
Etsy seller and maker of lovingly crafted props and replicas since 2006 Dark Matter Props has stolen our hearts with their appreciation for a not-so-secret but often under-appreciated fact about a Marvel icon: underneath that unbreakable, nearly invincible adamantium, Wolverine’s claws bone protrusions that erupt from his hands.
It’s well-known and acknowledged throughout the comics, but the cinematic X-Men universe doesn’t depict or acknowledge the fact much outside of the unfortunatee-on-so-many-levels X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE. We point this out because, as bad-ass as Wolverine looks with deadly and indestructible metal blades rising from his hands, it’s somehow even more unsettling to see young James Logan’s bone extensions arise for the first time.
Dark Matter’s third-generation design features six (three on each of two grips) screen-accurate “bone” claws measuring 9-10″ of semi-translucent tinted urethane plastic casting resin. The black/brown wash and sealant ensure not only a durable coating, but that the bone texture pops noticably. The fabrication process is faithful to process of attaching the hero and stunt props first to wires before attaching to a grip that adjusts for different hand sizes. The finished product leaves the wires and any gaps barely visible without actually looking extremely closely for them.
As opposed to pre-assembled claws, these fully adjustable claws can adjust their height by the location of the wire’s bend and re-fit the grips with two screws that will move the claws either farther from or closer to your hand. Dark Matter can also provide pre-assembled props with tailor-fitted sizing, in which they will use your measurements to guide the wire bends and mark each claw and grip for their locations. Keep in mind, the claws will still ship disassembled but with instructions for easy assembly with only a few small adjustments needed.
Either resin/plastic for softer comfort or metal grips for durability and even faster assembly are both available, as well as individual claws to save on shipping for recplacement or just to reduce the cost of multiple purchases.
Handle with care. These aren’t exactly adamantium, nor do they have sharpened edges, but they do come to potentially dangerous semi-sharp points and should be used only decoratively.