[Nathan Robinson]

While you state that it isn't entirely historical, it doesn't scream out as being particularly wrong... or particularly right, either.

Either way, I like it quite a bit, Sean. I'd like to see some more photos of it! Even better, some photos next to other swords.

Cheers

[Sean Flynt]

Here's the whole shebang, three of which I will soon be selling or otherwise disposing of to make room and funds for new projects. I'll keep (for now) the big Type XVIII and WONDERFUL A&A Town Guard. I also have a piece coming from Eljay in 2011-2012, and that will add some much-needed diversity and character to the collection, as will bluing the TG hilt. Not much variety in my own projects. Apologies for the truly disgraceful and lazy photos!

[Jean Thibodeau]

Nice work and could even be a cottage industry of period upgrades of basically sound swords but of indiferent finish or detailling.

In any case selling them to be able to buy more and try out new modifications is actually purchasing the " experience " of learning how to do these things and the skills acquired stay with you even if you end up selling most of the pieces except for some particular favorites.

Sort of an evolving revolving collection that in most cases means you shouldn't regret too much parting with the finished project sword and go to the next to do it even better.

On the other hand you should hang on to the best pieces at least until you have made an even better executed version of the same project sword or one very similar to fill the type niche in your collection: But maybe I'm over-thinking it and should just say " NICE WORK ".

[Sean Flynt]

That's it exactly, Jean. I'm working my way through school.

[Nathan Robinson]

Thank you for snapping those photos of the swords grouped together. It's always great to see things grouped together for context. That's a hell of a group of swords there, Sean, and something about which I hope you let yourself feel some pride!

[Sean Flynt]

Thanks, Nathan! I am most proud of the skills and understandings, however incomplete.

[Felix R.]

Well Sean, overall very nice sowrds. Maybe you should try using a brown colured leather instead of the black.

[Sean Flynt]

The grip color and hilt finish are part of the problem, but some of that will disappear with the departure of three of these swords, the bluing of the TG hilt and the addition of a black-on-black Katzbalger sometime next year. On the other hand, my next three sword projects are ca. 1500--two longswords and a bastard sword--so I'll need to do something different with those grips. I really ought to finally just buy some proper leather for a start. That would make it much easier to use red, which is the second most common color in the artwork I look to for guidance. I'd also like to try more decorative techniques.

[Scott Woodruff]

I hope this isn't considered thread necromancy by anyone. Truly beautiful work, Sean! And thank you all very much for this thread and the information and pics contained in it. Upon seeing this thread, I was immediately inspired to try a similar project. I bought a cheap "Hanwei Mercenary"(type xx/xxa?) to use as a blank. Kind of a practice run to familiarize myself with some tools and techniques. The Hanwei sword had a very bent blade with very wavy bevels, sabered tip, and 3 fairly well executed fullers on each face. The pommel was peened on but was very loose, and when you moved the sword you could feel the tang flexing inside the loose, hollow grip. The crossguard was extremely heavy, thick, short and weird-looking and the massive pommel had several HUGE pits and voids, including a fissure that runs through much of it at the mold-joint. Despite these shortcomings, I was fairly happy with what I got, the price was certainly right.

So, I set out to turn this lemon into a reasonable facsimile of a long-gripped Scandinavian longsword. I cut into the ricasso to lengthen the tang, maintaining the taper and filing the slot in the guard to accept the wider tang base. I lightened the pommel by grinding it into a faceted scent-stopper. I did a lot of grinding on the blade, ending up with a flattened hexagonal section with 3 fullers going a little over half way down the blade, moderate distal taper and a quite acute point. Blade 33in(83cm) long, tapering from 2" to 1" at 5" from the point. Almost a quarter inch thick at ricasso. Overall length is 46". I will post pics when able.

I am planning on forging the cross out, I'll see how much I can lengthen the quillons before I decide whether to do a c-shaped or down-turned with upturned ends.

What is the mass distribution like on these swords? I am especially interested in the extremely short-bladed, long-gripped examples with 1/1.5-1/2 ratio. Do they have coresponding pivot points at point and cross like a typical long-sword, or is the proximal pivot point down in the grip? Does anyone have any thoughts on how these swords were used? I am having some trouble deciding just how I should balance my sword. As it is now, it has considerable blade presence and I felt I may have ground the pommel too small, making a further lengthening of the tang necessary. On the other hand, the sword is light enough that the blade presence is not overwhelming. The pivot point relative to the cross is about 2-3 inches behind the point. Its overall character is a fairly light, nimble sword ideal for unarmored combat and capable of some serious cutting one-handed or two-handed, but a little too thin and flexible for serious thrusting and too wide and sharp in the forte for any kind of half-swording.

What kinds of finish would be appropriate for hilt elements? I would like to hide the pits in the pommel by creating a forge-blackened finish, but I do not know if that would be historically correct. Do preserved examples retain any traces of their original finish?
How short are the blades on those really stubby swords? 30 inches? Or even shorter? Or are the grips just really, really long (more than 20 inches?)
Sean, you mentioned red as one of the two most common grip colors. What is the other one?

