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Matthew Grzybowski
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 7:10 am Post subject: OlliN Sword Design's new custom piece: The Viking Age QG5 |
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We have been very busy in the OlliN shop. We just finished up another custom piece, introducing the Viking Age QG5!
The specs for this piece are...
Weight: 2 lb 12 oz
Over All Length: 38 1/2"
Blade Length: 33 1/2"
Center of Balance: 5 1/2"
Center of percussion: 22 1/2" from guard
Thickness of Blade: 1/4"
Blade: 1075 Steel
Grip: buffalo horn / bronze
Guard: steel
Pommel: steel
It sounds like Tim got the piece yesterday and was very happy with it.
Best,
Matt
OlliN Sword Design
Handmade collectible arms, custom swords, and sculpture
www.ollinsworddesign.com
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Jason Elrod
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 8:14 am Post subject: |
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You guys just get better and better. Looks fantastic. Would you be able to do something like that with a pattern welded blade?
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Addison C. de Lisle
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 8:18 am Post subject: |
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Wow, you guys are fast! I love the latest two pieces!
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Michal Plezia
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 8:21 am Post subject: |
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 Wonderfull!!! Have you got more pictures?
www.elchon.com
Polish Guild of Knifemakers
The sword is a weapon for killing, the art of the sword is the art of killing. No matter what fancy words you use or what titles you put to
it that is the only truth.
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Dan Dickinson
Industry Professional
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 11:26 am Post subject: |
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I just received this sword yesterday and haven't been able to put it down. I can't make enough positive remarks about dealing with OlliN! The whole process of having this sword made was fun. They sent the concept drawing about a week after I made the deposit, there were frequent email updates including production photos, and the sword arrived packed in a really cool box. The sword itself is great. The finish is perfect. The hilt is perfect. It handles great. I couldn't be a happier sword owner right now.... I would highly recommend OlliN to anyone looking to get a custom sword made.
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Geoff Wood
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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Mr Grzybowski
Nice to see a sword of this hilt type reproduced. Petersen reported the M/Q/P, relatively simple, types to be very common as finds (far more so than as reproductions). It looks like the Lough Gur find may have been part of the inspiration for the hilt (althought the size obviously differs), with the metal ferrules on the grip ends and the relative similar sizes of the upper and lower guards. Anyway, whatever was the case, a very good looking piece.
Thanks
Geoff Wood
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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Looks great.   If it' s not something that is confidential between the maker and the client ( Question to Ollinswordesign ) How much would a custom job like this cost ? Not necessarily this one, but something equivalent.
I realize that with a custom job the price can vary enormously depending on what one asks for.
First, I like the design as is, but looking at the photographs of the hilt in closer detail it looks like the pommel is almost screaming for the upper part of a two piece pommel ? Or at least this would be an interesting alternate.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Geoff Wood
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Jean Thibodeau wrote: |
First, I like the design as is, but looking at the photographs of the hilt in closer detail it looks like the pommel is almost screaming for the upper part of a two piece pommel ? Or at least this would be an interesting alternate. |
From Petersen, Pierce, etc. it seems that many of the hilts like this were meant to be like this (Q, M, P), with no trace of an additional pommel or anchorage for such. However, others, as you say, were, e.g. type H with the pommel cap fallen off (shown by remains of rivets or rivet holes in the upper guard, for example). Functionally, I imagine they would have been very similar. Maybe pommel caps were a status thing, or some customers were unhappy with seeing a completely naked peened tang??
Geoff
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Mark G.
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, thanks for all of the responses and comments so far. It looks like we may have come across the style this forum likes, historical. On a historical based forum, go figure....
First of all I have to I have to say Tim was great to work with as well, even dealing with all of my questions to make sure the sword turns out the way he was wanting. I'm really happy that he likes the piece, and that he brought this project to us.
Jason,
Anything is possible. While I don't make pattern welded steel myself, I'm sure we could obtain some for any future projects.
The inspiration for this piece is based off of the sword from Lough Gur, but scaled up to a larger size. The original did not appear to have a pommel cap, but I wouldn't have been opposed to adding one, if Tim had wanted. The whole design process is all based around working with the customer to figure out exactly what he or she is looking for, even if it means altering history a little. Anyway, I was rather excited to work on this sword due to its uniqueness of its hilt.
