Viking sword program on NOVA

Richard Furrer · 14th September 2012, 04:46 PM

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...ing-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 · 10th October 2012, 01:44 PM

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

Ric

Battara · 11th October 2012, 12:35 AM

I'm looking forward to it.

VANDOO · 11th October 2012, 03:58 AM

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

Richard Furrer · 11th October 2012, 04:48 AM

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 · 11th October 2012, 06:22 PM

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 · 11th October 2012, 10:15 PM

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 to an online stream of the documentary for our forumites who won't have access to PBS' re-broadcast of the show.

laEspadaAncha · 13th October 2012, 01:37 AM

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 · 13th October 2012, 12:25 PM

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 · 18th October 2012, 12:30 AM

Great work and show Richard!

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

14th September 2012, 04:46 PM	#1
Richard Furrer Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Posts: 163	Viking sword program on NOVA 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...ing-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

11th October 2012, 10:15 PM	#7
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	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 to an online stream of the documentary for our forumites who won't have access to PBS' re-broadcast of the show. Last edited by laEspadaAncha; 12th October 2012 at 03:35 AM.

10th October 2012, 01:44 PM	#2
Richard Furrer Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Posts: 163	Hello All, The show's premier is tonight and will show other times later in the week and next week. Ric

11th October 2012, 12:35 AM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	I'm looking forward to it.

11th October 2012, 03:58 AM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	WELL WORTH WATCHING , THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP, GOOD INFORMATION AND A PLEASURE WATCHING A MASTER AT HIS CRAFT.

11th October 2012, 04:48 AM	#5
Richard Furrer Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Posts: 163	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

11th October 2012, 06:22 PM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	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.

13th October 2012, 01:37 AM	#8
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	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...

13th October 2012, 12:25 PM	#9
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,680	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.

18th October 2012, 12:30 AM	#10
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	Great work and show Richard! Another note of Medieval work is the Sutton Hoo Saxon sword in England.