Swords

How this collection is arranged

Sword names are a mess, because most were invented by collectors and curators centuries after the blades were made. Nobody in 1350 asked for an arming sword. They asked for a sword. The labels still describe real differences in length, edge geometry and how many hands go on the grip, but they are a filing system rather than a historical fact.

The categories below the grid split on those differences. Straight double edged European blades sit together, single edged cutting blades sit together, and thrusting, Japanese and Chinese blades each have their own group. Two categories cut across the rest: Damascus swords is sorted by steel, and fantasy and movie swords by where the design came from. A blade can appear in more than one, so a pattern welded Viking sword shows up in both Viking swords and Damascus swords.

Straight, double edged and European

The core of any medieval sword collection. All double edged with a cross guard and pommel, differing mainly in length and in how many hands the grip takes.

Arming swords

The single hand sword of the high middle ages, and one of the largest groups here. Sizes cluster around 36 inches overall with a 29 to 30 inch double edged blade, usually with a wide fuller, and a 4 to 4.5 inch grip in leather or cord over a shaped wooden core. Bare weight runs near 2 lb 10 oz. The most useful starting point in the collection.

Longswords

Two hand blades running 43 to 46 inches overall with 33 to 35 inch blades and 8 to 9 inch grips. Steel is 1095, drawn softer to 52 to 54 HRC on one long spring blade, or Damascus at 58 to 60. Grips are cord wrapped under leather over a ribbed core, with straight steel crosses and disc or wheel pommels. Expect around 3 lb 4 oz.

Bastard swords

The hand and a half type, between an arming sword and a full longsword. These run 37 to 43 inches overall with 30 to 33 inch blades and 7 to 9 inch grips, in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus at 58 to 60, weighing 2 lb 14 oz to 3 lb 6 oz. Pick one for two hand reach without a wall sized blade.

Zweihanders

The largest swords on the site, 48 to 50 inches overall with 36 to 39 inch blades and 9 to 10 inch grips in bound leather over a timber core, in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC. Display pieces first. Measure your wall before ordering and buy a bracket at the same time.

Claymores

The Scottish two hander, defined by forward sloping quillons ending in quatrefoils rather than by length. A small category, so check it early rather than assuming stock.

Single edged and curved

Cutting blades. One edge, mass towards the point, and a bias to drawing cuts rather than thrusts.

Falchions

Short, broad and heavy at the tip. These run 29 to 31 inches overall with 23 to 25 inch blades and 6 inch hardwood or rosewood grips, in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus at 58 to 60, with brass or steel fittings, at 2 lb 4 oz to 2 lb 8 oz. A falchion feels like a heavy tool rather than a longsword, which is the point of it.

Messers

The German big knife, built with slab scales riveted to a full tang rather than a tang peened through a pommel. One hand versions run 32 inches overall with 25 inch blades. The two hand kriegsmesser reaches 44 inches with a 33 inch blade at about 3 lb 12 oz.

Sabres

Curved single edged cavalry blades, 33 to 36 inches overall with 27 to 29 inch blades, in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus at 58 to 60. Grips are ribbed leather over a shaped core with steel or brass fittings, one bound in brass wire, one in horn slab scales. About 2 lb 2 oz keeps them quick.

Cutlasses

The short naval blade, 30 to 31 inches overall with 24 to 25 inch blades in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus at 58 to 60. Grips are walnut slab scales riveted through the tang, or ribbed leather with a brass or steel ferrule and a peened pommel.

Scimitars

A group name covering talwar, shamshir and kilij rather than one design. These run 34 to 37 inches overall with 28 to 31 inch curved edges in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC, with rosewood grips, brass cross guards, drooping quillons and hooked pommels. The deep curve makes them the strongest drawing cutters here.

Norse and Roman blades

Shorter, broader and older than the medieval types above, and the group most of our customers arrive for.

Viking swords

Broad double edged blades with short grips and thick pommels, 30 to 37 inches overall with 23 to 30 inch blades, in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus at 58 to 60, which is the closer match to the pattern welded Norse originals. Grips are leather over a wooden core, sometimes bound with brass rings or coiled wire.

Short swords

Anything under about 31 inches overall, with 19 to 25 inch blades and 4 inch grips of leather or cord over a shaped hardwood core. Weights start near 1 lb 15 oz, which makes these the easiest swords here to handle and the sensible choice for indoor display.

Gladius

The Roman short sword, consistent at 26 to 27 inches overall with 19 to 20 inch leaf shaped blades running to a long triangular point. Several are Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC with brass fittings and turned hardwood grips cut with finger ribs, at about 2 lb 2 oz.

Thrusting and wave bladed

Two small groups outside the cut and thrust middle ground.

Rapiers

The longest thin blades here, 44 to 47 inches overall with 36.5 to 39.5 inch blades in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus at 58 to 60. Grips are twisted wire or bound leather over a wooden core with spherical, oval or faceted pommels. A rapier reads very differently on a wall from a medieval sword, since almost all its visual weight sits in the swept hilt.

Flamberges

Wave bladed swords in an arming length at 36 inches overall with a 29 inch edge, and a two hand version at 43 inches with a 33 inch blade. Both are 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC with leather over a wood core. The undulating edge is awkward to sharpen, so treat these as wall pieces.

