Here's a little bit of a weird topic that -might- end up just me shouting into the void. But I know in past years there's always been at least a few Fwooshers that were into this kind of stuff, but don't necessarily engage with the hobby or frequent the kinds of places this stuff is talked about. So I figured I'd share this here for anyone that might be interested.
The preamble is that I am an amateur historian and amateur fencer that collected weapons and armour for quite a few years. I sold my entire collection lots of years ago. While I've stayed current on the research/information side of things, I completely quit collecting stuff like this in favor of only collecting action figures for really the last 12 years. In that time there have been lots of swords I would like to own, but nothing I was willing to spend the requisite 2,000+ Canadian dollars to get. I've owned many swords already, so nothing out there really spoke to me and was also within a price range I was comfortable with. Also worth noting is that it is a fair bit of work to collect these objects. They're expensive and require regular maintenance, so that's also been a reason I've steered away.
But there are a few examples I've always wanted to own. The Langeid is one. It's had a few replicas made over the years, but they've always been just terrible. Recently Windlass put one out that was actually getting good reviews. So for the first time in over a decade, I bought a sword (although it's fair to say the door opened back up to that when I bought a dagger and mace, but I'll stay focused).
So yeah. I'mma run down what this is and what I like about it, approaching from a perspective that you have no knowledge of any of this stuff. It's going to be long and probably rambly because that's what I do. If you like this sort of thing, please enjoy. If not - there's a pic at the end but if you like pictures of swords you'll find far better ones all over the place.
Okay, so first - what do I really want to collect? Real swords. That's important to me and sort of comes in two flavors. The first is actual reproductions of extant pieces or archaeological finds (the Langeid is this). The second is interpretations of 'types.' You can make an 'English 17th century rapier' or a '15th century longsword' that is a combination of many examples without being a specific, faithful copy of ONE example, but is still accurate to what would have been carried/used in period. In both cases we're talking about swords that reflect something approaching the reality of the weapon; reasonably correct materials, parameters, and can actually be used.
I think 'decorative' swords are fine if that's what you like and I'm actually considering buying a few decorative-only versions of my favorite fantasy swords like Anduril or The Atlantean. But stainless steel decorative swords aren't something I'm interested in when collecting historically-minded pieces.
The maker of this piece if Windlass Steelcrafts. They've had an absolutely terrible reputation for many years because of issues with the stats on their pieces. They make swords out of the sort've correct materials (carbon spring steel) but have historically been TERRIBLE at making the swords feel authentic. Swords that should be stiff are too springy, blades have no distal taper - making them WAY heavier than they should be and feel wrong in the hand, etc. But they seem to be making a lot of gains in the right direction of making swords that feel like the historical examples. So if you DO want to start buying swords, they're a very budget-friendly company to start with, but you have to be really mindful of which pieces you get because they are not all created equal.
As to this specific object; the Langeid sword is named so because that's where it was found; Langeid, Norway. The sword dates from somewhere between the 10th and early 11th centuries. There's quite a lot of archaeologically found swords from this period in Norway and elsewhere, but this one is kind of unique in its specific appearance combined with how well-preserved it is.
The reproduction itself is very nice. It's what I expect from a sword in this price range; it's not ULTRA high quality, you can see some worbling in the flat planes of the blade, it has a secondary bevel so it really needs some extra sharpening to get a good cut with it. But I'd also argue that, overall, the quality here is equal to or even surpasses that of some far more expensive swords. Especially as this one comes with a scabbard and sword belt and MANY high-end swords don't. No looseness in the furniture even after some light cutting, very even bevels and fullers, etc. It's overall really high quality. Probably better quality than many actual medieval swords.
In terms of handling - it's heavy. The official stats list it as just under 3lbs but my scale puts it just over. A lot of the extra weight is in the hilt and is consistent with the original, though. I hate the grip material. It's VERY slippy and I can't seem to get a good grip on it. That said, again, it seems to be pretty consistent with the original.
