This distinctively styled Viking Sword is based on a surviving example from the 9th or 10th Century which was a grave find found in Vestre Berg in the Akershus county of Norway. It was clearly a masterfully crafted sword in its time, but before being entombed it had been ritually “killed” by purposefully bending the blade beyond usability. It is unknown whether this common practice was intended to symbolically “kill” a sword to make it fit for burial, or it was simply a practical way to dissuade grave robbers. A Peterson Type “O” sword, the pommel has a distinctive five-lobed “knuckle” pommel with a slightly up-turned guard.
The broad blade of this replica is forged from high carbon steel and possesses a tempered hardness of 48-52 HRc; it is securely mounted into the hilt with a peen over the pommel for an overall robust construction. The guard and pommel are cast from fine bronze and embellished with etched design on both sides and copper wire inlaid into the pommel. The grip is wood with a tight binding of quality red leather.
The sword is paired with a companion scabbard which is crafted from wood and overlaid in stitched and tightly-fitted vegetable tanned leather dyed to match the sword grip. Its fittings are of bronze and feature an integrated sword belt with bronze fittings and hanging rings. The belt is meant to be knotted and tied for wear so the buckle does not have a tongue and this is intentional.
Please Note: It is common for this item to have some greenish patination on the scabbard fittings – these can be polished to refresh the appearance.
jamesclayton333 (verified owner) –
Full tang construction, hilt, and handle are solid. I ordered this unsharpened so it is dull, but the point is enough of a point that it looks right. The handle brass is gorgeous. There is a bit of green tarnish on the scabbard fittings as they mentioned in the description being possible, but frankly, it just makes the scabbard look older so I will leave it like that for now. The attached belt I just unattached as I don’t see carrying this thing around, and I am not sure if it would be functional so I just removed the belt entirely and will not display the belt.
The blade did have a scratch and some imperfections, but it is straight and solid. So it does appear to be handmade in some manner. Out of the two swords I just ordered, this one is definitely my favorite as the scabbard is nice enough just by removing the belt. (That is real leather and brass, but as mentioned seems insufficient to use to carry the sword around).
Mainly, the hilt and pommel stand out the most as absolutely gorgeous. Nothing wrong with the blade either, other than one small scratch. So based on the price I would rate this a 5-star sword. No battle testing, but I swung it around some with one hand, and a hand and a half, and it feel like it would survive reasonable cutting tests if it were sharpened properly. I also think overall this looks better in person than in the photos, as the detail on the pommel and hilt really make this a winner for me.
zeby (verified owner) –
i got this for my first sword love it everything about it is awesome i got the munitions grade and had it sharpened not razor sharp but sharp enough to cut. great for a first sword. a little front heavy but still good for what it is. it also has a little rattle when in the scabbard belt looks small but i use it and its solid don’t think it would survive rough movement.
fosso1 (verified owner) –
I am not an edged weapons aficionado but I’ve always had a lively interest in military history from my pre teen years until today, particularly the Vikings, having some Norwegion ancestry of my own. Ever since I was a kid I hankered after a real Viking type sword. I got a few props from Pier One imports and the odd bayonet from antique stores but never anything that answered to my longing. Delayed gratification indeed- am now 64 years old with a bit of money to finally realize those youthful dreams. This sword answered that. I got it sharpened and holding it, I FEEL what commentators of the time meant when they called it a fearsome weapon. It looks true to form historically and I find it beautiful. But there is no mistaking this for anything but a serious length of steel . Were I a kid again I’d have marched off to the woods hacking at tree trunks and loping off branches while imagining those were the heads and limbs of my adversaries. A dream come true for a surprisingly modest price. I love this weapon!