Warnings, Precautions
I used some things in the creation of this costumes that can be dangerous to life, limb, and property. Please take note, and appropriate precautions. Non-adults should, at the least, secure permission from their parent or guardian before using the below listed items. In some cases, supervision or assistance from a parent or guardian may be wise.
Additionally, pregnant women and/or persons with certain physical or medical conditions may wish to avoid using some of the below listed items.
Some of my suggested precautions may sound sort of silly, but I’m going to write them anyway, so I can’t be blamed if someone reads my explanations, does something stupid, gets hurt, and tries to pin it on me.
Hot Glue: it’s hot! The hot glue I used did not have the potential to deliver a disfiguring burn when used in small amounts but I did burn my fingers and hands a bit, which was at times rather painful. Young people may be more sensitive to heat-pain and should be careful. The hot glue gun itself can also cause burns. Additionally, it’s an electric item (plugs into the wall) and since it heats up could carry the risk of causing fire, and of course the risk or electrocution, especially if used near water.
Scissors and blades such as X-acto knives: they are sharp. Do not cut yourself. Especially when trying to cut something difficult, be wary of forcing the blade, slipping, and slicing something important (like your skin…or femoral artery).
Acrylic Paints: some acrylic paints, particularly “artist quality,” contain pigments known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. The paints are non-toxic (if you eat them, they won’t kill you outright) but extended exposure to them (over years, generally) could be harmful to you. As a general precaution, don’t eat them, and avoid washing brushes, palettes, and paint-covered hands in the same place you wash dishes you eat from or with the same sponge or cloth. However, acrylic paints won’t hurt you if you just get it on your skin, so don’t panic. Most likely, you only need to be careful if you paint with acrylics most days of your life, over years and years. And FYI, acrylics do not wash out of clothing.
Other Paints: for my costume pieces, I only used acrylic paint. Other paints like watercolor, tempura (“poster paint”), gouache, oil paints, and spray paint of course exist in varying qualities. I recommend acrylic. Watercolor, tempura, and gouache all have the potential to run if they get wet, even after having been dry. Oil paints are traditionally more toxic than acrylic, although newer versions being produced are less so. Oil paints can also take a very long time to dry. Spray paint cannot be sold (at least in California) to anyone under the age of 18, because misguided youth sometimes use it as an inhalant to get high and risk death (bad, bad idea), but it will create a smooth colored surface with no risk of visible brushstrokes. My friend (who is over 18 and would never use drugs of any kind) used spray paint for her sword. The spray paint she got, at least, was resistant to being covered with acrylic paint. I think it was oil based. Any kind of paint should be used in a well-ventilated area and kept away from food surfaces.
Chemicals in Cardboard: cardboard is processed with chemicals and includes glue. If you get it wet (as I direct in one explanation), these chemicals and glue can come off. Again, they probably won’t kill you, but don’t go eating the cardboard or drinking cardboard-flavored water.
Needles, Pins, and Sewing-related Hazards: expect to get poked with pins if you’re sewing anything, it just happens. Though the risk is pretty low, if you have a blood-borne illness you may want to avoid sharing pins and needles with another person. Also be aware that if multiple people work on the same project and hold pins in their mouths, you may be sharing spit. Again, the risk is really small, but some viruses and bacteria can survive outside the human body for a while. As a precaution, don’t hold pins in your mouth. If you use a sewing machine, don’t sew your fingers. Be careful with sharp things like seam rippers and scissors.
Ironing: it’s hot! Irons get really hot, hotter than hot glue, I think. Be careful not to burn yourself. Irons also carry the risk of fire and electrocution. Unplug them immediately when not in use.
Hot Steam: I used steam to straighten/relax the synthetic hair I bought. Be warned—steam can be very hot! It can give burns worse than boiling water because it is hotter than boiling water until it cools down and condenses. Anyone who has done cooking will likely know this already, but it bears repeating. Be very cautious if you use steam at any point in the process.
Allergies: if you have allergies to any chemicals or substances you probably know already to check for them in anything that might come into contact with your skin, or that you might somehow ingest. I dyed my hair for this costume. If you do, too, be sure to take the allergy test 48 hours in advance and color your hair only if you pass the test. Do not use hair dye to attempt to color eyebrows or eyelashes, as it can cause blindness. Be aware of latex present in tape if you have a latex allergy.
Use common sense when working on your costume. Be careful, and always tell your parent or guardian what you’re up to, if you’re under 18, since they will probably want to be sure both you and the house/apt/garage are not in any danger, and they may have some good advice, too. Hopefully they won’t try to stop you from making your costume; everybody should have the right to dress up as a shinigami.
If you’re over 18, well, far cry for me to tell you what to do, but I advise informing roommates and housemates of your plans (get them involved! Every Captain needs a Lieutenant, right?) and keeping pets and small children away from anything dangerous or things they could mess up. You don’t need paw prints across your sword or little Joey trying to wear your uncompleted hakama.