DIY Retractable Assassin's Creed IV Hidden Blade

When I was 13 years old, I searched up tutorials on how to craft my very own Assassin's Creed Hidden Blade. The most popular model I could find online, was from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. But I found that I needed a bunch of popsicle sticks and other materials which were rarely found at my own household, at least that was my case. So now, I have decided to create simple yet effective way to build the hidden blade model at the comfort of my own craft box.

This project features a retractable blade powered by an elastic band, a straightforward lock mechanism, and a compact and sleek design of the original hidden blade!

Materials Used:

1. 3, Large Popsicle Sticks
2. 2, Small Popsicle Sticks
3. 2, Card Paper
4. 1, Bond Paper
5. 1, Elastic Band (Preferably Yellow)
6. Gold/Yellow Paint (Optional)
7. Silver/Metallic Paint (Optional)
8. Black Paint (Optional)
9. Metal Wire/Paper Clip
10. Wooden Slab
11. Wooden Stick
12. Clear Tape
13. String
14. AC:IV Template (Linked below!)

Tools Used:

1. Xacto Knife
2. Heavy Duty Knife
3. Pliers
4. Scissors
5. Pen
6. Pencil
7. Eraser
8. Superglue (cyanoacrylate adhesive)
9. Protective Gear (Face Mask, Goggles, Gloves)

Using the provided Assassin's Creed IV Hidden Blade template, print on A4-size paper. Then, cut out the first two pieces of the template. Using two large popsicle sticks, carve the two pieces as shown on the template. Additionally, carve out the blade piece on another large popsicle stick to your liking! In total, you should have three pieces carved from three large popsicle sticks.

Before applying superglue, please wear the necessary protective gear such as face mask, goggles, and gloves. If possible, work in a properly ventilated area to avoid inhaling the smoke from the glue (Yes, superglue reacts with specific materials such as the string used in the project which caused it to produce smoke when the glue was applied).

After carving out the pieces, split each small popsicle stick in half. In total, you should have four pieces. Using the excess popsicle stick, cut four rectangular pieces then glue them behind the blade as shown in the second photo. Finally, glue the four pieces made from the small popsicle sticks to create a base for the blade to slide in, as shown in the third photo.

Using the remaining popsicle stick scraps, glue tiny rectangular pieces to act as a hook. Do this twice, one on the surface of the blade and the other on top of the tip of the base. To give an easier time for the elastic band to grip of these pieces, glue a wooden stick (1 cm) on top of both hooks as shown in the second photo.

Make sure that the glue has settled without the blade getting stuck or jammed.

Making use of a small strip of paper, create a tube that will surround the metal wire or paper clip used in the lock mechanism. Bend the metal wire or paper clip as shown in the second photo. Apply a small amount of superglue to attach the piece on the base, then use a piece of wood to secure the lock mechanism. This is where the metal lock will be attached later on. Again, make sure that the superglue has not caused the paper tube to stick on the metal wire/paper clip.

While it is optional to paint, I highly recommend doing so as it does justice to the actual hidden blade in the game. A tip while using paint such as silver or gold: Mix paint with glue and a dot of black paint to show effects of weathering. The glue will also help the paint avoid its glitter from staining your hands which can be a huge help since it can be quite messy and distracting while using superglue.

Going back to the provided template, cut out the third piece then cut it out on a piece of card paper. Glue the third piece on the lower part of the blade's base, as shown in the photos.

Using an extra piece of metal wire or paper clip, bend it until its tip form a hook just enough for the blade to latch on. With the help of pliers, you can achieve this step with ease. Along with the hook, place a yellow elastic band on the hook of the tip of the blade's base that we attached earlier. Secure it with superglue.

For extra detail, I added gold strips which were made from card paper then placed them at the sides of the opening on the blade's base.

After the lock mechanism has been added, cut out the base on a piece of card paper as shown in the fourth photo. Make sure to paint this piece black. Of course, I glued two black straps to make it wearable. The straps were not too tight nor too loose. Place a strip of clear tape to lock the straps in place for later.

Cut out a length of string that is just enough for you to exert power to lift the lock mechanism which then releases the blade out of its base. Wrap the string around the metal lock we made earlier, then tie around it. Secure with superglue.

For a smoother surface, I decided to create a simple tube for the string to pass through. To do this, roll a piece of card paper then reinforce with superglue. Then, create a small square piece from card paper then use superglue to attach onto the black base at a 45 degree angle. This angle will decrease the amount of friction for the string to move through. Glue the tube on top of the square piece, following the angle. Feed the string all the way through the tube.

Use a piece of metal wire or paper clip then bend it into a circle. This will serve as a ring piece to give us a better grip on the string as we pull it. Tie the string around the ring piece and use superglue to strengthen it.

At last, I have made my very own model of the Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Hidden Blade! As always, I will be including some areas for improvement in this build.

1. Create a better lock mechanism, especially when it comes to bending the metal wire/paper clip.
2. Fix hook design, creates a better latch for the elastic band.

Other than that, I am really glad that this project turned out better than I expected! Thank you all so much for following me in this build. Stay tuned for other cool projects!! And remember, keep building your world ;)