Weighting Options

Steel Bolts & Washers

Hands down the most cost effective and easy to work with option. If you live in the US, imperial bolts and washers are going to be much less expensive than metric bolts and washers. I do not recommend buying them one at a time, as this ends up being much more expensive than buying them in "bulk" (packages of 5-20 are much less expensive in the long run). You can get enough bolts and washers for dozens of weapons for less than $20 as of mid-2025. Make sure to get bolts and washers that are zinc coated or rated for outdoor use to avoid them rusting inside your weapon.

Bolts

The head of the bolt does change how you should build your pommel, as it can affect its longevity. A hex bolt has somewhat sharp edges and corners that will tear at the foam if there isn't an additional barrier, while a carriage bolt's smooth top will not have that issue. At the same time, a carriage bolt has the square indexing under the head, and the corners on this can propagate splits in the core if allowed to apply outward pressure on the interior surface. Depending on the inner diameter of your core, you will want a different size bolt. It is important to get close to the desired diameter, but it can be better to have a little clearance around the bolt and fill that space with tape for a friction fit, or hot glue, to secure it in place and prevent rattle.

See Pommels (stub)for examples and advice on back-weighting with steel bolts.

Below is a table of core inner diameters paired with the most cost effective bolt diameter for weighting them with as little clearance as possible.

Below is a table of bolt diameter, length, and approximate weight. Different grades of steel and types of bolt will weigh differently. You will also add variance when you fill the gap between the bolt and the inner surface of the core. If you want precision, weigh as you work, don't rely on tables like this one.

The longer the bolt is, the further up the length of the weapon the weight is being distributed and the further forward the balance point will be. While a bolt allows you to put the weight inside the core and thus not increase the volume of the pommel, it can be more effective to use a short bolt and add washers to compensate if you are needing more aggressive back-weighting. The end of the bolt will also create a stress point in the core. The further from the pommel this is, the more force that will be exerted against it during impacts, and the more likely it is to lead to a break; this is why I don't recommend bolts longer than 6".

Washers

Washers themselves provide likely the densest and most versatile option for weighting pommels. If the washer will fit around the core, you can place them around the core. If you use a bolt, the washer only needs to be able to fit around the bolt and the bolt can just stick out of the core a bit further, sandwiching washers against the bottom edge.

The same rules apply to filling the space between the inner wall of the washer and whatever it is around as would for a bolt inside the core; the most efficient option that is effective is securing them with hot glue. Washers of various sizes can be used to help secure washers with openings that are larger than the heads of the bolts you are using, and to fine-tune the amount of weight being added.

See Pommels (stub) for examples and advice on using washers for back-weighting. Below is a table of common washer sizes and their dimensions paired with approximate weights.

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While you can always find these at your local hardware store, here are some options for ordering online if necessary.

Lead/Tungsten Tape

Lead Tape is a common weighting item for tennis/pickleball racquets, baseball bats, golf clubs, and fishing rods. It can be found in multiple "weight per inch" variants, ranging between 1 and 3 grams per inch. It is most cost and volume effective to buy the heaviest weight possible. Because Lead Tape is generally $10-$25per roll, can vary from only having 16 oz to having as much as 75 oz on a roll, and takes up a considerable amount of volume for the given weight, it can be a hindrance to use this as a weighting option, but it does work well when precision weighting is needed. It can be bought in strips and on rolls.

Lead Tape is also made with Lead, which is toxic. It is safe in the tape form, but should still be covered with a plastic-backed tape to seal it in and help prevent and leeching that may occur when exposed to moisture and the elements. Tungsten Tape is a straight upgrade from Lead Tape that is more dense and non-toxic. It is just harder to find as a 2 g/in variant. Lead tape is best applied just above the pommel at the base of the handle, or embedded in the pommel and covered in foam. It can also be layered to build up an oblong handle profile. These options being viable or not would depend on your needs/preferences for weighting and balance.

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Steel Wire

Steel wire is effectively similar to Lead/Tungsten Tape, but is much more labor intensive to install and does not come with an adhesive backing. While non-toxic, it does introduce hazards: sharp pointy bits at each end of each segment of wire you use, the creation of a hard metal shell wherever you put the wrap, and rust, as you won't usually find this with any kind of rust protection on it. Is more dense per volume than lead tape, while also being able to be extremely precise in how much weight is added. Unless you are in a pinch, though, I can't recommend this as a viable primary option. The prospect of rust during repairs, the annoyance of installation and protecting the user from the sharp ends of the wire, and the hard shell it creates make for a less-than ideal situation. It is much better to just get as close as you can with bolts and washers and then cover that last bit with wraps of hockey tape around/just above the pommel.

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Wheel Weights

Wheel Weights are commonly used to balance wheels so that spin with less eccentricity and come in ¼ oz, 1/2oz, and 1 oz variants. They usually have an adhesive backing intended to stick to and hold to the rim of a wheel on a car and be exposed to all of the stresses that those wheels/tires are. Some are also coated so that they resist rust, etc. While they can be an effective way to add weight to boffer weapons, they are not as cost effective nor as volume efficient as bolts and washers and require additional effort and processes to keep them secured in place and to build around them. As an addition to bolts and washers, where these square/rectangular strips of metal would be being being slotted into hollows of the handle, or be being used as part of the handle shape, they are quite helpful. There are also thin variants of some brands that allow for more flexibility in this space. However, at that point, if you have the capacity to cut steel you can get a better result and save a decent chunk of change by just buying steel flat bar and cutting that to the desired length.

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