Tuesday, 3 August 2021

Converting a Water Pistol Blade Runner PKD

or "Is it raining on that replicant or did my gun shoot water?"

My finished Blade Runner PKD

I recently completed my painting "Memories Lost", a tribute to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, and for this painting I recreated a number of props from the movie. Perhaps the most iconic and memorable is of course Deckard's Blaster. There are many excellent replicas of this gun available. All of them out of my price range, with one exception; the Fullcock Takagi water pistol. Read on below to see how I converted a water pistol into a stunning replica.

A couple of Takagi water pistols in their packs

The Fullcock Takagi is a 1:1 replica with amazing detail and accuracy, especially given its $15 price tag. Mine cost me a little bit more than that as I had to import it to the UK from Japan but it was worth every penny. With just a touch of paint this thing can look great, and if you are prepared to go the extra distance and rebuild a couple of areas it can be an impressive addition to your collection.

My raw water pistol, as it arrived.

My raw water pistol, as it arrived.

I started by cutting away the grips using a very fine razor saw. My plan was to cast the grips in amber resin and see where I ended up. If things went bad I could always 3D print a new gun but acquiring nicely textured grips is a one off opportunity.
 
Water Pistol with butt plate removed.

First grip removed from pistol

Once they were clear the gun was still in good shape, and with access to the internals I was able to remove the internal water pistol mechanism.

All the parts successfully removedfrom the Balde Runner water pistol!
 
The pistol had received some minor cracks in shipping so I repaired those next, lightly sanded the surface and primed the gun so I could see the detail better.

The pistol has been primed in grey.

Pistol has been primed in grey

The grip frame was built up in a way that although not 100% accurate I hoped would look close enough through the clear grips once they were attached. I also 3D printed a new front end for the gun as this area had been simplified for the injection moulding process. The areas that were meant to be LEDs were cut away and real (although non-functional) LEDs were installed.

Blade Runner plaster with the grips removed and a new frame installed.

I plugged the holes in the grips and laid them up in a mould box so I could cast them. This was my first time casting anything clear so I purchased new supplies. I knew that when resin casting thicker items, heat build up can be a problem so had followed the supplier guidelines and acquired a slower setting resin. This was a bit of an adjustment for me as I’m used to fast cast resins that set within an hour. This stuff took the best part of a week until it was completely solid. I think perhaps I’d been over cautious. Very happy with the outcome though.

Mixing resin to cast the grips for the PKD

Parts of the PKD ready for assembly
 
The next step was to paint the gun. I mostly used Alclad paints for this as they are AMAZING when it comes to metal effects! There is a huge amount of reference material available online and I did my best to replicate all of the small details.
 
Everything worked out pretty well and I’m happy with how it looks for now… but I think when I get some spare time I will revisit this and see if I can make it even more accurate!

The finished blaster in all its glory!

The finished blaster in all its glory!

Close up shot of the barrel of the gun.

20 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Wow, this is incredible! I can’t believe you turned a simple water pistol into such an amazing replica
    FMCG Distributorship
    Dust Collector

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your dedication to recreating this iconic blaster is impressive. The details are spot on
    Mezzanine Floor manufactrurer in Delhi
    Slotted Angle rack manufacturer in Noida

    ReplyDelete
  5. "This is hands down the coolest project I've seen in a while. Love the step-by-step breakdown!"
    Dust Collector Manufacturer
    Centralized Dust collector in dElhi

    ReplyDelete
  6. "I had no idea you could achieve this level of detail with just some resin and paint. Amazing work!"
    mobile-compactor in delhi
    storage-racks manufacturer in kanpur

    ReplyDelete
  7. "As a Blade Runner fan, I totally appreciate your efforts here. Looks just like the real thing!"
    Industrial Slotted Angle Rack Faridabad
    drum storage rack manufacturer

    ReplyDelete
  8. "You’ve inspired me to try my hand at customizing props. Thanks for sharing your process!"
    Fifo Flow Rack
    warehouse storage rack manufacturer in delhi

    ReplyDelete
  9. "I can’t believe this started as a $15 water pistol! The transformation is mind-blowing."
    two tier rack
    warehouse mezzanine floor delhi

    ReplyDelete
  10. "The amber resin grips are genius. They add so much authenticity to the final look!"
    heavy duty rack in india
    industrial rack In faridabad

    ReplyDelete
  11. "The attention to detail with the LEDs and metal effects is next-level. This is museum-quality work!"
    industrial storage rack in rudrapur
    modular workstation noida

    ReplyDelete
  12. "Those Alclad paints really bring the blaster to life. I’ll have to try them on my next project!"
    invest in brands
    Franchise

    ReplyDelete
  13. "I love that you used resin for the grips. They look so realistic and give it that authentic Deckard feel!"
    FMCG Distributorship
    Frozen Foods Distributorship

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Your patience and skill really shine through in this post. The final result is just stunning."
    Carrier Oil Saw PalMetto Manufacturer in Korea
    sparsh bagga

    ReplyDelete
  15. "I’m curious, did you need any specific tools for this build, or did you use what you had on hand?"
    SEO Company in Delhi
    Shrink packing delhi

    ReplyDelete
  16. "The breakdown on resin casting is so helpful. I've always wanted to try it myself!"
    Namkeen Distributorship
    Dust collector manufacturer

    ReplyDelete
  17. "That finished blaster shot is a masterpiece. Blade Runner fans would be jealous!"
    Pulse Jet Filter Bag in Delhi
    cartridge type bag filter manufacturer delhi

    ReplyDelete
  18. "Thank you for all the detailed photos – they make it so easy to follow along."
    Evaporative Cooler Manufacturer
    long span rack in delhi

    ReplyDelete
  19. "I’ve always been hesitant to try custom prop work, but this post makes me want to give it a shot!"
    metal mezzanine floor in mathura
    fabric roll storage rack

    ReplyDelete
  20. "The journey from raw water pistol to replica blaster is inspiring. Great job documenting every step!"
    Heavy Duty Rack in delhi
    cable tray in delhi

    ReplyDelete