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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 29, 2014 16:33:49 GMT
 Overall Length: 46" Blade Length: 36" Blade Width: 2 3/8" @ base; 1 5/8" @ profile taper (3 1/8" from tip); 1" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 8 1/16" Guard Width: 8 3/4" Pommel Dimensions: 1 7/16"L x 2 3/8"W Alongside the Type XIIa, the Type XIIIa can be considered the "great swords" of popular literature and history; in widespread use at the same time as its parent Type, the XIIIa mirrors the XIII in almost every way except that it is much larger. It also appears to have been far more common, as Oakeshott recorded (and MyArmoury lists) more twice as many XIIIa's as they do XIII's. Like the XIII, I chose a Style 5 cross for my example of the XIIIa and paired it with a Type E pommel, which is very similar to the previous Type D, but its top half is more angular and occasionally had a pronounced mid-rib.  Overall Length: 35 1/2" Blade Length: 30" Blade Width: 2" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (3" from tip); 1" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4" Guard Width: 5" Pommel Dimensions: 1 1/4"L x 2 1/8"W With a general usage period that mirrors the others of its Type, the Type XIIIb is the true single-handed sword of the family. It is almost identical to the XIII with the only difference being the grip and the fuller, which was often somewhat narrower than what is found on the XIII. For my example, I gave it a Style 3 cross and a Type C pommel, both in bronze.  Overall Length: 32 3/8" Blade Length: 27" Blade Width: 3" @ base; 1 7/8" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/8"L x 2"W Despite apparently having been very popular (it's my favorite Type, as well), the Type XIV had the second shortest period of general usage at only 65 years, spanning from 1275 to 1340. Typically several inches shorter than its contemporaries, the XIV has a broad blade that tapers quite drastically to an acute point and, according to MyArmoury, could be considered the last of the swords designed to oppose mail. The XIV is also notable in that it has the fewest number of hilt combinations, as it always has a wheel pommel, usually Type K, and the guard is normally Style 6 or 7. Mine features a Style 6 crosspiece and a Type I pommel with a concave face. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 29, 2014 17:09:57 GMT
 Overall Length: 41 7/16" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 3" @ base; 1 7/8" @ profile taper (8 15/16" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 6 1/2" Guard Width: 6 3/4" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 3/4"W As I mentioned in the description of the Highlander, the Dolan Type XIVa owes its creation to Mikko's two-handed XIV design; I just gave it a name and expanded upon it. In my mind, the XIVa keeps many of the characteristics of its parent Type, the XIV. It is several inches shorter than its contemporaries and features a broad blade that tapers aggressively to an acute point. The blade would range from 30-33" in length, meaning that the true defining characteristic that would separate it from the XIV (which has exhibited those blade lengths, historically) would be the hand-and-a-half configuration as opposed to the single-handed nature of its parent. This particular XIVa wears a faceted Type T3 pommel and a Style 6 guard, which I borrowed from the Albion Mercenary.  Overall Length: 47 9/16" Blade Length: 36" Blade Width: 3 3/8" @ base; 1 7/8" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 9 3/16" Guard Width: 10" Pommel Dimensions: 1 7/8"D Going one step further is the Dolan Type XIVb, the great sword of the family. The blade, in my mind, is 36-40" in length and perhaps a touch wider, but otherwise unchanged from the XIVa; the defining characteristic is the grip, which is 9-12" long and shares its distinctive, waisted shape with the XVIIIb. The crosspiece doesn't conform to any single Style, but could best be described as a curved Style 2 or 10 with an octagonal cross-section; the pommel is a Type R, which evokes the imagery of the wheel pommel, while adding the mass to balance out the massive blade. Both are of browned steel.  Overall Length: 29 1/8" Blade Length: 24" Blade Width: 2 1/2" @ base; 1 3/4" @ profile taper (8 1/16" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 9/16" Guard Width: 4" Pommel Dimensions: 1 1/8"L x 2 1/4"W Going in the other direction is the XIVc, last of the Dolan Types. Its main characteristic is its exceptionally short blade, which can be as short as 18" or as long as 25"; this particular example is at the upper end of that spectrum. While not as noticeable, it also features a 3/4 length fuller, which is proportionally longer than on any other Type XIV. Now, for whatever reason, the one time I designed a XIVc with medieval furniture, it just didn't look right to me, so I've stuck with Viking-style hilts ever since; they just look right. This specific hilt configuration is a Petersen Type Y. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 29, 2014 18:50:45 GMT
 Overall Length: 39 1/4" Blade Length: 33" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 7/8" Guard Width: 6 1/2" Pommel Dimensions: 1 7/8"D Here's a sword that is something of a contradiction. At first glance, the Type XV appears to be a dedicated thruster on par with the later rapier, but as can be seen in reviews of modern day replica, a well made XV can cut way out of proportion to what seems readily apparent by its blade shape. Intriguingly, it also shares characteristics with the thrusting swords of the Celtic Iron Age and so could be said to be the longest lasting type of them all; indeed, the Type XV was in general use from 1290 to 1415, so it saw its share of action. It was developed in response to the advent of new forms of plate armor and its narrow point and stiff blade would be exceptionally suited to finding the gaps in any suit of armor. The XV has always struck me as being something of an elegant, more gentlemanly weapon, so I chose the hilt components to reflect that: the guard is a simple Style 6, while the pommel is a Type Q. The floral Type Q is more commonly found on the XIV in art, but there are no surviving examples. It appears to have been used throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, meaning it very well could have found its way onto a Type XV.  Overall Length: 43 3/4" Blade Length: 34" Blade Width: 2 3/8" @ base; 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 6 7/8" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 5/8"W Virtually identical in every respect, the only thing that set the XVa apart from its predecessor were its often longer grips and blades; meant to be used in one hand or two, they are the first "true" bastard sword, so I suppose the earlier Type XIII is just a bastard. In general use from 1350 to 1420, the few surviving examples are strikingly similar in appearance, all resembling the sword found in the tomb of Edward, the Black Prince of Wales. This version has a somewhat wider blade, on par with the Albion Mercenary, and features a Type T4 pommel and a Style 12 guard, both of which are a little different than the norm, but are historically plausible; the Style 12 is a later style, predominantly from the 15th and 16th centuries, so it could have been found on a XVa from the tail end of the Type's lifetime.  Overall Length: 37 1/2" Blade Length: 31" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 1 1/4" @ profile taper (8 13/16" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/4"L x 2"W The Type XVI is the first true compromise sword, intended to thrust and cut equally well in response to the need for a stiffened diamond cross-section to combat plate armor, but as mail hadn't gone the way of the dinosaur yet, the ability to deliver powerful cuts was quite desirable. Despite this, the sword only saw widespread use for approximately half a century from 1300 to 1350. The defining characteristic of the XVI that separates it from the earlier XV is the fuller, which is often slightly more than half its length. For this example, I chose a Type J pommel, popular from the 13th to mid-15th centuries and similar to the earlier Type I, save for its hollowed out chamfers, and a Style 9 crosspiece, an upswept style similar to the Style 7, but more complex in design; this style is mainly from the 14th and 15th centuries, which means it's likely it could have been paired with a XVI. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 29, 2014 19:53:33 GMT
 Overall Length: 42 1/2" Blade Length: 33" Blade Width: 2 1/8" @ base; 1 5/8" @ profile taper (6 3/4" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 6 1/2" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 7/8"W Despite being the larger brother of the Type XVI, the XVIa has a completely different cross-section, hexagonal rather than a flattened diamond. In addition to a shortened fuller, often no more than 1/3 the blade length, its grip was long enough to facilitate two-handed use, showing the desire for a sword with good thrusting capabilities that allowed a second hand to be used to give enough power to thrust through the armor of the period. Like the XVI, this type was also only in general use for fifty years, from 1330 to 1380; it could be paired with any guard & pommel combination, though the latter tended towards the wheel forms. The cross is a Style 6, while the pommel is the Type T found on the Albion Brescia Spadona as a nod to the possible type of that sword.  Overall Length: 44 3/8" Blade Length: 35" Blade Width: 1 7/8" @ base; 1 1/8" @ profile taper (5 11/16" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 7" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 2"L x 2 1/8"W Ranging from 1335 to 1425 in general use, the Type XVII was designed to allow the sword some utility against the plate armor of the day; as an edge was often more a liability than an asset, some examples were dull and were more akin to an impact tool designed to crack open an enemy's suit through blunt trauma. Despite this, many had a perfectly serviceable edge to its hexagonal cross-section and, of the many types to have fullers, the XVII probably had the shortest, spanning only 1/4 of the blade length. My design features a bronze Style 1 guard and a matching Type H pommel, which is more ovular than circular, like what is found on a number of antiques as well as the Albion Landgraf.  Overall Length: 38 7/8" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 2 1/2" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (6 3/4" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4" Guard Width: 6 3/4" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 3/4"W The increased use of projectile weapons, such as early firearms, began driving plate armor from the field of battle and a more versatile sword, one equally capable of the cut and the thrust, was needed with the return of lighter armors. That's where the Type XVIII came in. In use from 1410 to 1510, this sword is characterized by a flattened diamond cross-section and a blade that tapers in gentle curves to an acute point; the blade could also range from as short as 26" to as long as 36", a length not seen in a single-handed sword since the Type XI. The cross is almost always curved, while the pommel is usually a wheel or scent-stopper form, though oddly, none of the XVIIIs archived in MyArmoury's article on the type features the latter form, instead having fishtail pommels on several. My Type XVIII sports a heat blued Style 11 cross and a matching Type T pommel. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 10:01:20 GMT
