A medieval sword covers roughly six hundred years and a great many shapes, so the word on its own tells you very little. In practice most people searching it want a knightly arming sword, the single hand cruciform blade with a wheel or disc pommel that everyone pictures, or its two hand descendant, the longsword.
What is on this tag
Arming swords, knightly swords, longswords, Carolingian and later Viking patterns, and a few Damascus pieces. Overall lengths run from about 24 inches on the shortest blades to 45 on a longsword, with blades from roughly 18 to 30 inches. Steel is plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC or Damascus of 1095 and 15N20, forge welded and acid etched, at 58 to 60 HRC. Fittings include arched and straight crossguards, faceted crown pommels, wheel pommels and engraved triskele and knotwork panels. Grips are leather wrapped or wood over a core.
Choosing between one hand and two
An arming sword is worn on a belt, used with a shield, and is a comfortable object to own and handle. A longsword at 45 inches needs two hands, a lot of space, and a wall bracket rather than a hook. If this is a first purchase, buy the shorter one. Almost everyone who starts with a longsword discovers that their living room is smaller than they thought. The first sword guide covers the traps and the display against battle ready explainer defines the terms that get used loosely across the market.
What to check on the piece
A peened pommel rather than a glued one, visible as a small dome of steel at the top. A guard seated tight against the blade shoulder. A fuller that runs true and stops before the tip. The single hand shapes are in the arming swords and the two hand blades in the longswords.
Scabbards and mounting
Several of these come with a scabbard, which changes how the piece hangs and is worth checking before you buy a bracket. On a wall, take the weight at two points rather than one and find a stud. Keep leather off the sunniest wall in the room, since sunlight fades a wrapped grip and dries a scabbard until it cracks.
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.
