Today Nathan and Ian demonstrate how we make our sword grips. Our grips are hand shaped from hardwood, fitted to each individual sword tang, hand shaped to match the quillion block and pommel, and then fitted with a thin tube of leather that is shrunk onto the wood with liquid bee's wax. There are several ways that maker's today and in the past would cover their grips, and this is our preferred way because of the beautiful patina it gives the leather, and how well it allows us to fit the leather to the shape of the grip. The wax also preserves the leather, giving it a really nice historical hand-feel.
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As always, our products are entirely made by us, by hand, at our shop in Minneapolis, MN. The sword blades are hand ground of 6150 carbon steel, hardened and tempered to 50-52 Rockwell. Hardened axes and pole-arms are 4140 carbon steel. All of our products are made to look, feel, and function just like the historical originals on which they are based. For over four decades we have worked with museums, collectors, and scholars around the world to develop a deep understanding of European weapons; knowledge we use to make products that exemplify the finest qualities of the very best historic pieces. When we select historic items to reproduce, being pretty isn't enough, they have to move with grace and beauty, and beg to be used when in the hand. These are pieces that feel as good as they look, and that work as well as they feel. Our mission is to craft items that recreate the look, feel, and function of the best historic originals.
Nathan Clough, Ph.D. is President of Arms and Armor and a member of the governing board of The Oakeshott Institute. He is a historical martial artist and a former university professor of cultural geography. He has given presentations on historical arms at events including Longpoint and Combatcon, and presented scholarly papers at, among others, The International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Craig Johnson is the Production Manager of Arms and Armor and Secretary of The Oakeshott Institute. He has taught and published on the history of arms, armor and western martial arts for over 30 years. He has lectured at several schools and Universities, WMAW, HEMAC, 4W, and ICMS at Kalamazoo. His experiences include iron smelting, jousting, theatrical combat instruction and choreography, historical research, European martial arts and crafting weapons and armor since 1985