[Sean Flynt]

Thanks, Scott! I need to revisit this piece soon and improve the things I don't like about it before I decide what to do with it. I'd really love to see photos of your project (I'm sure we all would). Have you seen the modified version of (what sounds like) the same sword in Nathan Robinson's gallery here? Very cool!

On balance: I don't have much idea other than from what's in this thread and my own experiment. Those examples with extremely long grips in relation to the blade must have COGs very close to the guard, which makes me think that they were used more like polearms (see my earlier comments in this thread and Peter Johnsson's response). I don't suppose they would have much blade presence.

Black and red are the two most common grip colors I see in historical artwork ("red" encompassing both reddish-brown or oxblood, but more often a true red.

[Scott Woodruff]

Thank you again! I have been very busy setting up my new shop, but I will try to get some pictures taken this week before I finish the sword and put on the grip. Yes, it is the same sword as Nathan's.
Don't have much time now, but I'll post a reply with some meat on it soon.

[Scott Woodruff]

Sorry, having delays, will post pics as soon as possible. I am trying to finish this one before starting another ( a type ae ) , I have a tendency to have a dozen projects going at once.

[Simon G.]

Hey Scott, I'll perform a bit of thread necromancy too, since I'd love to see some pics of your project if you are able to post them. I too could be interested on modding a Hanwei Mercenary (and am generally very eager to start working on my own first modding project - dunno what'll be yet though).

Cheers !

Simon

[Stefan Hanson]

Hi Sean !

Always follow your projects. You have a very keen eye for shape. It seems you are always trying to strive to catch the essence of certain interesting types. This I appriciate as an artisan and we very much share the same tastes when it comes to swords. As I saw myself popping up in this thread so I could just awell comment. The sword the riding Albert is wearing is my old Del Tin River Thames sword ( ca 1400 ) with a exchanged grip and scabbard by me. The sword I am wearing in front of that wooden hut is in fact the only handmade training sword Peter ever made. Several people in our re-enactment group has been it´s owner at some point ! It is in fact a blunt and quite small.

To finish this thread I could not withhold from you yet another Scandinavian Longgrip found in Lödöse, a medieval town 40 km upstream river and the predessor of thebig port city of Gothenburg on the westcoast of Sweden. This used to be border territory. The Danes constantly attacked. So they did in the winter of 1452 aswell. They were driven back in a blizzard but seemingly dropped this sword in the process I am not too sure all of these swords were danish though. It is definately a great sword for footcombat. We have made and tried replicas.Sorry for the bad pics. They are not mine. Bu at least they give you an idea. When I buy I new computer I will try to find more pics if you are interested. They now rest in peace on my external hard drive. I think this is the most extreme and longest grip of them all. It is almost longer than the blade !

hmmm seems the pics are to big to post. Will ask Eric on Gotland to resize themand post them as I have no Photoshop at the moment.

keep up the great work

Stefan

[Sean Flynt]

Thanks for the new information, Stefan! I wish I could have done more justice to the type--mainly with a longer cross--but I think it will make a nice gift for my nephew after I make a scabbard and suspension.

[Eric Hejdström]

Sean, I think that will make an awesome gift! not at all jealous... Have to finish my own soon. Currently working on it with an hand file, not the most fun you can have in a cold workshop. It has taken some time extra but I'm also working on a new dagger and some riveted brass mail rings.

And here are Stefans pictures as promised!

/Eric

[Simon G.]

Oðinn's bones, now that is a long grip ! Could this be some sort of European equivalent of the nagamaki ?

What's the total length of the weapon ? I wonder how it was held and used ; it must have resembled quarterstaff techniques a bit... Only with a sharp blade, ouch. That handle must've been a hell of a fulcrum.

[Sean Flynt]

Those are enlightening photos! Thanks, guys!

[Scott Woodruff]

Thank you Simon for your interest. I have been sick with Bronchitis and trying to get my grandmother's house ready for sale, so I have been REALLY behind schedule. I will try to get something posted this week. I got an Albion type xvi blade last week for a project based on the Borringholme sword, and was very, very happy with the quality, much better value than the "mercenary." Be careful shaping the "mercenary's" pommel, as mine was hollow! and had very large bubbles as large as the end of my pinkie. I just hammered lead into the voids and it does not look too bad.

Thank you Eric for the pics, every bit of information I can find on these swords is a great help. I am sorry to hear of the "cold shop" situation, I myself have been having forge and grinder difficulties and may be reduced to file-work also.

[Sean Flynt]

This is where the project ends! Just finished the scabbard and added the belt. This will be a gift to my nephew for his 10th birthday. It's not my best work and not really what I had in mind for myself, but the scale is much better for a boy and I'd have been thrilled to have it when I was 10

The scabbard was inspired by that of the Vättern sword discussed earlier in this thread, complete with my clumsy and too-short interpretation of that scabbard's simple chape. I couldn't figure out all the chape details from the photo shown below, but it's headed in the right direction, at least. I didn't bother to make it too neat or well-finished because that would have been out of character with the rest of the project (unfortunately). Looking at my own work up close here I see that I need to pinch in the edges of the chape a bit before shipping.