 Overall Length: 42 3/4" Blade Length: 33 1/2" Blade Width: 2 3/8" @ base; 1 1/2" @ profile taper (6 9/16" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 5 3/4" Guard Width: 8 7/8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 3/4"L x 2 3/8"W Identical in both usage and time period, the things that set the XVIIIa apart from the XVIII is its hand-and-a-half configuration and the fuller, when present, in the upper 1/3 of the blade; the blade itself was also often more slender than that of its single-handed cousin. However, what I feel sets the XVIIIa apart from any other type is that no one style of guard and pommel appear to be more dominant than any other, giving the Type a vast number of possible hilt combinations. For my example, I chose to hilt it after one of my favorite examples of the Type, the Sword of Edward III, which Oakeshott records as XVIIIa.5. That said, my example is greatly simplified and more subdued compared to the original, which had a gold hilt, sections of wire wrap along its grip, engraved blade, and a pommel decorated with the royal coat of arms. The guard and pommel don't fit into the standard typology, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say the pommel is a Type G, while the guard seems like it would be a curved Style 1 or 2.  Overall Length: 50" Blade Length: 37" Blade Width: 1 3/4" @ base; 1" @ profile taper (8 1/2" from tip); 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 10" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 1/2"W Especially popular in Germany and in use during the same time period as the previous two, the XVIIIb is characterized by its exceptionally slender blade and long grip, which is always of a hand-and-a-half or two-handed length; specifically, it is often between 10 and 12". The cross is usually of the straight variety, while the pommel is generally of the fruit, wheel, or scent stopper forms. For this example, I chose a Style 10 crosspiece and a Type T4 pommel. And, for extra character, I added a gold half-wire wrap, which I think makes it a little more eye catching.  Overall Length: 44" Blade Length: 34" Blade Width: 3" @ base; 1 1/2" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 7" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 11/16"L x 2"W A very poorly defined subtype, the XVIIIc is similar in dimensions to the XVIIIa, but often much broader throughout the blade and generally lacks the fuller in the upper third. It was also in use throughout the same time period as the rest of the XVIII subtypes and generally had a wheel pommel and a Style 12 cross. My example features a Style 12 crosspiece and a Type J pommel with an extended peen block. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 10:32:20 GMT
 Overall Length: 39 3/8" Blade Length: 33" Blade Width: 1 1/2" @ base; 1" @ profile taper (7" from tip); 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4" Guard Width: 6" Pommel Dimensions: 2"D Another poorly defined subtype, the XVIIId is characterized by their extremely slender blade and single-handed grip; further, the fuller is often nearly full length, if present. Despite being in use at the same time as the rest, that is, from 1410 to 1510, the XVIIId often featured more complex hilts with pas d'ane and siderings. Otherwise, it was sharply down turned or horizontally s-curved. Pommels seem to have been almost universally of the wheel type. My example of the type has a Style 12 cross and a Type J pommel, both of which have been blued.  Overall Length: 58 9/16" Blade Length: 42" Blade Width: 3/4" @ ricasso; 1 1/2" @ base; 1" @ profile taper (7" from tip); 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 13" Guard Width: 6" Pommel Dimensions: 3 1/16"L x 1 7/8"W Found almost exclusively in Denmark, though with some of the finest examples possibly being German or Italian in origin, the XVIIIe is one of the few types that can be tied to a specific region.... So sayeth the wizards of MyArmoury. Since its blade could range from 32" to 42" in length, its unique and defining characteristic is its narrowed ricasso, which would likely be quite handy when attempting to halfsword such a weapon. This one wears a drastically upswept crosspiece that comes from the Albion Dane, itself based on a historical model, while the pommel is a fantasy Style T3 variant, featuring fluted sides and a recessed upper portion.  Overall Length: 38 3/8" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 1 1/2" @ base; 1 1/8" @ profile taper (2 1/2" from tip); 3/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7 1/2" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/8"L x 2"W The Type XIX enjoyed the single longest recorded period of general use, from 1350 to 1600, a 250 year span that encompassed the high Middle Ages almost to the end of the Renaissance. It features a short ricasso and a hexagonal cross-section and is found in both single-handed and hand-and-a-half configurations; it is also found with both simple crosses and more complex hiltings, such as siderings, D-guard, or even a half-basket. I opted for something a little simpler on mine. A ring pommel and a stylized Style 5 cross gives it something of a Scottish feel, which is fitting, as I'm of partial Scottish descent. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 10:58:40 GMT
 Overall Length: 45 3/16" Blade Length: 36" Blade Width: 1 1/2" @ base; 1 1/8" @ profile taper (2 1/2" from tip); 3/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 6 3/4" Guard Width: 9" Pommel Dimensions: 2"D Given that the Type XIX can be found in both single-handed and hand-and-a-half configurations, I elected to design a second example of the type to reflect this. I modeled this piece after the sword Oakeshott lists as XIX.2, an elegant and well-preserved sword from the Arsenal of Alexandria and is likely of Italian manufacture between 1380-1400. My piece has a Type I pommel with concave face and a Style 8 crosspiece; both the cross and the large central riser on the grip were modeled after the Albion Brescia Spadona.  Overall Length: 49 13/16" Blade Length: 37" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 1 1/2" @ profile taper (5 13/16" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 9 1/2" Guard Width: 8 1/8" Pommel Dimensions: 3"L x 1 7/8"W The last of the true massive fighting swords, the Type XX was mainly used from 1350 to 1450 and its defining characteristic, aside from its large size, was the configuration of its fullers, which consisted of a central fuller that ran for half the blade length flanked by two fullers that were located in the upper 1/4. The Type XX is also characterized by a grip that is proportionally longer to its blade size than its contemporaries. It generally featured a wheel or scent stopper pommel mated with a Style 7 or 9 crosspiece. My design has a Style 9 cross and a Type T2 pommel, a style that seems to have been exclusive to swords of Type XVII, but I think it wears it well.  Overall Length: 36 1/4" Blade Length: 30" Blade Width: 1 7/8" @ base; 1 1/8" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 11/16" Guard Width: 5 3/4" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/4"L x 1 3/8"W The Type XXa, in general use during the same period as its larger brethren, is differentiated from the XX by its more acute profile and simplified fullers. While it's listed as being limited to wheel pommels and Style 7 or 9 crosspieces, the surviving examples viewable on MyArmoury's website, as well as the few I was able to find though Google, tend towards a straight crosspiece and a scent stopper pommel. My rendition of the type is based on the XXa.2, which dates between 1425-1450, and features a fluted teardrop shaped pommel and a cross I believe to be of Style 11. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 11:30:17 GMT
