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Description
Túrin Turambar's sword, probably the most famous in First Age Middle Earth. Originally called Anglachel, forged by Eöl (from meteoric iron), and given by him to King Thingol in tribute for his dwelling in Nan Elmoth. Gifted in turn to Beleg Strongbow, who was killed mistakenly by Túrin with the sword. At which point its blade was blackened and it was renamed by Túrin.

I wanted it to be somewhat distinct from my Saxon-leaning swords from Gondolin, but with similar primary world references, so the details here are all based on Viking swords, with the overall shape tending towards that of an early medieval European longsword.

The main reason for that last decision was a reasonably throwaway line in Tolkien's late version of the Fall of Gondonlin. Túrin's path crosses very briefly with that of his kinsman Tuor, and Tuor sees a tall man with a 'long black sword.' I realise that a long black sword is not necessarily a black longsword, but that image stuck with me. Plus I thought the sword needed to be big enough to be a plausible dragon-slaying weapon, and fittingly impressive for probably the most renowned swordsman of the Elder Days (to the extent that one of Túrin's epithets was the 'Black Sword'). So I imagine it as having a blade of similar size to Glamdring's, but with a much longer hilt. The longer grip and weightier pommel would give more leverage in the cut and better point control in the thrust, and generally easier swordplay (I was much influenced here by Chapter 4 in Mike Loades' book 'Swords and Swordsmen', discussing the evolution of the late Viking sword into the early medieval one).

So I started with a Viking sword, doubled the length of the grip, and widened the cross into what the Vikings apparently called a 'spike-hilt'. The five-lobed pommel is based loosely on the Cawood Sword (in the Yorkshire Museum), but the decoration is inspired (more faithfully) by a different (I think earlier) Viking sword.

Eöl was working on the borders of Sindarin Doriath, but had more contact than most elves with the dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost, so I have decided that Anglachel will share some stylistic similarities to works in progress Andúril (made originally by Telchar of Nogrod) and Aranrúth (Thingol’s sword, later inherited by the kings of Númenor). Watch this space for those.

Description
Túrin Turambar's sword, probably the most famous in First Age Middle Earth. Originally called Anglachel, forged by Eöl (from meteoric iron), and given by him to King Thingol in tribute for his dwelling in Nan Elmoth. Gifted in turn to Beleg Strongbow, who was killed mistakenly by Túrin with the sword. At which point its blade was blackened and it was renamed by Túrin.

I wanted it to be somewhat distinct from my Saxon-leaning swords from Gondolin, but with similar primary world references, so the details here are all based on Viking swords, with the overall shape tending towards that of an early medieval European longsword.

The main reason for that last decision was a reasonably throwaway line in Tolkien's late version of the Fall of Gondonlin. Túrin's path crosses very briefly with that of his kinsman Tuor, and Tuor sees a tall man with a 'long black sword.' I realise that a long black sword is not necessarily a black longsword, but that image stuck with me. Plus I thought the sword needed to be big enough to be a plausible dragon-slaying weapon, and fittingly impressive for probably the most renowned swordsman of the Elder Days (to the extent that one of Túrin's epithets was the 'Black Sword'). So I imagine it as having a blade of similar size to Glamdring's, but with a much longer hilt. The longer grip and weightier pommel would give more leverage in the cut and better point control in the thrust, and generally easier swordplay (I was much influenced here by Chapter 4 in Mike Loades' book 'Swords and Swordsmen', discussing the evolution of the late Viking sword into the early medieval one).

So I started with a Viking sword, doubled the length of the grip, and widened the cross into what the Vikings apparently called a 'spike-hilt'. The five-lobed pommel is based loosely on the Cawood Sword (in the Yorkshire Museum), but the decoration is inspired (more faithfully) by a different (I think earlier) Viking sword.

Eöl was working on the borders of Sindarin Doriath, but had more contact than most elves with the dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost, so I have decided that Anglachel will share some stylistic similarities to works in progress Andúril (made originally by Telchar of Nogrod) and Aranrúth (Thingol’s sword, later inherited by the kings of Númenor). Watch this space for those.