A little extra insurance never hurts in life or in cosplay. When you’re on the floor at a convention, in the middle of a photoshoot, or anywhere else in cosplay, the last thing you want to worry about is your costume or prop falling apart. It sort of ruins the effect, not to mention it can cause awkward wardrobe malfunctions too. Plus, you don’t just want your cosplay to last for one wear or one weekend; you want it to last as long as possible. When your favorite adhesives aren’t enough to make your cosplay feel secure, you need something stronger to back them up. That’s why we make Reinforcer.

CosBond Reinforcer is designed to reinforce the places where the different pieces of your cosplay join together and where your cosplay is put under the most stress. In this post, we’ll explain how to use CosBond Reinforcer to strengthen your cosplay assembly and discuss the best applications for Reinforcer.

What is CosBond Reinforcer?

Reinforcer is a one-sided adhesive sheet that you can use to back the areas of your cosplay where two pieces meet. It uses the same reliable adhesive as our double-sided Attach & Build but is backed by a nearly indestructible synthetic material that doesn’t rip or tear. Reinforcer is tested to 100 lbs. pull-strength, which is much more weight than your cosplay likely needs to hold.

To use Reinforcer, all you need to do is cut a patch to the size and shape of the area you want to reinforce plus 1-2 inches extra on each side of the strap, seam, or joint. Usually, Reinforcer is used along with another adhesive or glue that was used first to stick your pieces together. Then, Reinforcer gives you an extra layer of protection over top of that adhesive (unless you’re using it on a moving hinge…more on that in a minute).

Reinforcer has plenty of features that make it perfect for securing all the different pieces of your cosplay and ensuring your costume stays in one piece. Reinforcer comes in both black and white 8.5″ by 12″ sheets, but it’s also paintable. It also works on nearly any material your cosplay might be made of, from foam to Worbla to fabric. Best of all, because of its peel and stick application, Reinforcer applies with no fumes, no mess, and no dry time for an instant, reliable hold.

Best Uses for Reinforcer

There are several different ways to use Reinforcer to secure your cosplay or prop’s assembly. Here are a few of the most common and popular ways to use Reinforcer:

• Securing straps: When strapping your armor (or other pieces), you want to be sure your straps stay in place and don’t pull away from your base material. By placing a patch of Reinforcer over both ends of your straps, you can be confident that your armor will stay in place and won’t fall off. Reinforcer works with nylon and elastic straps.
• Reinforcing joints and seams: When you connect two pieces of material together, you’ll usually end up with a joint or seam between them. While you can sand down these seams on the outside, Reinforcer can help ensure that your two pieces stay connected by reinforcing the bond on the inside. For these joints and seams that are designed to stay in place and don’t need to move, applying strips or patches of Reinforcer after your first adhesive has cured will hold everything in its place.
• Creating moving hinges: Here’s an exception to the general rule. If you skip the first layer of adhesive between two pieces and instead use Reinforcer on just one side, you can create a hinge that opens and closes along the seam. This can come in handy for a variety of cosplay and prop elements, and you can allow the hinge to swing and move without worrying about Reinforcer tearing off. Click here to check out our tutorial video on creating a hinge with Reinforcer.

Reinforcer: Your Cosplay Insurance

Unfortunately, things can sometimes go wrong with your cosplay, no matter how carefully you designed and constructed it. Unexpected problems pop up, things break, and sometimes, your ideas are less practical than you imagined they’d be. However, the best way to minimize your risk of complications on con or photoshoot day is to plan ahead and do everything you can to prevent them. With Reinforcer, our goal is to help you avoid common issues that cause cosplays to break or fall apart once you’re walking around in them. By essentially adding a second, hidden layer of protection to your joints, seams, straps, or anywhere else that you think might need some extra security, you can take huge steps towards building a cosplay that lasts (and looks great doing it).