Norse jewellery is small metal that carries a mark. A Mjolnir, a Valknut, a Vegvisir, a rune row cut around a band: the object is a hook for the symbol, and the symbol is the reason anyone wears it. That is why these pieces are heavier and plainer than fashion jewellery. A stave needs a flat face to sit on and enough thickness to hold a cut edge, so the metal has to be solid rather than stamped foil.
This collection runs from 89 to 189 dollars and covers pendants from 30 to 45mm, rings at 6 to 9mm wide, open arm rings, beard beads, a horn comb and a keyring. Chains are 20 to 24 inches in box or curb link, and several pieces come on black or brown leather cord instead. Most are polished or blackened steel and bronze tone alloy, described as exactly that rather than as precious metal. Two pieces are hand forged Damascus of 1095 and 15N20.
If you are buying a first piece, start with a pendant on a cord. If the piece is going into a beard rather than onto a chain, beard rings and braids covers sizing and how they are worn.
Free US shipping
On most pieces. Heavier and oversized ones carry a flat charge.
Hand Forged
Heated, hammered and ground by hand.
Engraving available
Names, dates or Norse runes on most pieces.
Ships from Memphis
Inspected and dispatched from our Tennessee warehouse. No import duty, no customs delay on US orders.
Damascus Steel Jewelry
Arrowward Handcrafted Damascus Steel Pendant | Viking Jewellery Gift for Men and Women | RK-645
$89.00Why Norse jewellery is built the way it is
Most jewellery is designed to catch light. Norse jewellery is designed to hold a shape. A Vegvisir has eight arms radiating from a centre, each ending in a different terminal, and every one of those lines has to stay readable at the size of a coin. Stamp that into thin sheet and it turns to mush after a year in a shirt collar. Cut it into solid metal three to five millimetres thick and it survives a decade of daily wear.
The same logic explains the rest. Bails are heavy and fixed rather than soldered loops, because a worn pendant puts all its weight on that one joint. Rings run 6 to 9mm wide because a rune row needs a band deep enough to carry it, with a rounded comfort profile inside because a wide flat band is unpleasant after an hour. Arm rings are open ended so they flex over the wrist and then sit tight, which is how the originals worked.
One thing we will not do is pretend about material. A silver tone finish is a silver tone finish and a bronze tone alloy is a bronze tone alloy. Nothing on this page is sterling, and nothing here is solid gold.
The pieces in this collection
Twenty one pieces are on this page. They divide by what they are, and then by the symbol cut into them.
Pendants
Eleven of the twenty one. Diameters run from about 30mm to about 45mm, thicknesses from 2.5mm to 5mm at the rim. The symbols are Mjolnir, the Valknut in its unicursal open form, the Helm of Awe with eight trident tipped arms, the Vegvisir in a recessed panel, a Bifrost bridge on a stippled field, and a ringed Celtic cross with four pierced openings. Finishes run to bright silver tone, warm bronze tone, brushed steel and one blackened field with the stave standing pale against it. Prices run from 89 to 159 dollars.
Rings
Five pieces. Bands are 6mm, 8mm and 9mm across the face, 2 to 2.6mm thick, all with a rounded comfort fit inside. One carries an Elder Futhark line cut into a brushed centre. One has stepped shoulders and two twisted rope cables running the full circumference. One is a four strand Celtic plait with runes hidden inside the band. One carries the rune row in relief with an applied Mjolnir motif. The last is a six piece bronze tone set of Valknut bands and twisted cuffs, adjusted by hand.
Arm rings and torcs
Two open cuffs. Both are heavy round bar worked into a deep rope twist, one finishing in raised spiral bosses with Elder Futhark cut along the band, the other in smooth rounded caps. The inner opening on the twisted piece is about 2.5 inches across and adjusts by gentle flexing. These are the heaviest things on the page.
Beard beads and a comb
A seven piece bronze tone set of three flat bands stamped with the Valknut and four twisted wire rings, and a single piece natural horn comb with hand cut teeth, a Vegvisir stave at one end and a punched dot row along the spine. The comb runs honey amber through to near black and no two are the same colour. It ships in a wooden box.
