Ranger Sword

Strider’s Sword: The Weapon of the Rangers

Before Aragorn took up his iconic kingly weapon, Anduril, he wielded his unnamed Ranger Sword. While in the books, Anduril was reforged near the beginning of the saga, the Peter Jackson adaptation has him carry the Ranger Sword right up until the final film.

While the Ranger sword is more of a warrior’s weapon than a king’s weapon, it’s no less deserving of attention. The ranger sword is a longsword, designed to be wielded with two hands, although Aragorn is occasionally seen using it as if it were a hand-and-a-half, or bastard, sword.

The blade is double edged and tapered down into a point, with a deep and narrow fuller that runs down the length of the sword. This blade is battle ready and can be very sharp, so excels in cutting tests.

The guard is slightly curved inwards and mainly unadorned. The grip is black textured leather, separated by a metal ring in the middle. This is finished off with an attractive and recognisable, but not over elaborate, pommel. Finally, the sword is kept safe in a black scabbard with a metal tip.

This sword is very versatile and suits many potential buyers. While it is a fantasy blade, the design wouldn’t look horribly out of place in a more ordinary medieval setting, as this is a warrior’s weapon and not an ornate sword.

This would also suit any sword wielding fantasy character well, as well as being a necessary part of any Aragorn-as-Strider or Ranger cosplay. For the collectors among us, this is a stunning, quality sword that would do well as a display piece.

We have a choice of three different versions of this blade. The first is hand forged using ordinary steel. The second utilises the Japanese folding method to layer the steel during the forging process, creating a rippled effect in the metal.

The third is a limited-edition sword which uses a blend of different steels for the blade, guard, and pommel, creating what is known as Damascus steel. While this may not be identical to the original Damascus steel, as that exact method has been lost, the resulting effect is certainly comparable and absolutely stunning and unique.

The Dunedain: Rulers or Rangers?

Interestingly, Aragorn was not the only wielder of the Ranger Sword, Lord of the Rings features a group of people known as the Dunedain Rangers, who were pivotal characters outside of Aragorn himself.

They were the descendants of the Numenoreans, who centuries ago ruled over an island kingdom which was incredibly powerful. Eventually, they decided to challenge the Valar, who were the rulers of Middle Earth. This resulted in the loss of their island kingdom and all but a remnant of the Numenoreans.

This remnant founded the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor and included Elendil and his heirs, all the way down to Aragorn. Because of their heritage, which included some elven blood, the Numenoreans had an extended lifespan.

Some of these Numenoreans instead chose to leave these two kingdoms and travelled to the north, where they fought against the forces of evil in an attempt to protect Middle Earth. These northerners became the Dunedain Rangers.

Unlike the lofty rulers of Gondor and Arnor, the Dunedain were comparatively humble and certainly rugged. Despite their noble goals and heroic efforts, they were considered untrustworthy by many of the people they protected.

The Ranger Sword is a great example of the kind of people the Dunedain were. It’s not a flashy or overly elaborate weapon, but there is definitely a nobility and elegance to it, as well as a sense of quality.

If you’re a LOTR fan you seriously need to check out the Aragorn Knife, Gandalf Sword, Anduril Sword, Legolas Sword, and Hadhafang!

Tech Specs

There are three different versions of the Ranger Sword for sale here at Medieval Ware.

All three have the following specifications:

•         Blade Material: 5160 high carbon steel
•         Blade Edge: Very sharp
•         Total Length: 46.5 inches or 118.1 cm
•         Grip Length: 6.75 inches or 17.1 cm
•         Blade Length: 36 inches or 91.4 cm
•         Blade Width: 2 inches or 5 cm
•         Weight: 4 lbs 11oz or 2.13 kg
•         Point of Balance: 2.5 inches or 6.4 cm

The other two versions are much the same in design and dimensions but differ in forging methods.

•         The Ranger Sword folded steel blade version has been made using the Japanese method of folding the steel to give the metal on the blade a rippled pattern.
•         The Ranger Sword elite version is a limited-edition version which has been forged using Damascus steel for the blade, guard, and pommel, using a blend of four different types of steel: The blend is of 1095, 5160, L-6 and O1 steel.