 Overall Length: 35 1/2" Blade Length: 29" Blade Width: 2 3/8" @ base; 1" @ profile taper (4" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 7/8" Guard Width: 6" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/4"D Taking its stylistic influence from the infamous cinquedea, the Type XXI is a transitional type from the end of the high middle ages to the beginning of the renaissance and marks the last stand of the civilian broadsword. Though the fullers were often 1/4 to 1/2 length and mostly in multiples, it's not uncommon to see full length fullers on a Type XXI, such as you see here on mine. Those fullers, by the way, were a pain in the ass to get right on account of the aggressive taper of the blade. The crosspiece is something I found on an antique XXI while researching the type, so I don't know what, if any, Style it would fit into. The pommel, on the other hand, is a Type G1, a style that appeared in the second quarter of the 15th century and appears to be purely Italian; it is characterized by is strongly convex disc-shape and floral pattern engraved on the faces.  Overall Length: 37" Blade Length: 30" Blade Width: 2 1/2" @ base; 1 5/8" @ profile taper (7 5/8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4 1/16" Guard Width: 5 3/4" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 2 1/4"W The Type XXII, in general use from 1440 to 1570 (as opposed to the XXI's 1450 to 1560), shares a number of characteristics with the earlier Type XVIII, but are often more broad and it almost always has paired fullers in its upper third. Like the XXI, it is the last holdout of the civilian broadsword, though many surviving examples are quite large bearing or parade swords. The crosspiece here was heavily drawn from the sword listed as XXI.1 while the pommel is a vastly simplified Type F I happened to come across online; the original was very decorated. The Type F is an older style, much more angular than the Type E, and could be considered a transitional style between the older cocked hat and the more medieval wheel forms.  Overall Length: 33 1/4" Blade Length: 27 1/2" Blade Width: 1 7/8" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (2 3/8" from tip); 1" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/8" Guard Width: 3 7/8" Pommel Dimensions: 1 15/16"L x 2 7/8"W This, as I'm sure anyone can tell, is the Sword of Godric Gryffindor from the Harry Potter franchise. Descriptions of this sword in the novels are vague, except that it's (obviously) the sword of Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that it has a silver blade and hilt adorned with egg-sized rubies. On the American dust-jacket for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry is depicted with a vaguely fencing foil like sword, with a cup-hilt guard; the illustration for Chapter 18 of the same version shows a sword with a curved blade, much like a scimitar, which, frankly, makes no sense. Here's the little we know about Godric Gryffindor: he, along with three others, founded a school of magic c.993, meaning he was likely born about 30-40 years earlier, smack dab in the middle of the 10th century. His birthplace, which would later become known as Godric's Hollow, is located in the West Country of England; given his red and gold colors and the appearance of a Lion Rampant on his crest, he may have been related to the Cornish royal family, who had a similar crest. From this information, I inferred that he had a Viking style sword appropriate for the early- to mid-10th century. While it wasn't at the forefront of my mind to make it seemingly large and intimidating, I absolutely loathe that piece of trash toy from the movies and I wanted something that looked like it had been forged for a wizard and swordsman in the prime of his life, not an underfed 12-year old; especially when you look at official promotional work of Gryffindor, who looks like a massively built Viking himself. As a result, I chose a Geibig Type 2 B-variant blade (these are lighter and slimmer than the A-variant, so it wouldn't be that unbelievable for a 12-year old to swing it), which is significantly more substantial than that twig from the films. Now the blade looks like it could actually kill something or break something. The hilt is a Petersen Type S, which would have been in vogue, so to speak, throughout much of Gryffindor's life (from approximately the 925-ish to turn of the century). The entire hilt assembly is darkened silver, with the grip being textured for better purchase, though I accented it with some bright silver wire between the lobes. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 12:06:14 GMT
 Overall Length: 30 5/16" Blade Length: 24" Blade Width: 2 1/2" @ base; 1 7/8" @ belly; 2" @ swell; 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/8"L x 2"W Now, I'm a little better at naming swords than I am at naming knives, so I call this piece Nightshade after atropa belladonna, more commonly known as Deadly Nightshade. Nightshade is a deadly plant because nearly all parts of it are quite toxic: the berries are attractive looking and have a somewhat sweet taste, so they are a great danger to children, though consumption of 2-5 berries by an adult is potentially lethal, as well; the root is generally the most toxic, but this can vary from specimen to specimen. However, ingestion of a single leaf can be fatal to an adult. This sword has, to my eyes anyway, pleasant lines that just make you want to pick it up and handle it, but the leaf shaped blade would be quite deadly, hence the name. I set out to design a leaf-bladed short sword with a ring pommel, since the last one I did so very long ago was before I knew how to do ring pommels, so it didn't turn out that well; plus the blade was a bit too angular and the guard just looked awkward to me. I guess, in a way, this is something of a spiritual successor to that sword. Anyways, everything else is self-explanatory about it, though I will say that I feel the belt buckle may be a tad much.  Overall Length: 35 3/4" Blade Length: 29 3/4" Blade Width: 2 3/8" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (3 3/8" from tip); 7/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 1/2" Guard Width: 4 3/8" Pommel Dimensions: 1 5/8"L x 3 3/8"W I call this sword the Geibig because the primary inspiration for the sword was the Geibig Type 8 blade it wears, albeit the dimensions of the blade aren't exactly historically accurate. But, then again, this sword was designed more to be aesthetically pleasing and a representation than hysterically accurate (case in point, the Petersen Type Z hilt it wears fell out of use a full century before the Geibig Type 8 came into style). That said, aside from Wyrmfell & Drake, which aren't strictly Viking swords so much as Viking styled, this is perhaps the favorite of my few Viking designs to date. I based the scabbard's suspension system and chape on examples I found through Googling "Viking Scabbard" and Viking Chape". The chape features cutouts to give the impression of a Nordic style bird carving, which is much simplified from the original inspiration; the original featured a greater deal of carving on the chape to actually show the bird, though I prefer the more simplistic style that I ended up putting on the scabbard. The suspension system is based, in part, on historical sketches, as well as one that Christian Fletcher did (both of which were instrumental in figuring out where to put everything). And while it's really not noticeable unless you're looking for it, there's a small cutout near the button on the bottom strap, through which you can see the backside of the strap; my OCD just wouldn't let me skip it.  SwordOverall Length: 42 1/4" Blade Length: 33 3/4" Blade Width: 2 3/8" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (3" from tip); 7/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 6" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Length: 2 1/8" (includes peen block; 2" diameter otherwise) By-knifeOverall Length: 8 13/16" Blade Length: 5" Blade Width: 1 7/16" @ base; 5/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 5/8" Guard Width: N/A Pommel Length: N/A This is one of those designs that are the product of curiosity and while I tend to like how most of them come out, this is one of those rare few I'm actually proud of. The idea was essentially a bastard sword with a Type Xa blade, specifically, that found on Albion's Chevalier. Speaking of, I drew many of the design elements from the Chevalier and I'd originally planned it as being a bigger brother, but I also wanted this one to be more the kind of sword you might find on the hip of a ranger in the wild forests of the world, as well as a sword with a by-knife; the latter desires won out and, indeed, the floral pommel didn't fit with the rest, so I opted for a simpler Type I pommel (interestingly, the same type is on Albion's other Xa with this blade profile, the Oakeshott). The by-knife was heavily inspired by a Jay Fisher knife I happened to find while Googling knives for inspiration, albeit with much plainer fittings to match the simplicity of the sword's design. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 16:48:25 GMT
 Overall Length: 42" Blade Length: 35 1/8" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (6 3/8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 3/4"L x 2 1/4"W This is Zar'roc, the first sword of Eragon from the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. I've done three or four versions of this sword, fine-tuning my interpretation of the design with each attempt. This is my last attempt as, somewhere along the way, I found that I just didn't enjoy the books anymore, so I quit caring about the swords from it. Zar'roc is described as being 3 1/2ft in length, with a wine red blade, a grip wrapped in silver wire, gold guard and teardrop shaped pommel, which houses a ruby the size of an egg; the scabbard is described as being a darker shade of the same red as the blade, both with a strange symbol on them. Originally, my design featured a Type XII blade, as I felt that best fit the way the sword is used in the story. It also had a vaguely scent stopper shaped pommel cut away in a few spots to show the ruby underneath. I've since come to the conclusion that I was mistaken on the design. First, unless it had a particularly long hilt, most Type XIIs wouldn't fit the "3 1/2ft" description, whereas Zar'roc is repeatedly described as a single-hand sword due to the fact that Morzan, its previous owner, preferred to wield magic in one hand and a blade in the other. To compound on this, an older cavalry style sword with a longer blade would only make sense for a Dragon Rider; an older style also fits with the description of the Riders being long gone. To that end, this version features a Type XIa blade, which is actually quite similar to the Type XII I previously used, but the extra length allows it to fit the description. The guard is still a Style 2 with an octagonal cross-section. The pommel, however, changed completely. In Brisingr, while describing what he wants in a sword, Eragon mentions how uncomfortable he found it to grasp Zar'roc's pommel, which I take to mean that it is like quite wide and likely has pointed surfaces. Aaron, another long time lurker of my previous thread, mentioned that the pommel I placed on my interpretation of Naegling would be perfect for Zar'roc. Now that I see the pommel on the sword, I agree wholeheartedly.  