Even with all our modern technology and advanced weaponry, swords have always had a place in our hearts. While relatively useless as weapons today, they remain a mainstay of plenty of sports and hobbies, and even remain at the forefront of a lot of fictional stories.
This isn’t just because they’re a classic, but because they’re arguably far cooler, more interesting and even more sophisticated than guns or other louder, more modern weapons. 3D printed swords are a great way to make your own replica model of your favorite sword from either history or fiction.
From Michonne’s katana in The Walking Dead to Link’s Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda, and all the way to lightsabers from Star Wars, 3D printing swords can give you your own piece of your favorite franchise for display and play.
Here we’re going to look at some of the coolest, most iconic, and most fun 3D printed swords from across our favorite realms of both fact and fantasy.
Please note that we are not, in any way, condoning the use of homemade weaponry for anything other than entertainment, role play, or display. Swords are cool, but even 3D printed swords can be dangerous, so what we’ll talk about today are for novelty purposes only and should still be handled with care and responsibility.
Can a 3D Printer Print a Sword?
While you won’t be printing a real, metal sword with your home 3D printer anytime soon, 3D printed sword replicas are absolutely possible. These will be made of plastic and not suitable for anything other than cosplay or display, but with enough time and care in printing and post-processing, you can make a 3D printed sword look like the real thing.
Classic Swords
Before we get to the fun and fantastical, let’s take a look at some 3D printed sword replicas from different eras and cultures for history buffs to make and display with pride.
While no longer actively used, swords were once the most useful weapons one could find, littering battlefields of the past throughout history and all over the world. Here are some of the most recognizable ones you can check out today.
3D Printed Katana Sword & Prop Rack
- Download: Printables
- Designer: Lmbcruz
- Price: Free
Beginning this list with my favorite kind of sword, this Japanese katana caught my eye almost immediately as an impressive, highly detailed, and free 3D printed sword.
While this sword is technically based on the Hatori Hanzo blade used by The Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, I’ve included it among classic and historical swords as one of the best 3D printed katanas around.
This ancient Japanese sword dates back to the original use of folded steel way back in 700 AD, and has been a symbol of Japanese military culture due to its centuries-long use and the eventual main weapon of the samurai.
Included with the sword files is 3D printed sword holder for a cool display, and while you will need to take good care in post-processing to make it look as good as it does here, the results should speak for themselves.
Any fan of old Japanese weaponry, anime, or even just Kill Bill will love this 3D printed samurai sword, and it makes for a cool addition to your home décor or even cosplay if you’re careful with it.
If you want a more whimsical 3D printed samurai sword, however, then why not check out some of the many 3D printed Demon Slayer swords from creator BORSHCH3D?
Single-Edged Viking Sword
- Download: MyMiniFactory
- Designer: Eternal
- Price: Free
Unlike more modern swords, which were forged by blacksmiths round the clock, Viking swords date back to the early Middle Ages when resources weren’t quite as plentiful. Because of this, swords typically used by Vikings were passed down through generations and treated with respect and honor, not just as a typical tool of war.
This 3D printed take on the Viking sword has been slightly altered from the standard blades of the time, which were normally double-edged.
This makes it a unique and very cool 3D printed sword, with the era that inspired it being recognizable to any history buff via the shape of the hilt, which can be traced back to what we now call Denmark.
Jewel Hilt Broadsword
- Download: Thingiverse
- Designer: Props3DPro
- Price: Free
One of the most common swords found throughout history is the standard broadsword. As a western sword, they were large and heavy blades that were as common as they were deadly.
As the standard weapon of choice throughout most of the western world, broadswords are the most classic of the classic, and are often seen in fictional tales like The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, Game of Thrones, and any number of western fantasies.
This simple 3D printed sword is modeled after a broadsword used by nobility, as seen with the jeweled hilt. It’s a fantastic piece that any history or high fantasy fan will love for display, cosplay or even LARPing.
3D Printed Rapier
- Download: Cults3D
- Designer: IVANFIGUEROA
- Price: $2
One of the most stylish swords around is the rapier. While mainly known as a thrusting sword these days, seen in sports such as fencing, they actually began life as 15th century cutting swords, making them halfway between broadswords and katanas.
While there are dozens of different rapier designs as seen throughout different histories and cultures, this 3D printed sword seems to have a close resemblance to a standard German or Swiss rapier, with a simple but elegant hilt.
Of course, those of you interested in fencing will probably prefer to go with a cupped rapier instead, which is more modern with standard English blades of the 17th century and beyond, when they went from cutting to thrusting weapons.
Fictional Swords
Some of the best, most creative, and easily recognizable swords come from fictional universes we know and love. Some of them are practical and imaginative, others are unwieldy and impractical, but they’re all awesome in their own right.
Here are some of the absolute coolest 3D printed swords from across these fictional worlds that you can make yourself today.
3D Printed Master Sword
- Download: Thingiverse
- Designer: giedzinski
- Price: Free
The Master Sword, The Blade of Evil’s Bane, The Sword that Seals the Darkness. However you call this blade, it’s one of the most iconic weapons in all of videogame history.
Because of this, there are plenty of 3D printed Master Sword models out there, but this one is one of the coolest I could find. The files are free, the parts are easy to print, and it doesn’t require any glue or other adhesives to assemble.
Anyone looking for a 3D printed Zelda sword would do well to start with this awesome replica. But of course, it’s not the only bladed weapon in the endlessly reincarnated hero’s arsenal. Fans looking to house a collection of 3D printed Zelda swords can also check out the Kokiri Sword, the Biggorron Sword, and even the titular princess’s sword.
