[Peter Lyon]

Attached are some photos of a sword I recently completed for a client in the UK. It is a type XIV, actually XIV.7 from Records of the Medieval Sword, made to the dimensions of the original and with scabbard and belt suitable to the period, 1270-1320. I don't often post photos, largely because I not getting many private commissions done these days due to my contract work, but this is especially nice and also a nice ensemble - I make scabbards and belts even less often than swords. I will be telling my client about this post, as he might want to comment too.

This was a very interesting challenge, as it would be so easy for this to become an unwieldy monster, with its blade almost 3" wide at the shoulder and a massive pommel, also almost 3" diameter. To reduce the weight as far as safe I distal tapered the blade from 4mm at the shoulders to 2mm near the tip, and the pommel is hollow, turned on a lathe in halves and welded along the centre edge. I tested the blade flex and stiffness throughout, removing more and more thickness until it flexed evenly, and it still came out quite stiff; it is lenticular section, and the four fullers each side were ground in then hand-finished with stones to get them straight and even.

I was happy with the result; the pommel weighed about 400 grams, and the total weight was 1365 grams (exactly 3 pounds) with a balance point about 3.5"/85mm along the blade. Unfortunately I don't have the exact PoB or a CoP, as I wrote them down but since then I have put the note "somewhere safe". If I find it again I will add the details.

If I had known how the balance would come out, I would have made the pommel even lighter, and I could also have trimmed a wee bit more off the cross, so the final weight could have been about 1250 grams/ 2lb 12oz and with a balance about 5" along the blade, which might be more appropriate for a sword of this type, with its broad, shearing blade. Perhaps someone who has handled or measured some originals of this type could comment.

I usually burn-fit a wooden grip then cover it, and did so on this as well, which worked out well. I didn't like the look of the original, which seems too rod-like and round (I don't even know if it was the original grip) so I made one with more shape to it.

Oakeshott commented on the "heavy" pommel yet said the sword moved "very quickly and lightly" which made me suspect the pommel is hollow as many pommels were in the 14th century, especially the very bulky ones, so I made mine hollow. I am glad I did, as it would have weighed about 700 grams if solid and made for a heavy sword with little blade presence. I could have probably made the walls even thinner and got it down to about 300 grams. Can anyone comment on the reason for such a huge pommel, was it for a more secure grip or mostly about aesthics, to offset the bulky looking blade?

The scabbard has a willow core and is lined with sueded leather, and covered with black leather, stitched along the back. The stitching turned out to be a big job, as I decided to do a finely spaced seam. A simple steel chape finishes it.

The belt is russet, stained a brick red colour. The fittings were purchased from a US supplier, and are bronze with silver plating. All in all a bright and bold ensemble, and it turned out just as I had planned it to look.

[Hadrian Coffin]

Hello,
I have handled the original so can add a few comments. The grip, if I remember correctly, is period. The sword was quite lively, the blade nimble but present. I would also add that the pommel most likely was hollow, it wasn't so heavy as to be solid iron. From the pictures and your statistics it really seems to capture the spirit of the original.
Cheers,
Hadrian

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Martin Erben]

Hello

This is a really great looking sword in my opinion!
I was just wondering if you had problems during the hardening with twisting/ distortion of the blade caused by the low thickness of the blade? (I recently made a Falchion and it came out quite distorted (hardened it on 58HRC) which I was not able to adjust completely (it tapers from 4.5mm to 2.7mm).)
On which degree of hardness did you harden the blade (HRC)?

Cheers
Martin

[Al Muckart]

That scabbard came out really well Peter.

I am lucky enough to live in the same city as Peter and have (very briefly) handled this sword. The pictures don't really do it justice. It looks like an absolute monster of a sword when you first see it but in hand it balances and moves wonderfully.

If it puts the sword in scale a bit better in the photo where he's holding it, Peter is a about 6'4" tall.

[Peter Lyon]

[Ben Potter]

Beautiful blade, and amazing scabbard. Very inspiring.

[Scott Kowalski]

That is a very nice looking sword and scabbard with belt.