Overall Length: 38 3/4" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 1 1/2" @ base; 1 1/8" @ profile taper (2 1/2" from tip); 3/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 3/4"W This is Naegling, sword of Oromis the Dragon Rider from the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. Like with Zar'roc, I've done several variations of this sword over the years and, again, this is my last attempt as I just don't really care anymore. Little is actually known about the specifics of Naegling save that it is a golden bronze color with a yellow diamond in the pommel. That's quite literally it. As a result, I was free to take a few liberties with the design and, ironically, this is the one design that has come full circle. My very first attempt at Naegling featured a Type XIX blade, Style 10 crosspiece, and a Type V1 pommel. My second version was a little more fanciful, trading the V1 pommel for an I1 with hexagonal facets, and the XIX blade for a short version of a Type XVIIIe; my third version swapped the pommel for the one you see on Zar'roc above (albeit much narrower), a drastically upswept guard with diamond cross-section, and a Type XVIIId blade. None of them really worked for various reasons. Finally, I've managed to turn out a semi-decent version, though I'm not 100% satisfied with the pommel. Still, this is my last rendition of this sword, so it'll do. The pommel is a Type T with the upper half replaced with a canary diamond, while the guard is once more a Style 10; the blade is also back to being a Type XIX. To better replicate the description of "golden bronze", rather than the bright yellow of previous versions, I designed the blade in a pale bronze color, which I then mixed with a dark gold set to 50% opacity. I think the end result captures the intended color quite well and, while I'll never use it on a blade again, I may use it on another sword's hilt furniture.  Overall Length: 40 3/4" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 2 1/8" @ base; 1 1/4" @ profile taper (6 3/4" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 5 1/2" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 5/8"L x 1 7/8"W This is Brisingr, third and final sword of Eragon from the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. Let me start off by saying that I absolutely loathe this thing; I'm also quite vocal in how juvenile I find Paolini's insistence that all Rider swords have great honking gemstones in the pommels is. Brisingr is the only sword in the entire franchise given more than a passing description, but that only serves to increase my dislike of this sword. It is described as a hand-and-a-half sword with upturned quillions, and a pommel with a small sapphire held in place by four ribs that look like dragon claws, followed by a vibrant blue blade that has a narrow tip and what is essentially a hamon. Since a hamon is generally the result of clay tempering, which is what gives a katana its curvature, I really haven't the faintest clue how that's supposed to work with a straight sword... Anyways, all this added up to me envisioning this blade as being a Type XVIIIa, though a XVIa would have worked just as well. Well, on to the blade, I suppose. The blade is an XVIIIa sans fuller, while the cross is a Style 9; the pommel is what gave me the most trouble. Frankly, you know you're terrible at designing swords when your (former) fans have to wade through sempriniesque wallhangers to get a point of reference for what you had in mind. I was this close to basing the pommel off some flea market dragon themed sword when I decided to check Fable Blades for anything I could use as inspiration. There I came upon Brendan's sword "The Overlord", which has a vaguely claw shaped pommel that could seat a small gemstone fairly well. The grip, which is just described as carved black wood in the book, is simplified from my previous versions to be a straight taper as I was growing tired of that ugly waisted grip it had before. The "risers" carved into the grip are similar in shape to those from Iomhair, which was originally inspired by Brendan's "Princess Elysia", and I think they keep the plain grip from looking too boring. As a side note, I won't be posting the rest of my redesigns from this franchise (Arvindr, Islingr, Tamerlein, and Undbitr), but you can still view them on my DeviantArt gallery, which you can view here; that page also includes my previous versions of the above swords. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 18:05:55 GMT
 Overall length: 33" Blade Length: 26 3/4" Blade Width: 2 7/8" @ base; 1 3/4" @ profile taper (7 3/4" from tip); 1/2" from tip Grip Length: 3" Guard Width: 6" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 3/4"W Back in October 2011, after designing my first XIVa (the sword that would go on to become the Highlander), I designed an unusual Type XIV with a fishtail pommel; because I really suck at naming anything unrelated to my novels, I promptly called it "Fishtail XIV". Despite having numerous things wrong with it (the fuller was far too wide, for starters), I really liked it. I also noticed that it looked a fair amount like Boromir's sword from Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Which was a complete coincidence, by the way. I didn't notice the similarities until I was already done. Well, in January 2012, I decided to redesign it. I dubbed it Reclaimer. In part, the name came about because I had been playing Halo Anniversary at the time and "Reclaimer" is what 343 Guilty Spark calls Master Chief, but it was also an homage to how the sword resembled Boromir's sword. Most knock-offs of his sword are called "Redeemer" due to the fact that Boromir, who tried to take the One Ring for himself, redeemed himself by giving his life to save Merry & Pippin from the pack of Uruk-Hai. The Reclaimer features a rather thick Style 9 crosspiece and a Type V1 pommel variant, both in a nicely blued color.  Overall Length: 41" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 3" @ base; 1 7/8" @ profile taper (8 15/16" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 15/16" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Length: 4 3/4"L x 1 7/8"W This is the Numenorean, one of my favorite Type XIVa designs. I designed it in February 2012 and it is actually only my second example of the XIVa type, which is an interesting little tidbit, because I personally think this is my most attractive foray into the type. It was also my first attempt at rendering browned steel. The guard is a fantasy Style 6 that I originally designed for my Kurgan redesign, while the pommel is a fantasy T3, which I actually originally made for my interpretation of Islingr, the sword of Galbatorix from the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. The black grip was actually just a place holder I put there to allow me to see how the completed sword would look with the tang covered, but I ended up liking it so much that I decided to keep it, as I felt the black made the gold ring at the base of the pommel just pop and complemented the browned hilt furniture nicely. I call this the Numenorean because I have a fondness for hilts with exceptionally long pommels, something I can attribute to the film version of Narsil/Anduril.  Overall Length: 33 1/8" Blade Length: 26" Blade Width: 3" @ base; 1 7/8" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Length: 3 1/16"L x 1 7/8"W I call this sword the Dunedain, as it is a descendent of my Numenorean design; the name comes from one of the peoples of Middle-earth, the Dunedain, who are descendents of the Numenoreans, a people who were destroyed in the final years of the Second Age after being turned to the Shadow by Sauron. A notable member of the Numenoreans was Isildur, who most casual LotR fans will remember as that dude from the prologue of Fellowship of the Ring who cut the Ring from Sauron's hand and then got shot full of arrows because he didn't toss it into Mt. Doom when he had the chance. You'll probably also remember him as being the ancestor of Aragorn, who was a Dunedain himself. The main differences of the Dunedain when compared to the Numenorean is the flipped color scheme and the single fuller; otherwise, it is virtually identical in every respect. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 30, 2014 18:43:51 GMT
