Info on Viking Swords

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
Messages
9,437
Hey Everyone-

A client of mine is going to make me a 50 ton hydraulic press if I make him a "damascus broad-sword" as he says.

I saw some pictures of such beasts through the years in past KI and Blade but am having a hell of a time finding them in my stacks of magazines.

Is there somewhere either online or in print that you can point me to for ideas and info on a Viking type sword???

Thanks :)
Nick
 
Sometimes the answers, like vikingsword.com, are just too obvious...:o

More info would be appreciated though! :)

Nick
 
Paul Chens "Godfred sword" is a pretty good one. The patterning was much more intricate for a viking sword, though. Multiple twist in the center, with homogenous or straight laminate steel edge. There have been a few articles in Blade covering viking swords, too.
http://www.vikinganswerlady.org/
For data on the patterning, I'd suggest Hrisoulas books. His are the only ones that I've seen that addressed the subject directly. "The Master Bladesmith" and "The pattern-welded blade".
 
sword01.gif

This picture is off of the website mentioned above, http://www.vikinganswerlady.com. I recenty viewed the Viking exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural History and this is most representative of what they had on display, down to the design of the guard and pommel. Note the wide fuller in the blade. This was to conserve both weight and steel that was at a premium in those times. The handle was wire wrapped and I noted that the guard and pommel were probably made from a laminate of copper and silver. I don't know how historically accurate you wish to be but one difference in the picture above and what I saw was that there were no pins in the handle whatsoever in the blades displayed at the exhibition. A pattern-welded blade was not on display.

One other good source of information would be Hrisoulas' book, "The Complete Bladesmith". He briefly goes over the construction of the Norse pattern-welded sword.

C Wilkins
 
Thanks guys!

I'd like to go traditional, but right off the start he wants a full tang and ivory scales inlaid with stones... So much for traditional ;)

But it should be a big learning experience for me.

The scarey part: this is a 19 year old that wants to pack it on his back while he rides his replica Indian (that he is going into production making). Different strokes right?...? :rolleyes:

Thanks for all the help...gotta love this place.

Nick
 
Hey Nick looks like we bothare in for fun on making a sword.Good luck,Sorry I cant be much help here as the answeres you have already gotten are all I know of myself.
Bruce:D
 
What looks like silver and copper lamination in the pommel was actually wire inlay on an iron pommel, a fairly common practice for them.
There's a really cheap indian made viking sword that is close enough to accurate for most reenactment groups. It can be made dead-on for later viking era with some minor mods. It comes with a semicircular brass guard and a beautiful five-lobed brass pommel. The only problem with it stock is the handle. It's half a hand too long, and plastic covered with pleather. I used to cut the tang down and replace the handle with stacked leather spacers, although wood or bone would have been more accurate.
Kirby Wise has made some excellent viking blades with full tangs, and in fact has a strong norse influence showing in all of his blades, including a high degree of embellishment. http://members.tripod.com/~kirbywise/
Sorry to ramble, but I got into bladesmithing to make viking and japanese stuff.
 
thanks much,

I think my copy is in the shop, I know it's around somewhere.

I realy recomend the book, lots of pictures, good discussion of blade styles, pummels and grips types of steel used, covering migratory al the way through well post christianization.

he also documents early viking blades still in use in the 15th century

(I hope my blades are that good)
 
Nick, They sell those at our new Big Kmart here in Walla Walla. Do you want me to send you one?
 
Kevin Cashen is the man to talk to about swords of all kinds, but particularly Viking swords. He makes some really awesome swords(I can't afford one yet), and is very willing to share the knowledge.
 
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