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J.D. Crawford
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 Posted: Mon 27 Apr, 2009 1:36 pm Post subject: Leuterit Hilt Aging Project |
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I have always been interested in the Windlass 'Leuterit Viking Sword', based on the iconic Viking Sword in the British Museum (it's also in just about every book on the subject). For their price point I think they do a decent job of representing the original, which was supposed to be covered in silvery inlay with copper highlights.
E.g.: http://www.reliks.com/merchant.ihtml?pid=2170
However the look of the silver-covered furniture just doesn't work for me, on purely aesthetic grounds, and it has a tendency to flake off, especially around the peen. I figured that if I ever got one I would try a project on it.
I got one recently in a trade. It had already been touched up a bit, so I didn't feel inhibited to try a few things. First, I sanded / buffed off most of the silver covering the pommel and guard, exposing the bright pink copper (alloy?) material underneath. Then painted these parts with 'liver of sulfur' solution, which causes copper and silver to rapidly oxidize to a dark color. Then buffed a little bit with 0000 steel wool to bring out some highlights.
I also gave the handle an aged look in a few minutes with the flame from a barbecue starter.
Finally, the blade had a fairly good distal taper but then widened significantly at the end of the fuller to a diamond cross section. (I don't know why Windlass does this on most of its Viking swords - its wrong for this period and they don't always do this on other cutting swords). Anyway, I sanded the end down to a flat lenticular shape about parallel with the preceding thickness, so it comes to a nice thin cutting tip. Once it's in motion it handles well quite well for this type, by the way.
I wish I was a better photographer, it actually looks much better in real life, with subtle dark brown-copper tones. I've never tried anything like this -other than re-wrapping some grips- I must say I'm glad I gave it a shot!
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Josh MacNeil
Location: Massachusetts, USA Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Mon 27 Apr, 2009 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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Nice work J.D. I always wondered what that piece would look like with the silver plating buffed off. I'm actually shopping around for a combination xmas/birthday sword for a friend of mine with the intention of customizing it for him. This piece has just moved up a notch. Thanks for satisfying my curiosity about this piece, and again, nice job! 
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Paul Leslie
Location: Cleveland, Ohio Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon 11 Oct, 2010 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry to bump this thread, but I had a question related to this topic.
You mentioned that you sanded down the tip of the blade in order to get a lenticular shape. I recently acquired one of these fine swords and I am interested in doing a little work on it to make it more historically accurate.
I figured I would start with that ridge on the tip.
Anyway, do you happen to remember the grain count on the sand paper you used? Thank you for your time.
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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Hadrian Coffin
Industry Professional
Location: Oxford, England Joined: 03 Apr 2008
Posts: 404
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| Posted: Mon 11 Oct, 2010 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | at the end of the fuller to a diamond cross section. (I don't know why Windlass does this |
Hello,
I heard from an acquaintance that allegedly visited the shop in India that Windlass grinds all their blades originally with a diamond cross section. This was at least ten years ago so I do not know if this is what they do any more. Or since this is second hand information if it is completely reliable. Apparently they just churn them out with the diamond cross sections then if a fuller is required they lay it in over. If the cross section is unnecessary they grind it away. Last time I looked at their catalog (it's been a few years) every sword had a diamond cross section on some portion of the blade.
| Quote: | | Anyway, do you happen to remember the grain count on the sand paper you used? |
I am not Mr. Crawford, but I have worked on these swords before and done this. I would start out at 80 grit and work up to about 600-800, then use a metal polish (I would use a buffing wheel, but it's not necessary), then rub with grey scotch-brite and oil. With the 80 grit and up to about 150 grit I would sand (preferably with the sword clamped down) with the sand paper held against a wood block (I actually prefer a 3M rubber "Sanding Block" to the wood, the paper gets clamped down and the rubber allows a bit of "give").
Cheers,
Hadrian
Historia magistra vitae est
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Paul Leslie
Location: Cleveland, Ohio Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue 12 Oct, 2010 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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It looks like I will be giving my business to the Home Depot this week. Thank you for the advise Hadrian.
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J.D. Crawford
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| Posted: Thu 28 Oct, 2010 6:47 am Post subject: |
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Sorry I missed this question, but the advice given above is correct. This (blade re-finishing) seems like a good general topic and I've done a few more projects like this, so I'm gonna post another thread on blade refinishing with some pictures.
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This is a standard topic