 Overall Length: 40" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 2" @ base; 1 1/2" @ profile taper (3 1/2" from tip); 3/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4 1/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Length: 2 13/16"L x 1 7/8"W This is my interpretation of Anduril, Flame of the West, from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I know this interpretation goes well against the grain, considering how iconic the Peter Jackson film sword is, so hear me out before you get the pitchforks ready. In The Two Towers (the novel), Aragorn uses a shield from Theoden's armory at the Battle of the Hornburg and, in Fellowship, it's stated his sword is similar to Boromir's, who uses a shield consistently. Could any of you conceivably use the movie version of Anduril with a shield comfortably? If you were ridiculously strong, perhaps, but for most people, I couldn't see them wielding a 5lb sword one handed for an extended period of time. Further, Tolkien generally compared Middle-earth war gear to that of Dark Age Europe and the Bayeux Tapestry, which suggests that the swords used in the novels are actually one handed swords rather than longswords as seen in the films. For my part, I'm rather fond of the movie version, however, so I struck a compromise: a bastard sword. My interpretation of Anduril features a Type Xa blade, a fantasy-styled Type T3 pommel, and a fantasy Style 6 guard, so it's not exactly historically accurate; but I wasn't going for that in the first place. The guard & pommel combination are actually from my Numenorean & Dunedain, which I felt rather fitting, since they were inspired by Lord of the Rings in the first place, albeit I added an extra ring to the hilt to set it apart from them. By the way, without choking up on the grip, the pommel allows a total 6 5/8" of grip space to the point where it flares out; if you choke up on it, you have 7" to where the pommel flares out, making it a nice little bastard. The inscription on the blade is pretty much the same that's been used for every interpretation of this sword since the films: - Nányë Andúril i né Narsil i macil Elendilo. Lercuvanten i máli Mordórëo.- I am Anduril who was Narsil, sword of Elendil. Let the thralls of Mordor flee me. As for the scabbard, the locket & chape are pretty much the same as what's on the film scabbard, just adapted to this sword; mainly just because I like how they look and they add a kingly feeling to the scabbard. The scabbard is described as having a tracery of flowers and leaves, in addition to Elvish runes that spell out the sword's name & history (the only thing I omitted, given that they're already on the blade). For the flowers & leaves, I chose a combination of Ivy & a Lily, primarily because I love lilies and ivy always makes me think of a quote that I've always loved: "True friends, like ivy and the wall,
Both stand together, and together fall."Indeed, in the language of flowers, ivy stands for endurance while (scarlet) lilies stand for high-souled aspirations; pretty appropriate for a man who would be king, no?  Overall Length: 34 7/8" Blade Length: 28 7/8" Blade Width: 1 3/4" @ base; 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 1/2" Guard Width: 6 1/2" Pommel Dimensions: 2"L x 1 5/8"W This is my interpretation of Needle, sword of Arya Stark from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. Of the two "official" versions, neither one really sits right with me. There's that rather heinous Valyrian Steel model, which looks like it came out of a flea market, and then the version found in the Game of Thrones HBO series; the HBO version isn't too bad, but I feel it's a little out of place when put next to the rest of the swords in the show, as it's a smallsword with a hollow ground triangular cross-section, strange guard with side ring, and a pommel no wider than the grip. And, personally, it doesn't really look like something your average castle blacksmith would be capable of forging, to say nothing of the fact that it looks fine in a child's hand, but what about an adult's? With that in mind, I set out to design what I felt Needle should have looked like. My interpretation of Needle features a slender Type XV blade that is short enough it wouldn't be too large for a 9-year old girl, but also wouldn't be almost toy-like for a young woman in her mid-20s. Furthermore, I chose the XV for its thrust oriented nature, which would fit quite well with the few depictions of Braavosi water-dancing shown in Game of Thrones (the first book, that is). The guard is a variation of the Style 10 with a circular cross-section, modeled after the piece of fanart that primarily inspired this design; the pommel is a faceted teardrop shape that I've used on a few other swords. The grip, though fairly small for most adult males, would likely fit Arya's hands for years to come, which is a good thing, as I set out to design a sword that would, in a sense, grow with her.  Overall Length: 53" Blade Length: 40" Blade Width: 2 3/4" @ base; 2" @ profile taper (5 13/16" from tip); 5/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 10" Guard Width: 10" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 2 3/8"W This is my final interpretation of Ice, the Valyrian Steel longsword of House Stark from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin; it's previous owner, Eddard Stark, primarily used it as an executioner's weapon, making it rather ironic that it would be used for that same purpose on him. This is my third version of Ice; my very first iteration came about in (when?) October 2011, but it had several problems with it, as I tried to design it according to the exact description, which refers to it has being as wide as a man's hand and taller than seven-year old Bran Stark (at least, if I remember correctly). The blade was a massive chunk of steel almost four feet long, three and a half inches wide with little profile taper, a strangely shaped guard, ugly pommel, and a concave grip ring. In short, it was begging to be redesigned, so I did... The next day. That version was much better, but still a little bit off, so a little more than a week after that, I redid it again; though, while I re-rendered it from the ground up in my 1/16th scale, I kept many things the same and simply fixed what didn't work. That said, while it was finally a good looking sword, I don't think it would have been a good sword. So, after I designed Needle up there, I had another crack at Ice and you can see what I cam up with. I toyed with the idea of using a XIIa for the blade at first, as some of them can be quite large and would suit Ice quite well, but in the end, I decided on using a Type XX instead, as I felt it fit better; it's also fairly reminiscent of a piece of Martin approved artwork of Eddard Stark with Ice. The crosspiece is heavily influenced by a sketch of Brendan Oszolwy's own interpretation of Ice, but greatly simplified. The polished steel grip ring has been a part of my interpretation of Ice since the very beginning, so I felt it only right to keep it. Lastly, the pommel is based around the Type F I used on my example of the Type XXII from my series of designs on the Oakeshott Typology, but features a raised and faceted face that I think looks rather like a patch of ice or snow from afar, and hearkens back to my previous design, which had a pentagonal pommel with a faceted, concave face that put me in mind of a snowflake. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 31, 2014 23:52:20 GMT
 Overall Length: 36 7/16" Blade Length: 30" Blade Width: 2" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (3 3/8" from tip); 3/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 6 1/2" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/4"D There's very little to say about this sword, as I based it almost completely on an antique that I'm rather fond of. Known as the Sword of Santa Casilda, the original is a Type XII with a 30" blade that Oakeshott described as "sweet and well-balanced in the hand". Mine lacks much of the decoration of the original, as I prefer less ornate swords, but I kept the cross-wrap, which is one of the things I liked about the original; the crosspiece is (likely) a Style 4, while the pommel is (most likely) a Type G given its size. Funnily enough, I didn't realize how much this sword resembles the H/T EMSHS or, rather, how much the EMSHS resembles this sword until I was done. Oakeshott lists this sword as the XII.4 and that's my name for it.  Overall Length: 27 13/16" Blade Length: 20 5/8" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 1 3/4" @ start of break Grip Length: 4 1/2" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 3/16"L x 1 3/4"W This sword was inspired by Narsil, the sword of Elendil that was broken in the fight against Sauron during the final battle between Mordor and the Last Alliance, an event which is depicted in the prologue of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Fellowship of the Ring. In the film, Narsil is shattered into half a dozen pieces (including the hilt), whereas in the novel, it was broken in two, with the larger portion still attached to the hilt, making it still relatively serviceable as a weapon. Several years ago, before I started using Inkscape, I sketched a broken sword; and I do mean broken. It had a spiral leather wrap that was falling off, the crosspiece had a broken quillion, and there were a number of deep chips in both edges. Well, while preparing for this thread, I came across the sheet of paper with that sketch (and close to a dozen others) on it and figured why not do something with it? As you can see, this version is in far better condition than what I just described, though it was mainly a stylistic choice. I actually did break off the rear quillion, but I didn't like the way it looked, so I left the crosspiece alone; I didn't put the dings in the edge for the same reason. Anyways, since I had already done my interpretation of Anduril, I wanted something inspired by the broken sword that Aragorn would have reforged to claim the throne of Gondor. As such, I call this design the Sword of the Uncrowned King.  Overall Length: 39" Blade Length: 29" Blade Width: 3 1/4" @ base; 2 3/16" @ belly; 2 3/8" @ profile taper (7 7/8" from tip); 5/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 8" Guard Width: 6 3/8" Pommel Dimensions: 3 11/16"L x 2 15/16"W Allow me to preface this by saying that this sword is not my interpretation of Orcrist, sword of Thorin, son of Thrain, from The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. While I don't really care for the dragon tooth grip, I'm actually quite satisfied with the film version of Orcrist and, even if I wasn't, I think Luna's interpretation is just about perfect, so I don't see any need to try my hand at it. That said, this sword was inspired by Orcrist; several Orcrists, in fact. Both blade and grip were inspired by different concept designs of the film version that I was quite taken with. The guard was actually inspired by the guard from Frost, a dagger by Brendan Olszowy of Fable Blades. While this sword was inspired by several versions of Orcrist, it isn't Orcrist itself, but since Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver, was forged in Gondolin by the High Elves during the First Age, I've decided to call this sword the Gondolin Cleaver as tribute. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Jun 1, 2014 0:54:48 GMT
