British inventor, fabricator, and “builder of crazy stuff” Colin Furze seemed to be the perfect choice to confirm something we’ve been wondering since Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice was released on March 22: Are two of Sekiro’s finest prosthetic weapons – the Loaded Axe and the Loaded Umbrella –actually possible to build and use in real life? After all, Colin has attempted to construct the world’s longest motorbike, fabricated the world’s fastest bumper car, and still has all ten of his fingers.    

The results were as impressive as Sekiro’s Metacritic score, with Colin taking to his workshop to craft a fully-working Loaded Axe and Loaded shield Umbrella. We asked a slightly singed Colin about the process, once he’d finished firing a flamethrower at his shield to test its effectiveness:

First, watch Colin construct a real-world Loaded Axe, mounted to his own arm, and activated by a wrist-flick (above).

Activision Games Blog (AGB): For those readers who don’t know you, can you tell us a bit more about yourself and your builds?

Colin Furze (CF): I am the internet’s resident inventor. If it’s crazy, fast, impractical and awesome I’ve built it.

AGB: How long did the axe and shield umbrella take to make from start to finish?

CF: The axe probably took a week, and the shield probably took two-and-a-half to three weeks.

AGB: What was the most difficult aspect in making the axe and the shield umbrella?

CF: The axe was pretty straight-forward, it was just a case of getting the latching system sorted. But the shield – how it unfolded and connected together – was a real headache. The one in the video was “Mark VI”, so it took a lot of trial and error. Let’s just say there’s a lot of scrap steel in the workshop!

AGB: How many prototypes or iterations did you go through for each Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice item?

CF: There were about four for the axe and there were six shields. 

Next, see Colin tinker around in his shed while working on a stainless-steel fold-out, arm-mounted Loaded Umbrella (above).

AGB: We’re hoping you didn’t suffer any accidental injuries during the making of these items or others. But did you?

CF: The “Mark II” axe tried to sever my real arm off. A shield made of stainless steel can get pretty sharp too, if I’m honest.

AGB: What are your essential tools for building?

CF: The TIG welder, [it] comes in handy for so many projects.

Now let’s see Colin face off against fireworks and a flamethrower to test out his Arm-Mounted Loaded Umbrella Shield (above).

AGB: How about a future build with the Sekiro flame barrel?

CF: Having already made flame throwers… that’s why I was so drawn to building the shield - nobody had achieved anything like this.

AGB: Are there any practical, real-world applications you could see to use the axe or shield?

CF: I think the axe could be used by a bushman. The shield, if made stronger, would make a good shield should anyone need a shield.

Thanks to Colin Furze. Check his YouTube channel for more builds. And let’s be careful out there and leave the building to the professionals.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available now for PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and PC. Take Revenge. Restore your Honor. Kill Ingeniously.

For further details about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, check out the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice website, and follow @sekirothegame on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.