3D Printed Monster Hunter Sword
- Download: MyMiniFactory
- Designer: Martin Moore
- Price: Free
The Monster Hunter games have a wide variety of weapons available to the player, and since it would be impossible to talk about all of them here, I’ve landed on this epic 3D printed Monster Hunter sword that captures the classic, makeshift look of the original games.
It’s a great starting point for 3D printing your own Monster Hunter swords, and looks pretty cool too. It’s perfect for cosplay or as a decorative piece as any fan of the franchise will know exactly where it came from.
Just be careful when printing and post-processing, as in their efforts to make it as accurate a replica as possible, the designer has included quite a few spikes and sharp edges in the design. This also means you’ll need to blunt them if you plan on using this sword as part of a costume.
3D Printed Mulan Sword
- Download: CGTrader
- Designer: 3D-mon
- Price: $25.20
Taking a break from videogames for a moment, this 3D printed sword is a replica of the wonderful Disney movie Mulan. Released back in 1998 to critical and commercial success, this animated classic has a place in the hearts of many Disney fans.
To celebrate this fandom, this 3D printed sword, modeled after the Jian swords used by Chinese armies at the time, is a fantastic way to keep the spirit of this film alive.
But before you get down to business to defeat the Huns, be advised that this sword is scaled to be movie-accurate in size, so make sure your printer is large enough to make both the sword and sheathe before you get too excited.
3D Printed Buster Sword
- Download: Pinshape
- Designer: sleepingsamu
- Price: $13
Tidus may have his Brotherhood, and Squall his gunblade, but none of the hundreds of swords featured in the gargantuan and misleadingly titled Final Fantasy franchise is quite as famous as Cloud Strife’s Buster Sword from 1997’s epic and groundbreaking Final Fantasy VII.
While I’m not particularly fond of the extended FFVII universe, I must say the design changes made to the now-famous blade over time look really cool. And it’s this newer version, seen most recently in 2020’s Remake, is an amazing 3D printed Buster Sword that fans of the franchise, or even just this one entry, will both recognize and adore.
It’s made to full 5-6’ scale and printed in 15 individual parts, even including the two materia slots which you can adorn with your own 3D printed materia too!
3D Printed Minecraft Sword
- Download: Thingiverse
- Designer: GPPK
- Price: Free
2011’s Minecraft took the world by storm. The endless sandbox with a focus on exploration and creativity captured the hearts and imaginations of gamers the world over. Despite its simplistic style and blocky world, it also managed to have a unique aesthetic that’s easily recognizable to players all over the world.
This 3D printed Minecraft sword is the standard weapon of choice for many, especially if you’re just starting out. While magic and potions were later added to the game, it’s hard to argue with the classic.
This particular iteration was designed to light up for a cool display, though you will need a laser cutter too. If you don’t have access to one or would prefer a simpler, less ostentatious version, then you might prefer this easier, fully 3D printed Minecraft sword instead.
3D Printed Collapsible Laser Sword
- Download: Thingiverse
- Designer: CrossTechnic
- Price: Free
While I’ve already covered plenty of 3D printed lightsabers from Star Wars that you can make at home, I’ve also decided to include this 3D printed laser sword as a basic and easy-to-print collapsible sword for play.
This toy sword is ideal as a gift for little ones as it’s rounded and safe to use. As a collapsible sword, it’s also designed to be hollow inside so it’s safe for playtime and relatively harmless as a plaything.
Of course, lightsabers aren’t to everyone’s taste. So for a more traditional take, you can try out this curved 3D printed collapsible sword for an even more unique take on the old favorite.
3D Printed Zangetsu
- Download: Thingiverse
- Designer: CarboTheCreator
- Price: Free
Bleach is a manga anime series that has reached critical acclaim worldwide, so much so that it became one of The Big Three alongside easily recognizable manga series Naruto and One Piece.
One of the main reasons Bleach stands out as a series is that every single main character sports their own weapon, normally what’s known as a Zanpakutō, the best known of course being main character Ichigo Kurosaki’s Zangetsu.
The link above features his initial bankai form, Tensa Zangetsu, a simple black 3D printed katana that allowed him to reach extraordinary levels of speed and power.
While I would absolutely love to write about all the different 3D printed Zanpakutō available out there, I’m afraid I have to limit myself to only the most iconic, including Renji Abarai’s Zabimaru, and Rukia Kuchiki’s Sode no Shirayuki.
Of course, you could always 3D print Ichigo’s other release forms and weapons, like his original shikai, his true shikai, and his true bankai just to name a few.
Bonus: 3D Printed Sword Pokémon
- Download: CGTrader
- Designer: zzzMonkiezzz
- Price: $12
Before there was Pokémon Sword, there were Sword Pokémon, namely the Honedge line first introduced in Gen VI’s Pokémon X and Y.
Included in the files above are the original Honedge, along with the rest of the evolutionary line Doublade and Aegislash, all of which are ready for 3D printing and decoration to make it look like they jumped straight out of your 3DS, or in the case of Aegislash, your Nintendo Switch!
Bonus: 3D Printed Swords and Weapon Collection
- Download: Thingiverse
- Designer: cncmodels4you
- Price: Free
Still undecided on what kind of 3D printed sword you want? Or maybe 3D printing one of the awesome swords we’ve talked about today has got your creative juices flowing?
In any case, these numerous and free files contain all kinds of 3D printed melee weaponry replicas designed to be simple STL files that you can alter, remix, and customize to your heart’s content.
There are far too many to name, but alongside 3D printed swords you’ll find axes, daggers, lances, and even a mace! With enough time and care, you’ll have your own unique and even personalized 3D printed weapon collection in no time.
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