 Overall Length: 42 3/8" Blade Length: 32 11/16" Blade Width: 2" @ base; 1 1/4" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 6" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 3"L x 2 1/8"W Another of those infamous designs originally done in October 2011, this sword started life simply as a vessel for me to try my hand at the pommel that Mikko used on his Scharfrichter design. Due to my inexperience, what was meant as a Type XVIa came out looking more like a XVII. As I said myself when I redesigned it in January 2012, I'd rather not remember that original version. I call this sword the Venezia on account of the fact that it just seems to ooze Italian influence to me; it features a variation of the Type V pommel and a Style 8 crosspiece, both blued, which I think is a nice contrast to the green of the grip and the scabbard.  Overall Length: 44" Blade Length: 34" Blade Width: 2 1/2" @ base; 1 5/8" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 7 1/2" Guard Width: 8 1/4" Pommel Dimensions: 2"D Also from October 2011, I designed the original version of this sword at the same time as Venezia's original; in fact, both began as vessels for me to try my hand at a piece of furniture from Mikko's Scharfrichter design. In this case, the crosspiece with those corkscrew shaped terminals. It also came about because I wanted to try my hand at a Type XVIIIc blade, which were woefully underrepresented in the sword world. The original featured plain steel fittings, a dark gray scabbard, and a bright red grip. As you can see, I chose to blacken the fittings and make the scabbard a darker shade of red than the grip when I redesigned it; this sword was also the first time I tried blackening the furniture, but I think it came out quite well. The cross is a variation on the Style 10, while the pommel is a Type H with a concave face. Owing to the poorly defined nature of the type, the blade features a narrow fuller in the upper third, which may or may not be historically accurate.  Overall Length: 45 3/8" Blade Length: 36" Blade Width: 1 7/8" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (5" from tip); 5/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 7 1/4" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 1 7/8" This sword, which I call Rune after an old Gaelic name meaning "red-haired", came about because of my desire to do a longsword that had a Type Q pommel, though it didn't actually start out that way. When I began designing this sword, it was originally planned as a two-handed gaddhjalt, an idea I'm glad I scrapped fairly early on; at a loss for a pommel, I grabbed the Type Q I had on the back burner and decided to finally do a longsword with it like I'd been meaning to for some time. The crosspiece is a variation on the Style 4, while the blade is a Dolan Type XIb and I think the slender profile of the blade, along with its acute tip, suit the Type Q quite well. The scabbard's chape is based on a Viking style, albeit vastly simplified, while the locket was designed to echo the styling of the chape. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Jun 1, 2014 1:36:26 GMT
 Overall Length: 32 3/16" Blade Length: 25" (from end of second ring) Blade Width: 1 1/8" @ base; 7/8" @ profile taper (2 3/4" from tip); 9/16" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 1/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Length: 1 3/4"L x 1 3/8"W Not long after I started using Inkscape, I designed a sword I dubbed the Shobu Sidesword, as it was a sidesword with a katana blade in the shobu-zukuri style (remember that bit about me being no great shakes at naming things?). This sword is not that sword. This sword is what that sword wishes it could be. The original version of this sword could best be described as a testament to the gap between my inexperience and my ambition; I believe this redesign is the culmination of the former catching up to the latter. This Shobu Sidesword is one of my first complex hilted designs and it's still among my favorites.  Overall Length: 64 1/8" Blade Length: 48" (from the end of habaki) Blade Width: 1 1/2" @ base; 1" @ profile taper (2 3/16" from tip); 3/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 12" Guard Width: 11" Pommel Length: 2 5/8"L x 1 5/8"W I call this sword the Odachi because, again, I suck at naming things, but let it never be said I don't posses the gift of pointing out the obvious; have I mentioned that water is wet? The very first version of this design, back from that very infamous October, originated in response to a joke. After seeing Ithin, which at the time was a very blatant jian/katana hybrid at the time, Saito remarked on the need for the "baby of a particularly rough night of sex between a Great Sword of War and a Katana", so I did just that. Well, when I redesigned my Shobu Sidesword above, I redesigned this sword, as well. Inch for inch, this is probably my longest sword to date, though I'd be fairly surprised if it were also the heaviest despite the four foot blade. The guard is modeled after the one found on the Arms & Armor German Bastard Sword, but with straight terminals and unadorned side rings. The pommel is a coffin-shaped variant of the fishtail style and the habaki is of an unusual style that is molded to fit into the bo-hi of the blade.  Overall Length: 31 7/8" Blade Length: 26" (measured from the end of the habaki) Blade Width: 1 1/4" @ base; 1 1/16" @ profile taper (2 3/4" from tip); 5/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 1/2" Guard Width: 3 1/4" Pommel Dimensions: 1 1/16"L x 2"W What is best? A katana or a viking sword? The Old El Paso Taco girl said it best: ¿por qué no los dos? (Why not both?). Around the time I designed the previous two katana hybrids, I also designed a Viking katana, with hilt furniture based on the Hanwei-Tinker Viking. Well, when I redesigned the other two, it seems only natural that I redesigned this one as well; to be honest, while the other two work quite well in their hybrid states, I'm dubious as to how well a katana paired can pull off a Viking-style hilt. The blade is a shinogi-zukuri style, while the hilt configuration is a Petersen Type K with bronze wire adorning the pommel. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Jun 1, 2014 2:01:01 GMT
 Overall Length: 50 1/2" Blade Length: 39" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 1 5/8" @ profile taper (2 1/2" from tip); 1 1/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 8" Guard Width: 10 3/8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 7/16"L x 1 3/8"W I call this the Elysium because, well, I just really like the name; otherwise, it has nothing to do with the sword. I'm also not 100% satisfied with this design. Don't get me wrong, I like it well enough, but there are so many shapes in the guard, each with its own gradient (30, to be exact), that I screwed up a few on the bottom. The guard & pommel were inspired by an anime-esque design that, when paired with a slightly longer than average Type XIIIa blade, make for a relatively nice fantasy-style claymore. The plain-Jane scabbard is really just something to store the blade in to keep it protected from the elements.  Overall Length: 45" Blade Length: 35 7/8" Blade Width: 1 3/8" @ base; 1 7/16" @ start of yelman; 1 5/16" @ profile taper (4 3/16" from tip) Grip Length: 6 1/4" Guard Width: 6 7/8" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 3/8"W This sword was inspired by the one-handed saber that was being sold by Evolution Arms in the Manufactuers & Vendors forum a few years back; ever since I spotted it, I had an itch to design a two-handed version. This sword, which I call the Roma, is the result of scratching that itch. I'm not completely satisfied with the design, as I feel the blade looks a little cockeyed, but it's still pretty nice. The pommel is a Type T5 and the cross is a Style 7 variations, both borrowed from Albion models; the cross from their Agincourt, the pommel from their Talhoffer.  Overall Length: 29 3/8" Blade Length: 24" Blade Width: 1 3/4" @ base; 1 7/8" @ swell; 15/16" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 6" Pommel Dimensions: 1 1/4"L x 2"W Although it lacks the more prominent swell associated with the type, this is a Conyers style falchion; as a kid, if you'd asked me what I thought a falchion looked like, I would have given a rough description of the Conyers style before I even knew there were different types of falchions, so the style has a special place in my heart. Simply dubbed "Falchion", this sword wears my very first decent Style 5 guard (prior to this design, I was terrible at the style) and a Type B pommel, which is very similar to the more well known Type A, but is smaller and less common. With its utilitarian design, complemented by the blackened furniture, I think it would look quite at home among a medieval archer's kit. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Jun 1, 2014 2:43:11 GMT
 Overall Length: 37 5/16" Blade Length: 29" Blade Width: 1 3/4" @ base; 1 7/8" @ swell; 15/16" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 5 1/2" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/2"L x 1 3/4"W Designed at the same time as my previous Falchion (and wearing the same, if longer, blade), I call this hand-and-a-half falchion The Steward. A steward was a servant in charge of managing the lord's estate, commonly earning 3-4 pounds a year which, thanks to Mikko's more extensive knowledge, I can tell you is roughly equivalent to 40,000$ before adjusting for inflation and things of the like, so quite a respectable sum; truly, my Google-Fu was embarrassingly weak that day. I call this blade the Steward as, while more finely polished than the previous falchion, I didn't feel it was quite what a king or a lord would carry, at least in my own mind. The hilt consists of a simple Style 5 crosspiece, a fluted Type T3 pommel, and a short section of wire wrap.  Overall Length: 34 3/8" Blade Length: 28" Blade Width: 1 5/8" @ base; 2 1/4" @ swell (9 9/16" from tip); 1 5/8" @ profile taper (5 3/16" from tip) Grip Length: 3 5/8" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 7/16"L x 1 3/4"W Did I not, fellow?
I have seen the day, with my good biting falchion
I would have made them skip: I am old now,
And these same crosses spoil me. Who are you?
