Hand and a Half Swords, Bastard Swords

Lengths, guards and pommels

Overall lengths run from 34 to 47 inches, with blades between 26 and 35 inches, so there is a real spread from a compact arming sword up to a full medieval longsword you need room to handle. Blades are plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC or forge welded 1095 and 15N20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC, with fullered, diamond section and broad war sword profiles. The fittings are where the range shows off: quatrefoil and arched crossguards, ring terminal guards, scrolled and barbed guards, downswept second guards, hooked twin quillons, and pommels cast as crowns, fluted crowns, faceted crowns, lobes, scallops, shields, discs, an open ring, a wolf head and a raven. Grips are wrapped in black, brown, blue, pale grey and cream leather or cord. Etch work covers knotwork ricassos, a lattice fuller, a valknut, a longship and a vegvisir. Almost all ship with a fitted scabbard, one cross laced, one steel mounted. Prices run from 369 dollars to 689 dollars.

Choosing one

Grip length is the thing to check, because a sword sold as hand and a half with a short grip is just a heavy arming sword. Look for a grip that takes both hands without crowding the pommel. If this would be your first, our guide to buying a first sword covers weight, balance and what to ignore. The longer two hand blades are in longswords and the classic mixed grip form is in bastard swords. Buy the stand at the same time, from sword stands and displays, or it will end up leaning in a corner.

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.