Japanese and Chinese swords

Forged the same way as everything else here, in the same two steels, in eastern shapes.

Katana and Japanese swords

Curved single edged blades of about 40 inches overall in the saya with a 27 inch blade, in Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC or 1095 at 54 to 58. The tsuka runs about 11 inches, cord wrapped over pale rayskin, with a steel butt cap. Bare weight sits near 2 lb 10 oz, or 3 lb 4 oz sheathed.

Wakizashi

The shorter companion blade, about 28 inches overall with a 20 inch blade and an 8 inch cord wrapped grip over a hardwood core, in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC. Some sell as matched pairs with a katana. A wakizashi is far easier to display in a normal room than a full katana.

Jian and dao Chinese swords

Straight double edged jian and curved single edged dao, 34 to 36 inches overall with 26 to 27 inch blades and long 7.5 to 8.5 inch grips, in 1095 at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus at 58 to 60, at about 2 lb to 2 lb 6 oz. The long grip is the giveaway, since Chinese sword work uses far more two hand support than European single hand technique.

Damascus swords and fantasy swords

Two categories sorted by something other than shape.

Damascus swords

Every blade forge welded from 1095 and 15N20, hardened to 58 to 60 HRC and acid etched so the layers show as light and dark bands. The largest single category here, spanning katana, arming swords and gladius alike. Buy from here if the pattern is the point, from a shape category if the shape is.

Fantasy and movie swords

Designs from screen and print, forged in real steel rather than cast. Sizes vary widely, from 30 inches overall with a 21 inch blade up to a 42 inch two hander with a 33 inch differentially tempered blade, 54 to 56 HRC at the edge with a softer spine, at about 3 lb 1 oz.

Lengths and weights across the collection

Every figure below comes from the specification panel of a product in that category. Blades are forged and ground by hand, so treat these as ranges.

Bare weights run from about 1 lb 15 oz on a short sword to 3 lb 12 oz on a two hand messer. Length is the figure people check and weight is the one they should. A 36 inch arming sword at 2 lb 10 oz feels light and lively. A 44 inch blade at 3 lb 12 oz does not, and it needs a proper bracket rather than a pair of hooks.

Steel, hardness, and what battle ready means

Two steels run through the whole site. Plain 1095 high carbon is hardened to 54 to 58 HRC on most swords here, and a few long blades are drawn softer to 52 to 54 HRC, because a long blade needs to flex and return rather than sit rigid and snap. Damascus is 1095 and 15N20 forge welded and acid etched at 58 to 60 HRC, giving better edge retention and the visible pattern. A small number of older listings state a different grade in their own spec table, and where they do, that table is the correct answer for that piece.

Battle ready is a marketing phrase with no standard behind it. What it usually means is a blade of properly heat treated carbon steel, full tang, with the tang peened or bolted rather than welded, so the sword will not come apart when swung. Every hand forged sword here meets that description. What it does not mean is that a sword has been tested for contact against another blade or against armour. Ransack Viking does not certify any piece for sparring or contact use, and steel on steel contact chips edges and bends blades regardless of maker.

For a wall, buy on shape and pattern. For cutting practice on soft targets, buy plain 1095 in a shorter length so it stays manageable and easy to resharpen. For reenactment, check your group's rules on edge thickness and tip geometry first, since most require blunted and rolled edges that these blades do not come with.

Care is the same for both steels, since Damascus here is mostly 1095. Wipe the blade dry, keep a light film of oil on it, and never store a carbon steel blade in a damp scabbard for months. Store swords horizontally or point down on a stand, not point up in a corner, and keep them off outside walls where condensation forms. Grey patina is harmless. Orange spotting comes off with fine abrasive and oil.

Browse every sword category

• Arming swords, the single hand medieval standard
• Longswords for two hands with 33 to 35 inch blades
• Bastard swords in the hand and a half length
• Zweihanders, the largest two hand blades here
• Claymores with forward sloping Scottish quillons
• Viking swords with broad blades and short grips
• Short swords under 31 inches overall
• Gladius, the Roman leaf bladed short sword
• Falchions, short broad cleaving blades
• Messers with riveted slab scale grips
• Sabres, curved single edged cavalry blades
• Cutlasses, the short naval cutting sword
• Scimitars, talwar, shamshir and kilij shapes
• Rapiers with swept hilts and long thin blades
• Flamberge swords with wave shaped edges
• Katana and Japanese swords
• Wakizashi, the short companion blade
• Jian and dao Chinese swords
• Damascus swords in forge welded 1095 and 15N20
• Fantasy and movie swords forged in real steel
• Norse arms, including axes, spears and polearms
• Viking axes from hatchets to Dane axes
• Viking armour, mail and helmets
• Sword stands and wall displays
• Scabbards and sheaths

Guides worth reading first

• How to buy your first sword without wasting money
• Display sword vs battle ready: what the words mean
• Best Viking swords for collectors: what to look for
• Ulfberht swords: the mystery of the best Viking blades
• What is a katana? Construction, curve and the parts named
• Famous Vikings, the people behind the sagas
• Valhalla, what the sources actually say