Grimwake Hand Forged High Carbon Steel Falchion Sword | 30 Inch Overall with 24 Inch Blade | Dark Hardwood Grip and Brass Cross Guard and Pommel | Collector and Display Gift | RK-1290

The falchion is the medieval answer to a simple question. If most of the work a sword does is cutting, why carry the weight in the wrong place? A falchion moves mass forward, widens the blade toward the point and keeps a single edge, so the balance sits out where the cut lands. Manuscript illustrations from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries show these broad single edged swords in the hands of infantry, huntsmen and men at arms across France, England and the German lands, and the Conyers falchion in Durham Cathedral is the best known survivor. What surprises people who handle one for the first time is how quick it is. The blade looks heavy in a photograph, but the widest part is thin, and the sword recovers from a cut faster than its profile suggests.

This falchion is forged and finished by hand in Memphis, Tennessee. The blade is 1095 high carbon steel, hardened and tempered to 54 to 58 HRC, then polished bright and given a working edge. The hilt is a brass cross guard with rounded quillon terminals and a matching brass pommel, with a dark hardwood grip between them. It ships in a black leather scabbard with a brass throat and chape, ready to hang or stand on a rack, and shipping inside the United States is free.

Specifications

Why a falchion is shaped like a cleaver

Look at the profile from the side. The back of the blade runs almost straight from the guard, the edge curves gently away from it, and the last third widens before sweeping up to a clipped point. That widening is the whole idea. Percussion mass gathers where the blade is broadest, so the sword arrives at the target with more behind it than a straight double edged blade of the same weight. Because only one side is sharpened, the other side can stay thick, which is why a falchion takes hard contact without folding.

The clipped point matters too. A pure cleaver would be useless at anything except chopping. Bringing the back down to meet the edge gives the falchion a usable tip for a thrust, and it keeps the very end of the blade from being so wide that it drags in the air. The cross guard is short and straight because a falchion is used with the hand close to the work. There is no complicated basket to catch on a shield rim or a cloak.

Why high carbon steel and not stainless

Only two steels are used at this forge. Plain pieces like this one are 1095 high carbon steel. Damascus pieces are 1095 and 15N20 forge welded together. Nothing else comes through the shop.

1095 is a simple, almost pure carbon steel, and simplicity is the point. It moves predictably under the hammer, it takes a clean quench, and at 54 to 58 HRC it holds a keen edge while staying tough enough to absorb a bad cut without chipping. Stainless steels earn their name by carrying a large amount of chromium, and that chromium forms hard carbides that get in the way of a fine edge and make the steel more brittle at sword lengths. A stainless blade of this size is usually a wall hanger. The trade you make with 1095 is rust. It will spot if you leave it damp or handle it and put it away. A wipe with oil after handling is all it asks. If you want to read more about how carbon steels compare, see our note on Damascus versus stainless.

The hardwood grip and brass furniture

The grip is a single piece of dark hardwood, shaped to a slight oval so the edge alignment tells you which way the sword is pointing without looking. It is fitted between a brass cross guard and a brass pommel, and the tang is peened over the pommel so the assembly is tight. Brass is the traditional choice on a falchion because it is soft enough to work cold, it does not rust, and it warms up to a deep colour with handling.

Wood needs a little care. Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, and give it a thin coat of oil once or twice a year to stop the grain drying and shrinking away from the guard. Our guide to wooden handle care covers what to use and how often.

Engraving, runes and your own design

Use the rune converter on this page to turn a name, a date or a short phrase into Elder Futhark and we will cut it into the steel or the handle. If you would rather have a Viking pattern than a rune line, choose your own design in the engraving option above the add to cart button and tell us whether it goes on the blade or the handle. Where a piece already carries an engraved design, your chosen engraving replaces it rather than sitting alongside it. Full details of what we can cut and how long it adds to the build are on the engraving page.

Care and sharpening

Wipe the blade down after handling, because fingerprints are slightly acidic and will etch a bright polish given a week or two. A light mineral oil or a purpose made blade oil is enough. Store the sword out of the scabbard if you are putting it away for a season, since leather holds moisture against steel. Our steel care page goes through storage and rust removal in more detail.

The edge arrives sharp and cutting ready. When it dulls, a falchion is easy to sharpen because the bevel is on one side only and the curve is gentle. Work along the edge with a medium then a fine stone, keeping the angle you already have rather than trying to impose a new one, and finish with a few light passes on the back to remove the burr. See sharpening with a whetstone for the method.

Forged in Memphis

This sword is made in our shop in Memphis, Tennessee. The blade is forged from bar stock, ground, heat treated and polished here, the hilt is fitted here, and the scabbard is cut and stitched here. Nothing is drop shipped from an importer catalogue and nothing is bought in finished and re badged. If a piece is in stock it usually leaves within two to three business days. If it needs to be made, or if you have ordered engraving, allow two to three weeks and we will give you a date rather than a guess.

A note on handmade variation

This falchion is hand forged. It is not machine made and it is not bulk produced, so what arrives will not be a pixel for pixel copy of the photograph. Grain in the wood, tone in the brass, the exact sweep of the edge and the way the polish catches light all vary, because every one is worked by hand from natural materials. The dimensions, the steel and the build are the same every time. The character is not, and that is the part you cannot order twice.

Frequently asked questions

Is the falchion sharp when it arrives?

Yes. It ships with a working edge that will cut paper and light targets straight out of the box. If you want it blunted for stage or display use, say so in the order notes and we will grind it back before it leaves.

Can I actually cut with it, or is this a display piece?

It is a functional sword. The blade is full tang, heat treated through and peened, so it will handle tatami mats, water bottles and light green wood. It is not made for steel on steel sparring, which needs a blunt trainer with rolled edges.

Can I have runes engraved on the blade?

Yes. Use the rune converter above to turn a name or phrase into Elder Futhark, or choose your own Viking pattern in the engraving option. Tell us whether you want it on the blade or the grip.

Will mine look exactly like the photographs?

The shape, size and steel will match. The wood grain, the brass tone and the polish will be slightly different, because each one is forged and finished by hand.

What is the difference between a falchion and a messer?

Both are single edged. A falchion widens toward the point and is built around a sword style hilt with a cross guard and pommel. A messer is usually narrower and more parallel sided, and it is built like an oversized knife with slab scales pinned through the tang.

How long does shipping take?

Shipping inside the United States is free. In stock swords normally arrive within five to seven business days of dispatch. Custom engraving adds two to three weeks to the build before the parcel ships.

What is in the box

• One hand forged 1095 high carbon steel falchion, 30 inches overall
• One black leather scabbard with brass throat and chape
• Care card with oiling and storage instructions
• Your Elder Futhark rune line or chosen pattern, if engraving was ordered
• Forged and finished in Memphis, Tennessee

Explore the range

See the rest of the falchions, the one handed and two handed messers, the full sword range and the Damascus swords, or read the guides for help choosing between them.