Godfred Viking Sword with Damascus steel blade

Named for the feared 8th century Viking raider Godfred Haraldsson, this sword is built around a beautifully patterned folded steel blade to replicate the pre-9th century originals. The interwoven leather grip, complemented by a Damascus guard and pommel, is matched by the leather-covered wood scabbard with bronze detailing and integral belt hooks.

Superbly balanced, due to the deeply fullered distal tapered blade profile, the Godfred Sword is a true tribute to the legendary Norse smiths.

A perfect replica made by Paul Chen (Hanwei). The terms Damascus steel or damascene designate a compound steel forged out of two or more different types of steel. It is named after its birthplace, the Syrian city of Damascus, a former stronghold of the patterned steel production.

As a common practice, a harder high carbon steel and a milder low carbon steel are repeatedly forge welded and folded together. The high carbon steel ensures a higher hardness, a better temperability and longer lasting edge retention, whereas the milder steel confers greater blade flexibility and tensile strength. This procedure, which arose in a time where steel qualities were often low and inconsistent, enables to combine the positive attributes of the various steel grades.

Besides, the different shadings generated by the varying carbon content of the alternating layers engender strikingly beautiful patterns, such as the twisted motif called Torsion Damascus pattern or the Rose Damascus pattern. Undoubtedly, these unusual patterns partly explain why inherent magical properties were attributed to the Damascus steel blades of the Middle Ages. Such a damascene sword blade is for example depicted as a bloody worm or a poisonous snake in the Edda.

Specifications:

Total length: approx. 87 cm
Blade length: approx. 73 cm
Handle length: approx. 14.60 cm
Blade width: at guard: approx. 4.75 cm
Width at tip: approx. 3 cm
Weight: approx. 1,125 kg

Specifications differ slightly