ice, two titanic brothers—Valgrind and Vorvac, the twin Frost Giant kings—ruled with iron wills and icy fists.
To cement their dominance, they summoned the last living Forge Elemental, burying it deep in Teeth-a-Glacier and feeding it obsidian and winter wolf breath. The result? Two blades—mirror twins in form, but opposite in purpose. One was lost in battle against the storm god, sunk beneath the sea. The other remained—the Sword of the North.
It is said to be cold even in dragonfire, its presence stealing warmth from the air. The blade appears only in times of great imbalance between fire and ice. Some say it finds a worthy wielder. Others say it seeks only chaos. But one thing is clear: if you carry it into battle, the cold walks with you.
Step 6: Export and Bring It to Life
Once your design is finished:
• Export your STL file
• Download the free version via the link in the description
• Optionally, download the Sword of the North model
• Print it, paint it, and unleash your inner hero—or villain
If you bring this sword into the real world, tag me—I’d love to see your take on the myth. For more 3D printing, DIY, and maker projects, follow Maker Build It, and as always…Keep on making!