How to Make a Nunchaku

Co-authored by John Graden

Last Updated: April 20, 2023 Approved

Nunchaku, often casually known as "nunchuks," are a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon that is made of two sticks connected by a rope or a chain on one end. The Nunchaku make a great training weapon, which can help you improve your posture and develop quicker movements of the hands. If you want to make your own Nunchaku, whether you're a student of the martial arts or just a fan of martial arts movies, there are many ways to go about it. You can make them out of wood, PVC pipe, or even foam! If you want to know how to make your own Nunchaku, see Step 1 to get started.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Wood

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1
Get two wooden dowels. They should be about the length of your forearm, the distance from your elbow to your wrist, or about ³ ⁄ ₄ to 1 inch (1.9 to 2.5 cm) thick in diameter. If you want, you can paint them black or another color to make them look a bit more threatening. But keeping the wood bare can be nice, too. Each dowel should be about a foot long, if you're shorter than 6 feet (1.8 m), and about 16" if you are taller, because the Nunchaku should be able to go around your body. If they're too small for you, you won't be able to use them effectively.
- If you cannot find two dowels that are about this size, you can get a larger dowel rod and use a hand saw, jigsaw, or a band saw to cut it into two pieces.
The rope or rawhide string should ideally be around 2 feet (0.6 m) long, or a bit longer if you're taller than 6 feet (1.8 m). Your best bet is to procure some 3/16 nylon braided rope. You can also buy more rope and just cut it to meet the length requirements you need. This doesn't mean you'll have 2 feet (0.6 m) of rope between the nunchucks; you'll have less because you'll have to tie each end of the rope to the dowels.

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The hole should be wide enough to place the rope into, and should go at least 1 ¹ ⁄ ₂ inches (3.8 cm) deep into each top of the stick. Use a 3/8 drill bit, or an even thinner one, depending on the diameter of your Nunchaku.
Now, you should drill a smaller hole through one side of each dowel, so that the rope can be looped through this hole and the top hole so you can tie it in place. This hole should reach the main hole so that the rope can go through it easily. It should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the top of each dowel; if the hole is too close to the top, the rope may open up the hole and come out of it after frequent use.
Then, tie it securely to hold it in place. Make sure you leave enough room (at least a few inches) for you to be able to securely tie the end of the rope in place.
Now that you have secured one end of the rope to the wooden dowel, you can secure the other end of the rope to the other wooden dowel.
Use regular glue or crazy glue to add stability to the Nunchaku and to secure the rope in place.
Just wait a few minutes for the glue to dry, and get ready to use those nunchucks! You can even begin to learn some nunchuck skills.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using PVC Pipe

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The pipe should also be ¾ inches in diameter. You will need to use a handsaw, hacksaw, or miter saw to cut the piece into two parts. The pipe should be hollow inside so the Nunchaku aren’t too heavy or dangerous.
You should make it so that the length of each pipe is as long as the distance from your wrist to your elbow, which should be about one foot long each. If you’re over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, it may be a little longer.
If you have PVC cement, then you can use it to secure the end caps on the ends of each length of pipe (you’ll need two end caps for each piece).
Make sure to screw them in until they’re nice and snug. The screw eyes should be about a ½ inch in diameter.
Now, take a 12-inch piece of metal chain and use some needle nose pliers to bend open the link at each end of the chain so it opens up enough to put it around the screw eyes. Place each opened link around the screw eye and use the pliers to close the link again, so you’ve made it so that the screw eye is essentially just another link in the chain. Do this to both ends of the chain.
Now, carefully wrap some black electrical tape around each pipe as much as you want. You can cover the entire pipe, or leave the end caps out to create a pipe with two colors. Either way, the black tape will give your Nunchucks a sleeker, more sophisticated look.
You’re all done! Now, enjoy training with your home-made weapon!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Foam

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You can use a sharp knife or an X-Acto knife to create two foam tubes, if you don't have tubes of that length already. Each tube should be about the length from your wrist to your forearm, so if you are smaller or making these for a child, then they may be a bit smaller than one foot each. These foam nunchuks are a perfect addition to a Halloween costume and are completely safe to use, though they are not the most effective.
The pen should be positioned horizontally to each tube, and should make a hole from one end to the other. This should be about 1/2-1 inch down from each tube's top.
Take about 3 inches (7.6 cm) of pipe cleaner, run it through the two holes on one tube, tie it together at the top of the tube, leaving about an inch of space. Then, repeat the process on the other tube, so you now have two tubes with two little pipe cleaner circles at the top.
Now, just take a thin piece of rope that is around 3 feet (0.9 m) long and tie each end of the rope to the pipe cleaner circles you created. Leave about 2 inches (5.1 cm) on each end of the rope.
You're all done -- now enjoy your light, safe Nunchaku!

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Is there any other material I can use?

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You might be able to use a metal pipe for a more devastating hit. It should also be tougher than the ones shown.

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Is there a material that can replace the chain for the PVC pipe to make it lighter but still functional?

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Nylon rope works best. It's durable and won't break from friction. It's also cheap.

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As a beginner, can I start with wood?

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Yes, you can.

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Tips

If you use an i-hook, make sure you thread it all the way in, and make sure the threaded ends are at least an inch and a half long. if its not, and you start to swing the nunchucks faster, the i-hooks could come out.

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You can make elegant looking ridges in them if you have a file.

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Use a light string rope and a light dowel made of oak. This will make them move faster, and it will be easier to control.

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Warnings

These are not toys.

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Do not use soft wood, for it can break and become a missile.

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Nunchaku are illegal in to carry in New York, Arizona, California and Massachusetts and to have in Ireland. ^{[ citation needed
]}

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Things You'll Need

Chain or thin, strong, rope
2 Sticks(12 to 14 inches long)
Bolt cutters strong enough to cut the chain
Hammer (only if you're using a chain)
Drill
i-hooks (only for rope)
Sandpaper

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How to Make a Nunchaku

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Using Wood

Using PVC Pipe

Using Foam

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