The blade is excellent. The Type X shape is done really well with not too rounded of a tip, but not as pointed as some people erroneously make them. And thankfully they didn't give the point area of the blade a ridge like a lot of makers erroneously do as well. I haven't seen too many Type X blades better than this one, if I'm being honest.
Okay, so the real meat and potatoes and probably the only interesting part of this stupidly-long post; why I wanted this. It's hideous. In my opinion, it might be one of the ugliest swords I've ever seen. It's so fucking gaudy. But to me that's incredibly fascinating. It looks a lot like how you'd imagine a decorative wall-hanger to look, not a battlefield weapon. But NAY. Nay, I say. The archaeological object was almost definitely used in battle. Based on it being found in a 'warrior burial' it was almost certainly the personal weapon of a wealthy, high-ranking warrior. Given the time period it was interred, it could very well have belonged to one of the personal bodyguard of someone like Harold Godwinson or Duke William. This weapon very well could have been used on the battlefield of the Battle of Hastings, on Senlac Hill in 1066. Someone owned this sword. Someone whose very life depended on its functionality.
And yet...
They didn't view it as just a tool. It wasn't made out of iron and bronze, wrapped with a handle of leather. The entire hilt is covered in silver, gold, and copper-alloy. That process is PAINSTAKING in this period. You basically have to scratch up the surface of the iron and then hammer gold and silver wire into the grooves, pounding them flat until it basically forms a smooth surface of undisturbed precious metal over the original iron furniture. You have to manufacture and wind silver wire around the entire handle so tightly that it will never move or come loose.
Someone chiseled incredible detail into the flat surfaces of the sword's hilt and filled those details with gold thread.
Some wealthy warrior, who in this period almost certainly was ONLY a professional warrior, wanted this sword to be as ostentatious as possible. This sword is fucking Gucci before Gucci. And to a lot of modern eyes, it's kind of ugly because of how elaborately decorated it is.
But that's what I find fascinating too; we forget how much medieval (and ancient, and other) people loved color and vibrancy in their world and this is such a cool reminder of that. They weren't existing in a world of iron-grey and brown and dirt. They were clean, in vibrant colors, and covered every surface they could in decoration, to the point where we'd be almost blinded by what medieval life really looked like. You thought the '90s were full of obnoxiously bright colors - you couldn't handle 11th century Western Europe.
There's other stuff here too that fascinates me. There's actually two different intersections going on this particular style of sword, and in this particular example. The first is more obvious; the intersection of religious belief. The decorative carvings in the hilt are both Christian and Norse-Pagan. This is a person that was transitioning to a belief (presumably) in the Christian God, but hadn't let go of their ties to Odin. Hell, it's a sword with Christian motifs carved into it found in a PAGAN burial. This man lived in two worlds at once, at the very cusp of a major change and the death of an entire belief system.
But also the form of the hilt is an intersection between periods. It's not as short and thick as a lot of 'Viking-era' swords, and the typical lobate pommel of the 'Viking-era' sword has disappeared here. But it hasn't taken on the longer guard and different pommel shapes that would eventually typify swords of the period after the Norman Conquest. It's literally a hilt form smack in the middle of transitioning from 'Viking' to what we often view as properly 'Medieval.'
So in form, function, and specific decoration - this sword is literally a moment in time.
Took a quick shot of it on the wall of the living room here, with the scabbard. I'm no photographer, but if you want some better close-ups and stuff, just look up the Windlass Langeid sword and there's plenty to be seen.
Fascinating read. I recently considered purchasing a replica of Kratos' Leviathan Axe for my wall, but ultimately decided I wouldn't appreciate it for the price. Not to mention I think some baggage accompanies having a weapon on your wall and I wasn't willing to incur that judgment from visitors.
It looks great, though. I know you're a history guy and I found the background fascinating. Phasing out the Pagan gods in favor of the Christian one is a particularly interesting time to me. (As a sidenote, you may like the anime Vinland Saga, but I can't speak to its historical accuracy.)
