A disc pommel is a flat round counterweight at the end of the grip, the simplest and most common answer medieval smiths found to the balance problem. Put mass behind the hand and the blade stops feeling nose heavy. The disc also gives an engraver a clean circular field to work in, which is why so many of them carry cut work.
The swords on this page
Most are arming swords at 31 to 37 inches overall with fullered double edged blades. The pommels differ more than the blades do: a valknut disc above a rune cut fuller, an engraved disc on a Viking arming sword with a russet grip, a triquetra engraved disc on a short sword with a cream cord grip, an octagonal engraved pommel set with a red stone, a disc set with red stones above an etched knotwork band, and a plain steel disc on a sword with an etched fuller panel. There is a Celtic arming sword at 31 inches with a cord wrapped grip, a vegvisir sword at 34 inches with a 26 inch blade, a Damascus arming sword at 37 inches, a polished piece with a quatrefoil blackened guard, triple fullers and a green grip, and a flame bladed sword at 35 inches with a disc pommel and a timber scabbard. At the top end sit a bastard sword at 41 inches, a runic inscribed longsword, and a Camelot king sword replica at 44 inches with a 35 inch blade. 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 319 dollars to 675 dollars.
Legends and hardness
One of these is a replica of the sword everyone means when they say Excalibur, and the real story behind the legend is messier and more interesting than the film version: our page on Excalibur and its replicas covers it. If you are comparing steels rather than stories, our page on steel and hardness explains what 54 to 58 and 58 to 60 HRC mean in the hand. The full single hand range is in arming swords, and the heavier blades are in broadswords.
Ransack Viking is a US company based in Memphis, Tennessee. These pieces are handmade in the Czech Republic, then imported, inspected and shipped from Memphis. 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.
