A Viking arming sword is the Norse blade shape fitted with the single hand proportions that carried on into the medieval arming sword: broad double edged blade, wide shallow fuller, short crossguard and a pommel heavy enough to balance it. It sits exactly on the join between the two traditions, which is why the phrase turns up so often and why the pieces here borrow from both.
Hilts, fullers and marks
Overall lengths run 34 to 37 inches. The pommels cover the Norse vocabulary: a lobed pommel over a blue leather grip with a brass knotwork guard and a matching scabbard, a valknut disc pommel above a rune cut fuller, an engraved disc pommel over a russet grip, a steel wheel pommel with twisted brass wire and a brown grip, a blackened knotwork pommel over an oxblood grip with brass banding, a lobed steel pommel on a 34 inch piece, a brass ball pommel above a longship etched blade with a trefoil guard, and a brazil nut on the one Damascus sword in the group. Guards run to knotwork engraving, a brass knotwork guard, a scrolled crossguard with a valknut rain guard on a flame bladed piece, and a trefoil. Blade work covers a serpent etched fuller, a rune cut fuller and an etched knotwork panel. Steel is plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC apart from the Damascus at 58 to 60, and every one ships with a fitted leather scabbard. Prices run from 379 dollars to 549 dollars.
Choosing between the traditions
If the Norse end is what you want, the mark on the hilt matters as much as the shape, and our piece on the valknut covers the one that turns up most. For a shortlist by period and shape, our pick of Viking swords for collectors is the place to start. The single hand medieval range is in arming swords and the Norse blades are in Viking swords.
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.