Pieces in hand forged Damascus
Two. An arrowhead pendant in 1095 and 15N20 Damascus at 58 to 59 HRC, 35mm wide by 59mm tall by 5mm thick and 26g including the ring, at 89 dollars. And a keyring carrying two Damascus charms, a bearded axe about two and a half inches overall and a hammer about two and a quarter, both on shaped pale ash handles, at 109 dollars.
Sizes, materials and fittings across the range
Every figure below comes from the specification panel of a piece on this page. These are made and finished by hand, so read the numbers as what to expect rather than a guarantee to the millimetre.
| Piece | Symbol or form | Size | Material and finish | Chain or cord | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pendant | Arrowhead | 35 by 59 by 5mm, 26g | Damascus, 1095 and 15N20, 58 to 59 HRC | Fitted ring | 89 dollars |
| Pendant | Helm of Awe | 30mm across, 2.5mm thick | Bright silver tone | 24 in box chain | 119 dollars |
| Pendant | Vegvisir | 1.5 in across | Polished silver finish | 24 in curb chain | 129 dollars |
| Pendant | Vegvisir | 38mm including bezel, 4mm thick | Silver tone alloy, hand polished | 20 in leather cord | 129 dollars |
| Pendant | Valknut | 1.5 in across the widest point | Polished steel, silver tone | Black leather cord | 129 dollars |
| Pendant | Celtic cross | Ringed with four pierced openings | Brushed steel tone sheet metal | Black leather cord | 139 dollars |
| Pendant | Valknut | 35mm including rim, 5mm at the rim | Cast alloy, warm bronze tone | 22 in box chain | 149 dollars |
| Pendant | Bifrost | 1.4 in across, 3mm at the rim | Solid metal, bright silver tone | 22 in heavy curb chain | 149 dollars |
| Pendant | Helm of Awe on a shield face | 1.75 in tall | Steel, blackened field, polished bezel | Brown leather cord | 159 dollars |
| Pendant | Mjolnir | 2 in tall including the bail | Polished stainless steel | Heavy curb chain | 159 dollars |
| Pendant | Mjolnir with Vegvisir crown | 2 in tall, 1.8 in across the head | Polished stainless, silver finish | 24 in box chain | 159 dollars |
| Ring | Elder Futhark band | 6mm wide, 2.2mm thick | Silver tone, brushed and polished | Not applicable | 109 dollars |
| Ring | Rune band with rope borders | 9mm wide, 2.6mm thick | Silver tone, brushed and polished | Not applicable | 129 dollars |
| Ring | Celtic four strand plait | 8mm wide, 2mm deep | Solid metal, silver tone, hand polished | Not applicable | 139 dollars |
| Ring | Raised runes with Mjolnir motif | 8mm wide | Polished steel, silver tone | Not applicable | 149 dollars |
| Ring set, six pieces | Valknut bands and twisted cuffs | Adjustable by hand | Alloy, warm bronze tone | Not applicable | 169 dollars |
| Beard bead set, seven pieces | Valknut bands and wire rings | Adjustable by hand | Alloy, warm bronze tone | Not applicable | 139 dollars |
| Beard comb | Vegvisir and dotted spine | Single piece, hand cut teeth | Natural horn, honey amber to near black | Wooden box | 109 dollars |
| Keyring | Bearded axe and hammer charms | 2.5 in and 2.25 in overall | Damascus heads, pale ash handles | Split ring | 109 dollars |
| Arm ring | Rope coil, rounded terminals | Open cuff, adjustable | Cast and formed metal, polished silver | Not applicable | 159 dollars |
| Arm ring | Twisted band, spiral terminals | Inner opening about 2.5 in | Silver finish alloy, bright polish | Not applicable | 189 dollars |
One figure to read carefully. Pendant diameter is measured across the metal rather than including the bail, so a 35mm pendant hangs closer to 45mm from the chain once the bail is counted.