I checked out Windlass' website and found most of their prices pretty reasonable. Looked like a lot of stuff was between $200-400. They even had Percy Jackson's sword, heh. Though I guess those pieces are more for display than actual use.
Fascinating read. I recently considered purchasing a replica of Kratos' Leviathan Axe for my wall, but ultimately decided I wouldn't appreciate it for the price. Not to mention I think some baggage accompanies having a weapon on your wall and I wasn't willing to incur that judgment from visitors.
It looks great, though. I know you're a history guy and I found the background fascinating. Phasing out the Pagan gods in favor of the Christian one is a particularly interesting time to me. (As a sidenote, you may like the anime Vinland Saga, but I can't speak to its historical accuracy.)
I checked out Windlass' website and found most of their prices pretty reasonable. Looked like a lot of stuff was between $200-400. They even had Percy Jackson's sword, heh. Though I guess those pieces are more for display than actual use.
Glad you enjoyed it. While I'm always willing to just shout opinions into the void, it's always nice when someone else gets something from it.
There's something about having weapons on your wall that hits a certain way, and it really depends on what and where it is. To be honest, I think replicas of popular video game and movie weapons are largely -more- acceptable, not less. Your average person walking into my house (if they ignore the context of the other objects in the house) just sees a sword. Without a relatively serious interest in history they won't have any idea what it is. It's just 'oh, this dude went to the mall and bought a fantasy sword.' Not true at all, of course. But that's the impression. I think that same person has a different reaction if they see an object from popular media that they recognize.
While I'm busy beating this point to death, I think it's worth mentioning that it really does depend on the space the object occupies. The Leviathan Axe over the TV in the living room with lots of video game stuff prominently displayed or in use, in a clean and organized home with lots of 'regular adult' stuff around? Comes off really innocuous and even fairly normal. Hanging on the wall next to your valknut flag? Eeesh.
Vinland Saga is an amazing show. They did such a fantastic job dragging you in with the first season with lots of great action and crazy stuff, only to hammer you in the second season with the pain, horror, and futility of war and what it does to innocent people. I've never read the manga, but I hope there's lots more anime coming. I wouldn't say that it's historically accurate - but I don't think it's trying to be. It's historically inspired and they get a lot more 'right' than one should reasonably expect from something like this.
The key on MRL/Windlass is to kind of already know what you're looking for. The easiest tell is that if it's made of stainless steel - it's decoration only. And MRL is typically very good about listing what material a piece is made from. The tricky part is really only if you're looking for something that feels authentic and can be used, because not all of their carbon steel weapons are equal. In fact, I'd argue that MANY are quite bad and it's mostly the more recent crop, like the Royal Armories reproductions, that are up to snuff.
Even if it is just something like a Leviathan Axe or Sting. It can be REALLY fun to get that tactile sensation of having an object like that in your hand that you can move through space and just feel and admire in 1:1 scale. Quadruple that feeling when it's an historical object you can use and feel more comfortable swinging around. You just have to kind of know what you want, if it's the kind of thing that interests you at all.
But the price has to be right in relation to how much you care about having something like that. I think for a lot of people the 1-200 dollar range is totally doable, but more than that is kind of a bridge too far for something you're only peripherally interested in.
Funny aside; my wife does not care how many swords, daggers, or maces I buy and display in the house. She likes them just fine (although she's not a collector or a big fan of them like she is with action figures, art, and books). However, she certainly had a look on her face when I said I was thinking about buying a spear-head and mounting it myself so I could have a functional spear somewhere on the house. But I mean... spears are cool. And I've never owned one before.
Interesting stuff.
I was somewhat tempted by replica swords from the Tolkien films 20 years ago, but never indulged. A bit like TSI I wasn't quite sure how it would look or what I would do with it. And the whole prop replica thing can be a bit much, as I am not into cosplay.
