Five Lobe Viking Sword

(About) A Cut Above The Rest

Our Five Lobe Viking Sword is a relic from a forgotten age: an instantly recognisable weapon that would have been brandished by the fiercest of Viking nobles. Famed Canadian blademakers Darksword Armory have returned to first principles and created a blade that rises head-and-shoulders above the enormous number of Viking swords that are already available on the market.

Simplicity Is Best

The blade of our Five Lobe Viking Sword is a stalwart of the Viking era: it is a Type 4 blade in Geibig’s typology, being markedly more tapered than many others swords of the period. This means it has a centre of balance closer to the hilt, imbuing it with razor-quickness. It is constructed from 5160 spring steel, a chromium alloy that Viking swordsmiths would have marvelled at: it is extremely resilient, able to ‘spring’ back to shape rather than bending or shattering. Darksword’s expert smiths use their proprietary dual-tempering method to give the blade 60 HRC hardness at the edge for ruggedness, with 48-50 HRC at the core for flex. This means the blade is more than able to engage in light combat with similar blades without damage.

The hilt is a classic of high-Viking design. The subtly-curved cross-guard is made from mild steel, and the grip is wrapped in black leather. The iconic ‘five lobe’ pommel gives the blade both balance and heft. This sword is constructed with a peened full-tang, meaning it is fully battle-ready and safe for use in re-enactment and simulated combat. It can be supplied either factory-sharp or rebated, it is shipped with a bespoke reinforced-leather scabbard, and is supplied either with or without a high-quality period-accurate sword-belt.

In all, it is a masterpiece of functional Viking design: a no-frills addition to your authentic Viking re-enactment, or the perfect compliment to your early-medieval fantasy outfit.

(Curiosity) Lobe Me Do

The Five Lobe Viking Sword takes its name from the pommel, the weighted anchor at the top of the grip which balances the blade and secures the hilt. The Vikings used an enormous variety of pommel types: simple domed designs developed from the Roman spatha and the swords made during the Migration Period slowly gave way to more complex designs. By the 9th-century CE, pommels had begun to include ‘lobes’ in their design – these are not specifically functional, and likely reflected changing tastes and fashions. They were often decorated, sometimes with beautiful inlay in latten or even gold, and were cunningly constructed in a two-part design which incorporated a secondary lower-guard. They usually had three, and later five ‘lobes’ incorporated into the pommel. No prizes for guessing how many lobes are on the pommel of our Five Lobe Viking Sword – this, along with the character of its Type 4 blade, marks it out as a weapon dating from the high-point of Viking raiding and trading, from around 800 to 950 CE.

The lobed pommel styles gradually disappeared in favour of the smooth ‘Brazil nut’ shape as the Viking sword was developed into Norman-type designs with broader cross-guards, which were the precursor to the medieval arming sword we all know and love.

Technical Specifications:

• Total length: 36 inches
  
• Blade length: 30 inches
  
• Blade material: 5160 carbon steel
  
• Blade hardness: 60 HRC at edge; 48-50 HRC at core
  
• Guard and pommel material: Mild steel
  
• Grip material: Leather
• Weight: 2 lbs. 3 oz.