Sizing and fit
Chain length decides where a pendant sits. Twenty inches puts it at the base of the throat. A 22 inch chain drops it just below. A 24 inch chain puts a heavy pendant on the breastbone, which is where the larger Mjolnir pieces are meant to hang and where they stop catching a shirt button all day.
Ring width changes the size you need. A 6mm band and a 9mm band cut to the same nominal size will not feel the same, because the wider band contacts more of your finger and reads tighter. If you are between sizes on an 8 or 9mm ring, go up.
Arm rings are open cuffs and are meant to be adjusted. Flex them gently with both hands, a little at a time, until they hold without pinching. Do not work them back and forth, because metal flexed often enough cracks at the bend.
Beard beads are sized by the braid rather than the face. Thread the braid through, slide the bead up, and let the braid swell below it.
Metals, finishes and what they do over time
Stainless steel is the most durable material here. It does not tarnish, it does not need polishing, and a knock leaves a scratch rather than a dent. The two Mjolnir pendants are stainless and will look the same in ten years as they do out of the box.
Polished and brushed steel pieces are solid metal with the finish worked into the surface. They pick up fine marks over time, which on a brushed finish disappear into the grain and on a bright polish show as a soft haze. A jeweller's cloth brings a polish back in a minute.
Bronze tone alloy is a finish rather than a raw metal surface, and it is the one to look after. Keep it away from perfume, chlorine and salt water, and wipe it dry if it gets wet. Left in a damp bathroom it goes patchy at the high points first.
Blackened fields are an applied darkening in the recessed parts of a design, which is what makes a pale stave stand out. Polish rubbed hard into one will lift it and flatten the contrast, so clean those pieces with a dry cloth only.
Horn is a natural material and behaves like one. It shrinks in dry heat, so keep the comb out of a hot car and off a radiator, and give it an occasional wipe of light oil if it starts to look chalky.
Damascus at this size
The two Damascus pieces come from the same billet specification as the blades in the rest of the catalogue: 1095 and 15N20, forge welded in alternating layers and acid etched so the pattern reads as light and dark bands. On a 10 inch blade you see long sweeping figure. On a 35mm pendant you see a tight section of the same billet, which is denser and often better to look at.
What changes is the care. Neither steel is stainless, and a pendant lives against skin, which is warm and salty. Wipe it dry at the end of the day and keep a very light film of oil on it. Grey patina is stable. Orange spotting is early rust and lifts with a fine abrasive and oil before it pits. If you want a piece that needs nothing at all, buy the stainless one instead and we will not be offended. Our page on what Damascus steel actually is and the Damascus care page cover the detail.
Symbols and what they mean
Mjolnir is the hammer of Thor, and pendant hammers are among the most common Norse metal finds. The Valknut is three interlocked triangles associated with Odin, appearing on picture stones and in ship burials. The Helm of Awe and the Vegvisir are Icelandic staves recorded in early modern grimoires rather than in the Viking age itself, so claims about their ancient use are worth treating carefully. Elder Futhark is the oldest runic alphabet, twenty four characters.
If you want the longer version before you choose, read what Mjolnir means, the Valknut explained, the Vegvisir and our guide to Norse symbols.
Care and storage
Take jewellery off before swimming, showering and sleeping. Chlorine and salt attack finishes, and a chain that catches on bedding is a chain that breaks at three in the morning. Store pieces separately rather than loose in a bowl, because a steel ring will scratch a bronze tone pendant given the chance.
Clean with a dry soft cloth first. If that is not enough, warm water and a drop of mild soap on a soft brush, then dry thoroughly, paying attention to the recesses where a stave is cut. Do not put any of these in an ultrasonic cleaner. Leather cords stiffen and darken with wear, which most people prefer, and are cheaper to replace than to fight.
Engraving and gifting
Several pieces can be engraved after they arrive in the United States. Ring interiors, pendant backs and the flat of an arm ring all take a cut. Text engraving is 19 dollars, a symbol is 39 dollars and a family crest is 49 dollars.
Elder Futhark is a phonetic alphabet rather than a code, so a name is transliterated by sound rather than letter by letter, and there is no rune for the letter C. The Elder Futhark guide explains it, and the engraving page covers the process.
