The Sword Saga: Part 4 (final)

Chapter 4: The Sheath
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With the sword complete, the next task was to make a sheath in which to house it. Largely organic, clues for the construction of such sheaths come from finds of metallic decoration that once adorned them.

As with the sword, much of the decorative elements were obtained from our masterful jeweller friend George Easton at danegeld.co.uk, with other pieces purchased from Jelling Dragon and Raymond's quiet press.

The Sword Saga: Part 3

Chapter 3: Assembling the Hilt
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"In pure gold inlay on the sword-guards / there were rune-markings correctly incised"      (Beowulf, Lines 1694-1695).

  The blade was ready, and so too were the Staffordshire Hoard pommel cap and collars beautifully crafted by George. Next came the challenge of putting the whole thing together.

The Sword Saga: Part 2

Chapter 2: Treasures of the Hoard
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The discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard, the only hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found, became public knowledge around the time I was planning the assembly of my new sword, Notung.

Containing hundreds of items including sword pommel-caps, seax fittings, and decorative components of sword-sheaths, most of gold and garnet, the Hoard was unearthed between Cannock and Lichfield, not far from my place of work. The beautiful items of the hoard must surely have adorned some magnificent weapons in their day, and I was sure that Paul's splendid blade deserved nothing less.

The Sword Saga; Part 1

Chapter 1:       Notung; A Blade fit for a Hero

‘Notung! Notung! Neidliches Schwert !
Jetzt haftest du wieder im Heft ....’
         Richard Wagner, Siegfried (Act I, scene iii)

Some years ago, I decided I would like to acquire a good pattern-welded sword. My existing sword, which I had made myself, (with a little help from my friend Simon Stanley, the Archer) while adequate, was, I thought, inelegant. I thus began a project to comission and complete a high status early Anglo-Saxon sword.