But the times when I have come across "authentic" swords while traveling has been very tempting. If I was ever to get one, it would be as a "souvenir" of a trip/culture - there was an amazing shop (based on the window display in Toledo, Spain) which was closed the day I was there - which was probably just as well as I likely would have splurged if they could have shipped things to the US. Also found similar stores in other parts of the world over the years, the problem is they need to be able to ship it to the US as I am not going to try to bring a sword though customs.
I wouldn't want anything too fancy, like a royal sword, but traditional issue so to speak, one that reflected the style and manufacturing process of the country.
Honestly it's pretty funny that your wife draws the line at spears. Are they just too long?
I wound up grabbing Mjolnir from the God of War Ragnarok collector's edition instead (pictured below). It's resting nicely on top of one of my Detolfs now.
As a white guy, I'm always cognizant of my interest in Norse mythology/Viking history. Unfortunately, as with the valknut, it's gaining a despicable reputation.
Vinland Saga blew me away. A friend of mine basically begged me to watch. I almost gave up on it after 10 episodes because I assumed it was a standard revenge story. I'm so glad I kept going because the second season is one of the best seasons of anime I've ever seen. I'm not sure I've ever seen pacificism glorified on screen.
Honestly it's pretty funny that your wife draws the line at spears. Are they just too long?
Have to say, this reads quite differently without the context of the prior posts.
@fac If you ever decide to take the plunge - definitely use caution buying a sword from a regular shop and know what you're getting. There's a LOT of makers out there and with a lot of variance in the quality of what they produce. In Spain, for instance, there's a really good chance the shop was full of Del Tin pieces. They're an Italian maker popular in that part of Europe, and their reputation isn't awesome.
Most of the problems with them would probably never affect you at all (they -are- carbon steel so you'd need to take proper care of them), but I actually have a little bugbear about these makers because, unfortunately, they're so accessible that many people casually interested do buy them and end up with way the wrong impression of how a sword should feel.
Like people that buy those giant, goofy Kit Rae fantasy swords and think that an 8lb single-hand sword is somehow indicative of how swords in the medieval period felt.
@tsi That hammer is really cool. I quite like the aesthetic of a lot of the God of War stuff. And GoW Thor is actually maybe my favorite interpretation of Thor in modern media. Totally agree about how they handled pacifism in Vinland Saga. So cool.
I definitely think the spear idea threw my wife mostly because it would be so large that it's hard to figure out where it would neatly fit and still look nice. Even with our toy collections, my wife and I are really into things being neat and orderly. Too much chaos or just the look of 'toss shit wherever' drives us both nuts.
I think I can make a spear work somewhere though. Let's find out....
As for the difficulties with liking certain parts of history; yeah. It's just really unfortunate that some interesting periods of history have been co-opted by lunatics. Honestly, even just saying you're really into history, in some crowds, can draw you a certain kind of look. Doesn't even matter what kind of history. But particularly Roman or Norse history makes it even worse. Maybe I'm fortunate in that those aren't really of specific interest to me (I'm heavily invested in what some would call the 'Viking' period - but I don't actually have special interest specifically in Vikings). Still, it's a struggle.
Thanks for that suggestion about being wary of what to buy - that is always a trap especially when traveling. I think the place I was looking at was this: Home - Mariano Zamorano Swords - based on my notes from the trip. This is a decent article on the history of sword making in Toledo. Toledo’s last swordmakers refuse to give up on their ancient craft | Spain | The Guardian
History, like modern life, is pretty complex and nuanced, but too often people draw extreme conclusions from very limited or skewed pieces of information. I've given up trying to worry too much about judging history, especially when we put too modern of a lens on the past - and I don't mean excusing clearly immoral things (killing and enslaving people, never a good thing) but more the putting of modern motives on why things happened, and our knowledge of the impacts on actions, without the context of what life was like. I am convinced we cannot truly understand day to day life from 100's or 1,000's of years ago, it is just too different.
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