Engraving is permanent and an engraved piece cannot be returned, so send the exact spelling and read it twice. A rune band with a date cut inside it is a better gift than another glass tankard.
Where these come from and how they ship
Ransack Viking is a US company based in Memphis, Tennessee. The pieces are handmade in the Czech Republic, then imported, inspected and shipped from Memphis. Engraving is done in the US after arrival.
Because these are made and finished by hand, small differences in polish, in the depth of a cut stave and in the colour of a piece of horn are normal. Timelines are on the shipping information page and returns on the returns and warranty policy.
How to choose
Start with the symbol, because that is what the wearer will be asked about. Then pick the material for how much attention the person is willing to give it. Stainless for someone who will never take it off and never clean it, polished steel for someone who likes a piece to age, bronze tone for the warmer colour on a piece worn for occasions. Then check the length, and then check whether they wear metal at all, because a horn comb in a wooden box solves the same gift problem for someone who does not.
Browse related categories
- Norse pendants and stave necklaces
- Mjolnir pendants, the hammer of Thor
- Viking rings and bracelets
- Arm rings and torcs
- Beard rings, beads and combs
- Thor's hammers in larger sizes
- Wedding and groomsmen gifts
- Everything that can be engraved
Guides worth reading first
- Viking symbols and what they actually mean
- The Elder Futhark, rune by rune
- Mjolnir, the hammer and the pendant
- The Valknut and where it appears
- Viking wedding and handfasting gifts
- Viking beard rings and braids, how they are worn
Frequently asked questions
Is this jewellery solid silver or gold?
No. Every piece is described by what it is: stainless steel, polished or brushed steel, or a metal alloy in a silver tone or bronze tone finish. Nothing here is sterling silver and nothing is solid gold. Two pieces are hand forged Damascus steel. We would rather say so plainly than let a photograph do the lying.
Will these pieces tarnish?
The stainless pieces will not. Polished steel holds up well and picks up a soft haze over years that a jeweller's cloth removes. Bronze tone finishes are the ones to look after, so keep them away from perfume, chlorine and salt water, and dry them if they get wet.
What chain length should I buy?
Twenty inches sits at the base of the throat, 22 inches just below, and 24 inches puts a heavy pendant on the breastbone. For a large Mjolnir, 24 inches is right. If you are buying for someone else and cannot measure, 22 inches is the safe choice.
How do I size a Viking rune ring?
Measure with a ring the person already wears, on the same finger, and remember that a wide band reads tighter than a narrow one at the same nominal size. The bands here run 6 to 9mm. If you are between sizes on an 8 or 9mm band, go up.
How do arm rings fit?
They are open cuffs, sized by flexing. Open or close the gap gently with both hands until the piece holds at the wrist or forearm without pinching. Adjust in small steps and stop once it sits right, because metal flexed back and forth repeatedly will eventually crack at the bend.
Can these be engraved?
Several can. Ring interiors, pendant backs and the flat of an arm ring all take a cut. Text is 19 dollars, a symbol is 39 dollars and a family crest is 49 dollars, done in the United States after the piece arrives. Engraved pieces cannot be returned, so check the spelling twice.
Do the Damascus pieces rust?
They can. The Damascus here is 1095 and 15N20, and neither steel is stainless. Wipe the piece dry at the end of the day and keep a very light film of oil on it. Grey patina is stable. Orange spotting is early rust and lifts with a fine abrasive and oil.
Where is this jewellery made?
It is handmade in the Czech Republic, then imported, inspected and shipped by Ransack Viking from Memphis, Tennessee. Engraving is done in the US after arrival.
Featured pieces
Arrowward Handcrafted Damascus Steel Pendant$89.00
Skybridge Hand Made Silver Tone Bifrost Pendant with a Rope Twist Border & Heavy Curb Chain$149.00
Wardstave Hand Made Helm of Awe Pendant with an Engraved Aegishjalmur Stave & Box Chain$119.00
Ropewind Hand Made Norse Rune Ring with Twisted Rope Borders & Elder Futhark Centre Band$129.00