A brass hilt is a decision about weight and about looks. Brass is heavier than steel for the same volume, so a brass guard and pommel move the balance back toward the hand, which makes a sword feel quicker even when it is not. It also warms up in colour as it ages instead of dulling, and it does not rust when the blade next to it will. That combination is why brass fittings survived on cavalry sabres and dress swords long after everything else went to steel.
The hilts on this page
Most of these are arming swords at 36 to 37 inches overall with 30 and 31 inch blades: brass wheel pommels over oxblood grips, a Celtic knotwork guard with a wheel pommel and a tan scabbard, a knotwork guard with a blue leather grip and a lobed pommel, a quatrefoil guard with a serpent and a set cabochon pommel, a helm of awe engraved guard with an acorn pommel, and a trefoil guard above a longship etched blade. The curved blades bring their own brass: a scimitar with a cross guard and a hooked pommel, a talwar at 38 inches, and a sabre with leaf shaped quillons. The flame bladed pieces use brass ring and side ring hilts, one with a Celtic cross pommel. There is also a side sword with a swept brass toned hilt and an olive pommel, a lion head short sword with a brass guard and pommel, and a hunting hanger with an engraved shell guard. Steel is plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC or forge welded 1095 and 15N20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC. Prices run from 329 dollars to 669 dollars.
Choosing and cleaning
Brass wants a soft cloth and nothing abrasive, and it will darken if you leave it alone, which most collectors prefer to a bright polish. The blade is the part that needs oil. Our page on steel and hardness explains what the two house heat treatments mean in practice. To browse by shape, the single hand blades are in arming swords, the curved cavalry patterns are in sabres, and the wave bladed pieces are in flamberges.
Ransack Viking is a US company based in Chicago, Illinois. These pieces are handmade in the Czech Republic, then imported, inspected and shipped from Chicago. Engraving is done in the US after arrival: text 19 dollars, symbol 39 dollars, family crest 49 dollars.
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.
