Ballinderry Sword Reconstruction

[Cathal]

Hi folks,

let me introduce you my new toy. Since my first visit in the NMI i fell in love with the Ballinderry Sword. So, after deciding to reenact Viking Ireland, I tried to get a replic of this item.
Now here are the (completely hand made) results:

Wight: 1580 g
Total length: 89,5 cm
Blade length: 72,3 cm, 5,3 cm wide and 4 - 2 mm thick
Grip made of white horn, 11,5 cm wide
Pommel and guard only in engraved steel, not silver (there's a price limit somewhere... )
Center of Balance 8 cm below the guard
"+Ulfberht+" and "IIXXXII" signs made in leaf silver

I know this is all a bit smaller than the original - but this sword is made for me and my size. The owner of the original must have been taller than 184 cm...
For me it's the perfect weapon.

What do you guys think of this work:












Bye for now,
Stefan

[branmacmaelmordha]

AS YOU SAY! ALWAYS TRY TO BE ON THE RIGHT END OF THE SWORD....IM NO EXPERT BUT IT LOOK GREAT,SOME GOOD PICS

[RecycledViking]

Oh my GODS! That's absolutely f#(%ing GORGEOUS! I'm THRILLED at your work!! Congratulations on making such a beautiful handcrafted piece! Are you going to let yourself do combat with it? I wouldn't

[Cathal]

Holy cow!! That's NOT my work. My part of the game was to find a fine swordmithy.... to wait for awful long six months... and to pay!!

Well, the sword is absolutely combat ready. But my heart is bleeding by the idea to get some scratches in....

stay tuned,
Stefan

[RecycledViking]

OK! Whew! I was thinking...How much free time does this guy have? Still a gorgeous piece though!

[Andrea L Redden]

let me introduce you my new toy. Since my first visit in the NMI i fell in love with the Ballinderry Sword. So, after deciding to reenact Viking Ireland, I tried to get a replic of this item.
Now here are the (completely hand made) results:

Wight: 1580 g

What do you guys think of this work:

That looks like very good work, who did it? Would you be able to post a pic or drawing of the original? My copy of the BC report is at home so I can't compare them.
Was the original really that heavy? It looks very pointy, did you order it as a dress sword?

Andrea

[Seathrun]

oh I so want one like it. Did one of the Czechs do it? Jiri Krond'ak makes some nice ones. 420 602 323 209
I have a type e made by one of the Poles with a great carved bone grip.

[Cathal]

@ Andrea & Seth
It's indeed a Czech work. Good to have this guys within an one-and-a-half hour drive range
Pavel is just an one man company, what leads to a longer waiting time.
My research on the original sword came to the result of a wight of app. 1700 grams. Pretty heavy, eh? And yes, it's still heavy, but the large(r) pommel gives a perfect balance.
You're right, it's rather pointish. For the moment i'll use it for a dress 'n' brag item...

Here original and rec together

[Andrea L Redden]

My research on the original sword came to the result of a weight of app. 1700 grams. Pretty heavy, eh?

Must be up the high end of the scale. Wikipedia's entry on Viking Swords says they averaged 1.1Kg but doesn't give the upper & lower end. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_sword Heavier than I'd want to be swinging in a regular basis. (She says, admitting to weak girlie arms.)

Where's the POB?

Andrea

[oleg]

I've got some information from Swords of the Viking age By Ian G. Peirce, Ewart Oakeshott.
Overall length: 92.8
Blade length: 79
Length of cross: 11
Length of grip: 8.5
Balance point: 18.5
Everything is in cm.