How to Make a Paper Kunai
Craft a durable paper kunai using standard A4 paper, precise origami folding, and reinforced rolling techniques to create a sturdy, balanced ninja prop.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Craft scissors
- ✓ Ruler or bone folder
- ✓ Pencil
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 3 sheets of A4 paper (black, grey, or white)
- ✓ Clear adhesive tape
- ✓ Glue stick
- ✓ Black electrical tape (optional for grip)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Cut paper away from fingers when trimming excess sheets with scissors.
- • Never throw the finished paper kunai toward faces or eyes, as the folded tip can cause minor injury.
- • Avoid paper cuts by creasing firmly with a ruler rather than bare fingernails.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Cut a Square and Crease the Base Blade
Take one sheet of A4 paper and fold one corner down diagonally to meet the opposite edge, forming a right triangle. Use scissors to trim away the excess rectangular strip, then unfold to reveal a perfect square. Fold the square along both diagonals to establish an 'X' crease pattern across the center.
- • A flat, square paper sheet with sharp intersecting diagonal creases.
- • Cutting an uneven square which skews later symmetry.
Fold the Kunai Diamond Head
Fold the square in half diagonally into a triangle with the point facing upward. Fold the left and right bottom corners upward to meet the top apex, forming a smaller diamond shape. Turn the paper over and fold the outer side corners inward along the center vertical axis to create a tapered, pointed dagger profile.
- • A multi-layered, symmetrical diamond blade with a sharp, pointed tip.
- • Hollow opening at the bottom base of the diamond.
- • Misaligning the center seams, resulting in a crooked blade point.
Roll the Rigid Handle Shaft
Lay a second sheet of A4 paper flat on your work surface in landscape orientation. Starting from the bottom-left corner, roll the paper diagonally as tightly and thinly as possible toward the top-right corner to form a dense rod. Secure the final loose corner with a piece of clear tape, then trim both uneven ends square with scissors.
- • A tight, stiff paper cylinder approximately 25-28 cm long with minimal flex.
- • Rolling the paper too loosely, making the handle bendable and weak.
Shape and Attach the Pommel Ring
Cut a 4 cm wide strip from the remaining paper sheet and roll it into a thin, flexible tube or fold it flat into a 1 cm wide ribbon. Wrap the strip around the base of a marker or your thumb to form a 3 cm circular ring, securing the overlap with tape. Flatten the top 1 cm of the handle shaft, wrap it around the ring's joint, and tape them firmly together.
- • A solid circular ring securely anchored to one end of the handle shaft.
- • Making the ring loop too large or using too little tape, causing the ring to tear loose.
Mount the Blade to the Shaft
Apply a liberal coating of glue along the top 5 cm of the handle shaft. Slide the glued end deeply into the hollow opening at the bottom of the folded diamond blade until it rests firmly inside the tip. Squeeze the base opening around the shaft and wrap a piece of tape around the collar seam to lock the blade securely.
- • The blade is aligned straight with the handle and does not wobble or slide off.
- • Inserting the shaft off-center, causing the blade to point at an angle.
Wrap the Grip and Finish
Begin wrapping electrical tape or a thin, contrasting paper strip just beneath the blade collar. Spiral down the handle shaft in overlapping diagonal turns until you reach the base ring, pressing down firmly as you go. Secure the end with a small piece of clear tape to give the kunai a clean, tactile grip.
- • Even, textured wrapping covering the entire handle shaft between the blade and pommel ring.
- • Leaving gaps between tape wraps where the white base paper shows through.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Sen De Yap — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No electrical tape? strips of colored paper secured with a glue stick
- No scissors? ruler edge tear along a firmly creased fold line
- No liquid glue or glue stick? small loops of clear tape or double-sided tape