Damascus Viking Sword with Brass Guard, Lobed Pommel and Tooled Scabbard

This is the viking pattern in layered steel. The blade is hand forged Damascus over a high carbon core, 29 inches long, straight and double edged, and the guard and lobed Norse pommel are both polished brass. Overall it runs 35 inches, and the grip is wound in twisted brass wire over dark wood. It ships in a hand tooled leather scabbard with a brass throat and tip.

Specification

The blade

The steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the light and dark layers run the length of the blade. No two patterns repeat. The shape is the viking one, straight and double edged over 29 inches, wide at the guard and tapering to a rounded point. A broad shallow fuller runs down the center of each side, a groove ground into the flat that takes weight out of the middle without narrowing it. Both edges go to a mirror bright bevel. Carbon sits under the pattern, so the blade darkens and rusts if left wet.

The fittings

Guard and pommel are both polished brass, which gives this one its warm color against the etched steel. The crossguard is short and straight, and the pommel is the lobed Norse shape, capping a grip of 4 inches. The tang is the steel that carries on past the blade shoulders. It runs through the grip and out through the pommel, and the end is hammered over until it spreads. That is a peened tang. Nothing is glued or threaded, so the fittings stay clamped as one stack.

The handle

The grip is dark wood, wound along its length in twisted brass wire. Each pair of strands is twisted before it goes on and then pulled down hard against the turn before it, so the wire sits in even ridges from the guard to the pommel. Brass dulls to a softer gold over time. A dry cloth brings it back, and the wood underneath varies in grain from one grip to the next.

The scabbard

The scabbard is hand tooled leather, cut and stitched for this blade so it sits snug. A brass throat is fitted at the mouth, a brass tip closes the bottom, and two leather belt straps are set on the back. The face is carved with interlaced knotwork inside a beaded border, cut into damp leather with a swivel knife and then shaded by hand rather than printed on. Most listings stop at the words genuine leather. Ours has a tooled face, metal at both ends and hand stitching along the seam.

Who it suits

The brass fittings and the etched blade make this the loudest of the Norse pattern pieces we make, in looks rather than in size.

• Collectors who buy Damascus first and shape second
• Anyone who already owns the plain carbon steel version
• People who want brass rather than dark iron
• Buyers looking for one piece to display at home

What comes in the box

• The Damascus viking sword
• The tooled leather scabbard
• A care card

Every piece is different

Every blade is forged, ground and finished by hand, so runs stay small and no two come out the same. The layer pattern and the depth of the tooling will differ from the photographs. Yours is its own piece.

Looking after it

Wipe the blade dry after handling and never put it away wet. Damascus has carbon underneath, so the gray patina that builds is normal and it protects the surface. Keep a light coat of oil on before storage. Do not leave the sword inside the scabbard for months at a time, since leather holds moisture against steel, and let the leather dry slowly away from heat. More in our care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per piece and you add it here on the product page. Around 30 characters fits on a blade or a fitting, so a name or a short line works better than a paragraph. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. See the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What is Damascus steel? Steel forge welded from layers and then etched, so the light and dark bands show along the blade. Here they sit over a high carbon core.

What is a fuller? A broad shallow groove down the center of each side of the blade. It takes weight out of the middle without narrowing the blade.

What is a peened tang? The tang runs through the grip and out through the pommel, and its end is hammered over until it spreads and locks.

Will Damascus rust? It can, the core is carbon steel. Dry it after handling and keep a light film of oil on it.

Will my sword look like the photo? Not exactly, the layer pattern is different on every blade and the tooling varies too.

Is it legal to own? Sword and long blade laws vary by state, city and country, so check your local rules before you order.

For this shape in plain 5160 with dark iron, see the hand forged viking sword, and for a wheel pommel there is the medieval arming sword. More sits in Damascus swords, Damascus steel and hand forged swords.