Thanks again for the comments.
Mark
www.ollinsworddesign.com
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Jay Barron
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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Absolutely love it! There are so many types of viking swords yet so few represented in modern reproductions. I'd really like to see more of Petersen's types.
Constant and true.
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Greg Griggs
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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You guys have been out-doing yourselves with the recent works. Very nice swords, keep it up!
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
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Mark G.
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Jean,
Well, not getting into too many specifics, a sword similar to this could run anywhere from $900 to $1300. It could be more or it could be less. It really does depend on the design, which we are always more than happy to fine tune and tweak to the customer's liking.
Was that too vague?
www.ollinsworddesign.com
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Mark G. wrote: | Jean,
Well, not getting into too many specifics, a sword similar to this could run anywhere from $900 to $1300. It could be more or it could be less. It really does depend on the design, which we are always more than happy to fine tune and tweak to the customer's liking.
Was that too vague? |
No not too vague, and that is what I meant: A ballpark figure that doesn't lock you in to a specific price before the details that might have a great deal of impact on final price is worked out but still enough of an idea so as to not assume by error a much higher price.
Since I am a graphic artist and I have designed couple of custom swords some time back ( Tom Maringer swords of my design and his interpretation and talent around 1980 ) I appreciate the type of collaborative approach to sword making where part of the fun is not only the final product but the process of fine tuning a design.
This is similar than the process between an artist / artisan and a " Noble " patron ordering a sword or armour according to his taste and specifications. ( Not that we should have delusions that we are " Nobles ".   )
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
Last edited by Jean Thibodeau on Sat 06 May, 2006 7:14 am; edited 1 time in total
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Mark G.
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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You know, for a small fee, I can also refer to you as a 'Noble'
But seriously, being able to work with the customer, and jointly design a custom project is something I enjoy a great deal. It does seem to be fun for customers as well, taking an active role in the creation of the piece.
www.ollinsworddesign.com
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Fri 05 May, 2006 11:25 pm Post subject: |
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I'm really glad to see people responding so favorably to this sword. I've always loved some of the simpler viking hilt types and it is very cool to see that others do as well. It is based on the Lough Gur sword (scaled up). As I said before, the process of having this sword made was a lot of fun and I also feel that it has led to a better sword. There were a few changes made to this sword during the process that were a result of Mark and I bouncing ideas back and forth. This dialog not only led to a better sword, but made the wait for the sword seem fun because I felt much more involved in it's making. I'll say it again: I highly recommend OlliN to anyone who wants a great custom sword!!!
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Shane Allee
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Sat 06 May, 2006 4:50 am Post subject: |
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You have a great looking sword there Tim.
Shane
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Steve Grisetti
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| Posted: Sat 06 May, 2006 5:44 am Post subject: |
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Congratulations, Tim. It looks like a beautiful sword.
"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
- Sir Toby Belch
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James A. Vargscarr
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| Posted: Sat 06 May, 2006 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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This is a stunning piece, and I'll echo the sentiment that it's great to see a reproduction of one of the less well known hilt types. If anyone knows of a good source of information on the Lough Gur sword I'd appreciate a link - I've been searching fruitlessly on Google. Congratulations on the sword Tim!
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Sat 06 May, 2006 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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| James A. Vargscarr wrote: | | This is a stunning piece, and I'll echo the sentiment that it's great to see a reproduction of one of the less well known hilt types. If anyone knows of a good source of information on the Lough Gur sword I'd appreciate a link - I've been searching fruitlessly on Google. Congratulations on the sword Tim! |
James-
The Lough Gur sword is one of two examples of a type Q viking sword documented in "Swords of the Viking Age" by Ian Pierce. It is also briefly mentioned in "The Sword in Anglo-Saxon England" by Hilda Ellis Davidson. I'm attaching two other photos that were taken by a myArmoury member(Jeroen Zuiderwijk? Thanks for the photos!)at the museum where the swords are located(It's in the UK). I sent these photos to Mark to help him make this sword. (Again thanks Jeroen!)
-Tim
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This is a standard topic