Mine eyes are not o' the best: I'll tell you straight. - Lear, King Lear, Act V, Scene III Funny story: in February 2011, Valiant Armoury began their "Name that Sword" Contest to find a name for their new falchion, a sword that would eventually become their Norwich model. Of the names I suggested, "Mad King" was one of them, an oblique reference to King Lear, who descends into madness in the titular tragedy and makes reference to his falchion; a few minutes later, another member quoted the above passage while suggesting the name "Lear". When I designed this falchion in February of last year, I decided to call it the Lear, having remembered that incident. The blade of this sword is based on that of the Albion Vassal, a falchion of which I am very fond, while the crosspiece is based on that of their Prince model; I've no idea what, if any, style it could be classed as, but one review on MyArmoury calls it a Style 6. The pommel, which I've taken to calling a Type W2 for convenience's sake (incidentally, the teardrop shape featured on Dalun's sword and my interpretation of Needle, would be W1), is based on something I found online; the original featured a flat depression that made me think that I'd like to see it with that depression cut out and with chamfered edges. So that's exactly what I did when I designed this sword and I think it works quite well.  Overall Length: 37 5/16" Blade Length: 30" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 2 3/4" @ profile taper/cusp (7 3/4" from tip); 9/16" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4 3/4" Guard Width: 6 3/4" Pommel Dimensions: 2 3/16"L x 2"W This is actually one of the last swords I posted in my old design thread before finally deciding that it had become too bloated and needed to undergo reincarnation. As such, it still has a perfectly good description that I'll just copy-and-paste here with a few edits to reflect the fact that I'm posting these in out of chronological order: When it comes to one handed swords, so far I've found that I greatly prefer only a single edge which, when combined with my preference for European styled swords, means falchions. I decided I wanted to design a falchion that appealed to my aesthetics and that's how this sword came into being. The blade is heavily inspired by a Peter Johnsson blade, which you can see here; it's really quite a nice blade and I love the subtle curve to it. Anyways, while designing this sword, I thought about making it a true bastard sword, optimized for single-handed use, but just long enough to be wielded in two hands, so I lengthened the grip; it's about an inch longer than most of the single hander grips I design and, when combined with the pommel, provides approximately 7" of total grippable space. The guard is a Style 11, though it wasn't actually my first choice for this sword, nor was the Type J pommel with the concave face. I originally thought to combine the guard from Skülkivér and the fishtail pommel from Mé'aré. The pommel was an almost immediate flop as it didn't look right with a straight taper grip, while the guard didn't look too bad, but I felt it looked to small for such a beefy blade. And lastly, the false edge, which is 15" in length, should prove more than enough for the variety of false edge strikes prevalent throughout WMA. As for the name of this blade, well, I couldn't think of anything fancy or appropriate, so I decided to simply call it the Falx, the Latin base for falchion. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Jun 1, 2014 3:04:49 GMT
 Overall Length: 17 1/8" Blade Length: 12" Blade Width: 1 1/4" @ base; 3/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 1/2" (4 1/2" including guard & pommel) Guard Width: 1 5/8" Pommel Dimensions: 1 1/4"L x 3/4"W This is my interpretation of a shir from The Silerian Trilogy by Laura Resnick; I recommend the trilogy quite highly, as they were the books that inspired me to start writing ten years ago. The shir is a wavy bladed dagger created by a waterlord from water; as such, it has a debilitating chill against anyone who is not its rightful owner (the person it was made for and the person who kills him), including the waterlord who made it. The most unique special property of these daggers is they cannot harm the rightful owner, so sheaths are unnecessary, many wielders opting to carry it in a boot or tucked through a jashar (a wide belt with decorative beads that tells your name, clan, history, and station in life), some even keeping it concealed in their shirt against their bare skin. This particular shir is modeled after the only ones in the novels to actually be described in more detail: those of the waterlord, Baran. Baran is deranged, ruthless, and makes all his shir with a hilt of silver and Kintish jade, the same as the necklace he wears at all times.  Overall Length: 32 3/4" Blade Length: 27" Blade Width: 1 3/8" @ base; 7/8" @ profile taper (2 1/4" from tip); 9/16" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/16" Guard Width: 4" Pommel Length: 1 7/8"L x 1 1/2"W This is my interpretation of the swords of Tansen mar Dustan shah Gamalani, protagonist of The Silerian Trilogy by Laura Resnick. Tansen's swords are described as being slender with Kintish hieroglyphs on the blade... And that's it, so there was quite a bit of room for interpretation, which I used to the fullest to depict them the way I imagined them. They are twin blades with a slight curve and a vaguely triangular cross-section, similar to hira-zukuri in Japanese swords, which I felt would attribute to how easy to maneuver the blades are described as being, as well as the several occurrences wherein Tansen cuts off an arm or head. I didn't think a straight sword could do that while staying as slender as I pictured. Since no Kintish hieroglyphs are known beyond a single one depicted on the map page of the book, I improvised and used Bengali for the inscriptions. The blades read, top and bottom: "From one thing, another is born" and "Draw it with courage, sheath it with honor". The first is the personal motto of Tansen, a poor shallah boy without family, clan, or friends, and suffering under a bloodvow, who became a shatai, a member of the finest warrior class in the three corners of the world. The second is the motto of Kaja, his shatai-kaj (one who trains shatai).  Overall Length: 47 5/8" Blade Length: 36" Blade Width: 2" @ base; 1 3/4" @ profile taper (2" from tip); 1 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 10" Guard Width: 4" Pommel Dimensions: 1 1/8"L x 2 1/8"W This is the Dragon Slayer, a sword I conceived as being a realistic redesign of the sword of the same name from the manga & anime series, Berserk, though I should point out that I designed this sword before I started reading the series, so it actually becomes a rather amusing design to those who have, as it greatly resembles the sword Guts, the protagonist, wields before gaining the iconic Dragonslayer. As a result of this, my design lacks a scabbard, but features the ring on the guard (which would go on to find a home on Wyrmfell, the sword (and, consequently, the entire world of Terra) that came about because of this design) that hooks onto a special harness that allows Guts to wear the sword on his back without a scabbard, neatly negating the various problems associated with wearing a sword on your back. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Jun 1, 2014 3:42:47 GMT
 Throwing KnifeOverall Length: 10" Blade Length: 6" Blade Width: 1 1/2" @ base; 1" @ belly; 1 3/8" @ swell; 7/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 5/8" Guard Width: 2 1/8" Pommel Dimensions: 1/4"L x 1 5/16"W Seax KnifeOverall Length: 18" Blade Length: 13" Blade Width: 1 5/8" @ base; 11/16" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4 7/16" Guard Width: 2 1/2" Pommel Dimensions: 1/2"L x 1 9/16"W Any fans of the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan? Well, for those unfamiliar, Ranger's Apprentice is a 12 volume young adult series (11 main volumes and 1 collection of short stories about the characters) about Will, an orphan who becomes the eponymous Ranger's Apprentice in a fantasy counterpart to Europe; particularly the counterpart to Britain, named Araluen here. Rangers are roving peacekeepers attached to one of the 50 fiefs in the Kingdom and, during wartime, act as scouts, spies, marksmen, and even battle commanders depending on the Ranger. The main weapons of a Ranger, as explained by Halt (Will's mentor), are his speed and stealth; failing that, they have their longbows. If worst comes to worst, they have a pair of knives worn on the left side in an iconic double scabbard: a shorter throwing knife and a larger seax knife. When Will is first presented with his knives, they are described in a fair amount of detail, but are ultimately left up to the reader to decide their final shape. As such, these are my interpretations of those knives. The throwing knife is described as having a blade that is narrow at the base and then widens significantly for 3/4 of its length before tapering to a sharp point; the seax knife is described as having a large, heavy blade, being almost a short sword. Both are described as having a brass pommel and crosspiece and a stacked leather hilt. Because of this, the first thing that came to mind the very first time I read the books was that they had a hilt like a Ka-bar knife and, despite the seax being balanced for throwing as well (and being used as such in a pinch once or twice if memory serves), my image of it always had the classic flat edge with the sloping, almost wharncliffe point. The throwing knife, oddly, is mentioned as being used as a regular knife on a number of occasions (notably in the second novel where another Ranger is teaching Will a technique involving both knives), so it made sense for it to be big enough to actually be used as such comfortably compared to most "throwing" knives you see on the market today that aren't really meant to be held like a knife.  