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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2009 1:58:40 GMT
Is it me or is it to find a good, accurate late-Iron Age Germanic ring-hilt sword? 300-400 AD approx. The best I can find is the "Beowulf" sword from the non-Angelina movie which has the ring on the hilt and most accurate styling. www.swordsonline.com/shopping/Beowulf-Sword-p-17222.htmlI have seen a nice long seax in the past, but most everything else is "too Norse" and too late (1000 AD) SBG reviewed the above sword... but no one else seems to be doing them justice.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2009 2:27:45 GMT
I've seen the Beowulf, and held it in real life. The grip is nice, the blade feels a little whippy, and some of the hilt pieces are plastic (The "ivory/bone" pieces.). I read of a review on it, I think it might be on here, where the reviewer said the ring broke off. I'll try and find a link to the review. Sadly, there aren't many ring-hilts (Only two as far as I know.) outside of the custom-sword market. The only other one is the Del Tin Lombard sword, which I own, and personally think is a work of art. Of course, it's more expensive than the Beowulf sword. But, it doesn't feel "fake" like the Beowulf sword, and it feels much more solid in your hand. I won't go into detail here on it. There's another thread in the forum specifically about the Lombard sword. But, if you have your heart set on the Beowulf sword, i'd recommend getting it from Kult of Athena, since it's cheaper there: www.kultofathena.com/product~item~500960~name~Beowulf+Sword.htmHere's the Lombard sword from Del Tin: www.arts-swords.com/item/DT-DT2071.asp (You may be able to find it somewhere else cheaper.) Here are some other migration-era swords that are not ring-hilters, but similar: www.kultofathena.com/product~item~DT2080~name~Del+Tin+8th+Century+Scandinavian+Sword.htmwww.kultofathena.com/product~item~DT2070~name~Del+Tin+Migration+Era+Sword.htmHere's the thread discussing the Del Tin Lombard: /index.cgi?board=euromedieval&action=display&thread=8469 This is the review i'm talking about: /index.cgi?board=swordreviews&action=display&thread=2115&page=1#36094
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2009 12:39:46 GMT
If you want 300-400AD you are looking for a roman spatha more or less. Ring hilts are 6th to 8th century.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2009 13:25:08 GMT
I had forgotten about the Lombard sword! What always amazes me is how thin the handle tang is... I just have to suspect a lot of broken handles under full combat. (It is historically accurate when you look at the artifacts in the museums but...) Thicker tangs seemed to come out later. I wonder how long - and how many battles - it took for the Visigoths to go to the blacksmith and thicken the tang - like the 10th century norse
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Post by hotspur on Mar 2, 2009 16:30:35 GMT
The plainer one on our left here was modeled after a fifth century sword. While there is not much to the pommel and the balance is out about nine inches. It handles like a dream and feels in the hand more like it would balance four or five inches out. Aside from a very short ricasso, the sword is quite close to what one might find of continental swords in that century. A blade view on our right here. All are from Kevin Cashen. The axe A&A and the dagger Vince Evans. In action and not the only one in that table shot that gets cut with (although this was all some years ago in these shots and from different events). A two handed grip on a short grip in that shot and a technique I have used myself in cutting with that sword. Cheers Hotspur; what I don't have handy is more specifications for you
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2009 18:25:56 GMT
Beautiful pattern welding on those swords Hotspur. Who made them?
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Post by hotspur on Mar 2, 2009 20:23:22 GMT
Hi Luka, The four swords were made by Kevin Cashen forums.swordforum.com/member.php?u=931A thread regarding the making of the leaf blade can be found here. forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=13809There have been some other early swords made by some of the other smiths that come up. Patrick Barta would be another doing even more in depth stylings of earlier swords. www.templ.net/Jake Powning another www.powning.com/jake/Of course, kind of just dreaming that many would be affording such but you never know. I don't want to leave others off a potential list of such either, I was simply wanting to note the one sword in particular that Kevin had modeled that one from. The list of custom makers is somewhat endless and others that post around this board might help. Folk like Tinker, Chris Fields, Brenno, Baltimore Knife, Lundemo. Even an entire list here might leave someone unmentioned and I don't at all mean to. As for the ring pommels, Del Tin was mentioned in a thread here not long ago as well. I know the Beowulf has had some discussion about it and it is another pretty sword of that price class. A turn off might be the plastic parts (instead of wood or bone). Aside from Kult Of Athena for Del Tin and others, there are also Art Elwell www.arts-swords.com/ and Viking Shield that might offer alternatives. www.viking-shield.com/There have been occasional swords that might suit those looking earlier than times a viking. Windlass has had that Germanic spatha like sword and I think it was Odo of the Kingdom Of Heaven swords. Cheers Hotspur; Kevin's swords (as are others) are kind of in a class by themselves but the forms and styles are produced by others as well
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Post by shadowhowler on Mar 3, 2009 1:55:21 GMT
The sword between the leafblade and the leftmost one... what IS that?!? I love it... I must know more...
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Post by hotspur on Mar 3, 2009 2:30:56 GMT
This one? All the stuff on the table belong to Dennis Boas, one of the administrators from SFI. He has come out to a few gatherings over the years. I am bad with personalized names for them but I believe that one was on the front page of one of the magazines in the past. It is a modern take on a viking era sword. Gold iinlay in the cross and truly well executed in forging. The links I left in the previous post with get to both information and galleries by Kevin, as well as lots about all the swords from Dennis' posts about them. These shots were of his tribe visiting us back in 2005. Here is a more detailed report of the swords and the event. forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=57335Cheers Hotspur; Bencheater is the long viking oneI guess I'm wrong about the 10th century date as well
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Post by shadowhowler on Mar 3, 2009 5:45:14 GMT
This one? Thats the one, Glen... Looks like the scabbard may be georgous also... man. That sword is almost exactly, to a tee, what I would have pictured if I were to sit down and draw my 'Dream Sword'. According to your link, that swords name is 'Baby'... heh. So Kevin Cashen made that? I have GOT to see about getting something similar from him at some point then... because that sword just SPEAKS to me... in a way my wallet may never recover from.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2009 6:29:25 GMT
Glen: Would you recommend the smiths you listed? I know you have their blades but would you actually recommend them?
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Post by hotspur on Mar 3, 2009 12:50:23 GMT
Glen: Would you recommend the smiths you listed? I know you have their blades but would you actually recommend them? The thing is time and money, more than possibilities. As mentioned, I don't own those on that table, they belong to Dennis. Kevin has a several year long wait, iirc. Jake doesn't take commissions but has put some terrific stufff up. Not unlike Vince Evans, he will do projects that inspire him and deals often with those who can inspire him. Barta also has a long waiting period. What I have squirreled away myself have been shorter examples from smiths such as these. Pieces that pop up at a more reasonable price scale. For instance two bowies, one from Vince Evans and one early example from Kevin Cashen's ABS journeyman years. I also have a nice folder that Vince Evans back in the day. I made the mistake of not buying some more of his folder examples and that wasn't that long ago, in the grand scheme of things. The display in this thread was more for inspirational opportunites that exist. For instance, I made a boo boo by not approaching this guy back in 2001. A time when many were still wondering. I continue to regret not buying a gladius from him at that show. He is always in mind for me if I ever ask a commission from him. All these guys are approachable. Barta is the only one I have never communicated with. Cheers Hotspur; I have no qualms in suggesting most that participate in custom work
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