Watch a homemade flip-open batarang do some batastic damage
Batman's going to need all the help he can get against Superman in the upcoming film. Perhaps he needs YouTuber Patrick Priebe on his side?
Sure Batman might have some really cool toys, but it's kind of hard to beat the simple elegance of the batarang. Part boomerang, part ninja throwing star, the whizzing weapon has delivered plenty of "kablooeys" to the noggins of evildoers over the years.
Now, bad guys in Germany had better watch out. YouTube inventor Patrick Priebe, who lives in Germany, has just made his own working and folding batarang.
The device looks impressive enough, with matte black bat wings popping out to the side from a central disc. What's even more batass is that the gizmo actually works. As you can see in the video above, Priebe hurls the thing at a variety of materials, including some seriously reinforced foam and a melon that looks a little like Mr. Freeze's head.
Priebe also uploaded a "how to" video. But, unless you've got one heck of a Batcave of your own, you might have a hard time putting your own batarang together. For one, you'll need to be able to cut the wings out of metal. You'll also need steady hands to deal with the small springs, buttons and hinges the thing requires. Might just be easier to buy one from this guy.
Priebe told CNET's Crave blog it took him about two days to make the batarang and that he used a jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade to make the basic shapes out of steel. He recommends, though, that anyone who wants to follow in his footsteps use aluminum, as it's easier to work with. He also said the button that deploys the wings was the hardest part because it had to be perfectly centered.
"It worked instantly, he said. "I was kinda shocked. And the fact that it actually survived many hits was amazing. I didn't even show the hits on the concrete wall!"
Priebe usually focuses on all things laser, and has previously created a James Bond-style laser-shooting watch, as well an Iron Man glove that could blast beams as well. It's nice to see the inventor branching out into other types of gadgets. I think there might be a job waiting for him at Wayne Enterprises.