Viking sword program on NOVA

[Richard Furrer]

Hello All,
There is a one hour program on Viking swords airing in the US on 10 October.
Information and short video clip is viewable here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/secrets-viking-sword.html

I am afraid it only plays in the US...sorry for those who can not view.

I was was asked to make the modern copy of the old sword using what I assume were period techniques.

Ric

[Richard Furrer]

Hello All,
The show's premier is tonight and will show other times later in the week and next week.

Ric

[Battara]

I'm looking forward to it. :D

[VANDOO]

WELL WORTH WATCHING , THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP, GOOD INFORMATION AND A PLEASURE WATCHING A MASTER AT HIS CRAFT. :)

[Richard Furrer]

No master here...just a person who loves steel.
You are welcome to see the pile of rejects...when you master something that pile is supposed to be ....smaller.

Ric

[VANDOO]

:D NO MASTER EVER MADE HIS MASTERPIECE CORRECT THE FIRST TIME HE TRIED TO MAKE IT. NO DOUBT THERE WERE MANY FAILURES AND REDOO'S BEFORE HE GOT WHAT HE WANTED PERFECTED. WHEN DESIGNING A NEW WEAPON FORM IT IS LIKELY A MASTER SMITH MADE MORE WEAPONS FOR THE SCRAP HEAP THAN THOSE HE ACTUALLY PERFECTED AND SOLD. IT IS LIKELY THE STUDENTS AND SHOP MADE AND SOLD MANY MORE OF THIS SWORD THAN ITS CREATOR AS THE WORKING AND LIFESPAN WAS MUCH SHORTER THEN.
TO CHOOSE TO MAKE SUCH A MASTERPIECE NEVER HAVING MADE ONE BEFORE IS AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE EXAMPLES TO LEARN FROM AND A GOOD BACKGROUND AND KNOWLEGE IN FORGEING METALS. THE SECOND ONE WILL NO DOUBT BE EASIER AND AS THE PRODUCTION EXPANDS SO DOES THE PERFECTION AND EASE OF THE PROCESS. A JOB WELL DONE CONGRADULATIONS. :)

[laEspadaAncha]

Thanks for the heads-up, Ric.

A friend watched it last night and told me about today - fortunately, it sounds like I'll get a chance to record it when it replays over the weekend... :)


ETA: Found the link (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/secrets-viking-sword.html) to an online stream of the documentary for our forumites who won't have access to PBS' re-broadcast of the show.

[laEspadaAncha]

So I watched this, and I was very pleased... :)

Great showing, Ric - your demonstration of the process was impressive to say the least, and I have an appreciation I never before had for the effort that went into the inlay process. Wow.

And your sword was stunning. Considering it is one of a kind, I would have to think it is priceless in its own right. Again... wow. How many man hours would you estimate - from the time you first built the oven to the last minute of polishing - went into this sword's creation?

Every forumite here would enjoy this documentary, which focuses on the small group of Ulfberht swords, of which only a relative small minority are thought to be genuine (the others being contemporary copies). It mentions not only the likely origin of the steel, but the (Volga) trade routes that brought the Vikings to the south shore of the Caspian Sea, where they posit the Vikings likely traded for crucible ingots.

So much of the documentary had me thinking of various threads I have read and digested here over the years... :)

[Iain]

Very enjoyable documentary and seeing many elements of the process that went into the blade was fantastic. :) The heavily magnified images of the steel were particularly interesting.

[Battara]

Great work and show Richard!

Another note of Medieval work is the Sutton Hoo Saxon sword in England.