Overall Length: 51" Blade Length: 38" Blade Width: 2 3/4" @ base; 2 1/16" @ profile taper (3 5/8" from tip); 13/16" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 9 7/8" Guard Width: 4" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/4"L x 2 1/8"W If you're a sword fan, chances are you've come across the Buster Sword, iconic weapon of the JRPG Final Fantasy VII, not to mention the go-to sword for stupidly large blades. You may even have seen those videos from a few years ago where a swordsmith on Youtube forged a semi-functional version and proceeded to throw his back out trying to use the damn thing. That said, the "functional" replicas you see on Youtube are grossly oversized even compared to the original, such as Man-At-Arms' version, which he gave a blade that was 72" long and 12" wide; I've actually scaled the blade and, according to my math, the Buster Sword is officially 62" in overall length, with a 16" hilt, and a blade that is 46" long and 6" wide, meaning the only thing truly outlandish is the width. Still, while it's not as ridiculous as it's made out to be, you'd definitely need to be superhuman to wield it effectively. As such, I decided to design a semi-realistic, viking-inspired version back in January 2013. I say semi-realistic because, even though it lacks some of the more fantastical elements of the original (stupidly wide blade, holes for materia, no pommel), it's still a big damn sword. Also, despite my best efforts, I'm not overly pleased with the end result, as the pommel looks like a catcher's mitt; it'd be functional, but it ain't exactly pretty. The guard didn't come out quite the way I hoped, as the gradients wouldn't cooperate with me, but I do still like it. It comes from Brendan Olszowy's "Mjolnir", which is in the collection of forumite Bill Swiger (along with probably every production sword on the market at the moment), while the swirling designs comes from the pseudo-guard thing on the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children incarnation of the Buster Sword, where a greater amount of detail can be seen over the original Playstation 1 graphics. Lastly, the blade is an oversized Geibig Type 14, the same as what's on my Stigandr design, but wider and with a bit more profile taper. Nothing could ever make a sword this size light, but hopefully, the long grip, heavy brass fittings, aggressive profile taper, and equally aggressive distal tapering could make it a somewhat agile one.  Overall Length: 46" Blade Length: 36" Blade Width: 1 7/8" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (5" from tip); 5/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 7 5/16" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 1 15/16"L x 1 5/8"W Show of hands, how many of you have seen Fate/Stay Night? Or, at least, how many of you have seen this sword around the web? That is Excalibur, the sword of Saber from the visual novel/manga/anime Fate/Stay Night, aka Arturia Pendragon. Even if you've never seen it before, I'm sure you'll agree with my thinking that even though it's got a decent grip-to-blade ratio, the guard is an obese chunk of metal and the pommel is nonexistent; despite this, someone commissioned Ollin Swords to make them one and in spite of them making the guard much thinner (but just as wide) than what is seen in F/SN, it still weighs 5lbs 3oz, though, in all fairness, the blade is 3" wide at the base, not to mention 5/16" thick. Anyways, back in about late-April, early-May 2013, I stumbled across the Fate/Stay Night manga, something I was previously unaware of; curious as to how it differed from what I consider a fairly subpar anime adaptation, I began reading it. At one point, the protagonist, Emiya Shirou, sees a vision of Saber's past (this also happens in the anime, but much less in depth), and in a single panel, we're treated to a look of Excalibur's hilt, but of a completely different, more realistic style. While the actual components would look out of place from a historical point of view (the guard was reminiscent of a Style 2 while the pommel looked like a fancy Type R), there was nonetheless the fact that it looked much better than the version that appears in the present. Because of that, I decided to redesign it into something more functional. The blade is a the Dolan Type XIb, the guard a Style 4 designed to resemble the original (I tried the Style 2 lookalike that appears in the manga panel that set this off and, while it worked, I found I preferred the curved guard more) while the pommel is a prettied-up Type R like what appears in the manga; sadly, I couldn't get it to work properly, so it looks like an odd wheel pommel. |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Jun 1, 2014 3:55:12 GMT
 Overall Length: 40" Blade Length: 34" Blade Width: 1 1/2" @ base; 1" @ profile taper (7" from tip); 1/4" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2"L x 1 5/8"W Here's my interpretation of Nightblood, the sentient sword from Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson, although it's not as strictly based on it as my usual fantasy interpretations are and I'll explain why in a bit. Nightblood is described as being a long, slender blade in a silver sheath with a pure black hilt. Obviously, my design deviates from that a bit, though the primary reason for that was an artistic choice; an all black hilt against a silver sheath just strikes me as boring, particularly when I made the decision to make the blade black. The color of the blade is not actually stated in the book, but is instead said to give off a black smoke when the clasp on the scabbard is undone, so it made sense to me that the blade should be black, as well. For that reason, I decided on a bright silvery color for the hilt furniture, to better stand out against all the black. I chose a hollow-ground XVIIId styled blade to fit the long & slender aspect of the sword without going into the rapier or side-sword styled blades, primarily because the scabbards of those swords on extend up to the end of the guard, not covering the entire blade, a fact that is drawn to several times throughout the book. I did, however, attempt to effect a later period styling; slightly more elaborate than the plain cruciform, but nowhere near the level of most renaissance swords. The cross was modeled after that of Agefon, a design from Crockett that I've always had an eye for, and I thought the way it looped around the blade was perfect for the design, as it gave me a way to make a latch that could cover the entire blade, but expose a small part of it if it ever came undone without resorting to some sort of retention strap type setup. The pommel is a faceted teardrop shape that I think fits in quite nicely with the sword, significantly better than my first choice (which I don't actually remember, so that should tell you how poor a choice it was). The scabbard was originally black in my mind with a lot of silver accents and a flat base similar to a katana's saya, just to really stick out, but then I remembered that Nightblood often makes others kill themselves by being stabbed with the sheath, so I decided to go a slightly more conventional route with something that looked like it could be used as a weapon in its own right. All in all, it's not a 100% accurate interpretation, but I think it gains a little something in aesthetics in return.  Overall Length: 37 3/8" Blade Length: 32" Blade Width: 2 1/4" @ base; 1 3/8" @ profile taper (6 3/8" from tip); 1/2" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 3 3/4" Guard Width: 7" Pommel Dimensions: 2 1/8"L x 1 3/4"W I call this sword Misery, because its predecessor gave me so much... *crickets* I kid, I kid. I actually call this sword Misery because it is meant to be a more realistic version of Zar'roc, the sword from the Inheritance Cycle; "Zar'roc" means misery in Paolini's Ancient Language. Very little about the sword was described in concrete detail, so its exact appearance has been up for interpretation. However, since Paolini clearly knows bugger all about designing functioning swords based on his insistence on having them in pretty colors and with great honking gemstones where their pommels should be, my best interpretation comes up looking straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon, so I thought, "why not take the rough description, discard all those SLO trappings and make a real sword out of it?" And that's what I did. The blade is a Type XII, like my other interpretations and the pommel is still more or less teardrop shaped, but I opted for a curved guard instead of a straight one, both of blued steel instead of gold, and with plain brown leather instead of silver wire.  Overall Length: 42" Blade Length: 33" Blade Width: 2" @ base; 1 1/4" @ profile taper (8" from tip); 3/8" @ 1" from tip Grip Length: 4" Guard Width: 8" Pommel Dimensions: 4 1/2"L x 1 7/8"W This design actually started life as my interpretation of Anduril, but when I decided to go a different direction, this was kinda left blowing in the wind. Rather than waste the work I'd put into it, I finished it up, though I did change the color scheme slightly (the grip & jewel insert in the pommel were originally slated to be red, but I wasn't feeling it, so I changed it to blue). I think the blue causes the gold & brown to pop all the more than it would have if it were red. The pommel, by the way, as well as the grip spacer behind the guard, afford a total of 7 1/8" grip space; and that's without grasping the end of the pommel. Funnily enough, rather than from an actual sword, the original inspiration for the pommel came from a LARP sword a sword site was selling ages ago; Medieval Collectibles, I think it was? I don't actually remember. It just caught my eye and I saved it for future reference. The guard is, obviously, the same one from Mé'aré, just recolored. As to the name, it is a conglomerate formed from two Sindarin words "lanc" and "fael"; the former translates to "edge (not of a tool)" while the latter translates to something along the lines of "the glittering of the sun". So, the name means "the glittering of the sun off the edge (of its blade)", more or less. It's likely very grammatically incorrect, but I was more worried about something that rolled off the tongue. Plus, the fact that it sounds similar to Lanfear, Daughter of the Night, and one of the more prominent members of the Thirteen Forsaken, right behind Ishamael, helps, too. |
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