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dwarves, essay, gandalf, glamdring, news, noble collection, orcrist, replicas, richard armitage, scabbard, sting, sword, thorin, united cutlery, weapons, weta
3/20/14: I have updated this page with new images and information (including where to order replicas), and will continue to do so as more is revealed. (New info near the bottom of the page).
It is ironic that Thorin Oakenshield’s famous sword was not forged by dwarves at all, but by elves of the First Age, and was originally made for the warriors of Gondolin. It was called Orcrist, or Orc-cleaver, and though it had fallen into obscurity by the time Thorin found it, the fear it could strike into the hearts of goblins had not waned with age. They named it Biter, and hated its new owner all the more for bringing it back to the light.
- The Great Goblin, by John Howe
It was discovered, along with two other Gondolin blades, in a troll hoard (the owners having been turned to stone by the cunning of Gandalf). Gandalf and Thorin were attracted to the weapons “because of their beautiful scabbards and jeweled hilts.” But neither knew the long pedigree which their swords possessed. Only Elrond was able to identify them with certainty:
“They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars. They must have come from a dragon’s hoard or goblin plunder, for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago. This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, Gandalf, was Glamdring, Foe-hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore. Keep them well!” (Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007)
With its history partially revealed, Thorin said of Orcrist, “I will keep this sword in honor. May it soon cleave goblins once again!”
Bilbo also claimed a smaller blade out of the troll’s cache, but not being as flashy as the two swords, it escaped the attentions of all but the hobbit. Later he would learn that it shared the same properties as Glamdring and Orcrist, in that it glowed with blue fire when enemies were near.
Orcrist would again taste the blood of goblins, though the sword was fated to return to elven hands before beginning its eternal duty protecting the Kingdom under the Mountain.
There is little description given of Orcrist, aside from having a jeweled hilt, being etched with runes, and gleaming “in the dark if foes approached.” Though not readily apparent, the film version of Orcrist has jewels on the pommel, but much like film Glamdring, it requires a close-up view to see them. Images of the United Cutlery version reveals the pommel has four stones, both honoring and adding to the book’s description, since these gems are part of the heraldry of Ecthelion of the Fountain [as mentioned in the description of the UC sword further down]. This is in keeping with some educated guesses on who the early owner of Orcrist might have been.
The film version also has runes on the guard which spell O R KH R I S T in Elvish, according to Gwaith-i-Phethdain.
For the overall shape, the designers have chosen a literal interpretation of the name “cleaver”, and styled the blade to reflect this in form and function. David Stokes explains how a conversation with Weta swordsmith Peter Lyon revealed, “…they went single edged because its the Goblin CLEAVER… so they took that as meaning single edged….”
The average kitchen cleaver has a thick blade with a tough edge, and it relies more on momentum of the cut rather than sharpness, thus reducing possibility of fracture. Of course, film Orcrist is far more attractive than a butcher’s blade, but it is as cleaver-like as a sword can be while still retaining an elven aesthetic.
The design is unique, and I have not found an exact real-world match for it yet, but it shares elements of European falchions, and Chinese dao, both of which are single-edged and broad bladed. There is a wide variety of form even within these weapon groups, but the ones pictured below are the closest I came to the Orcrist shape.
- The Conyers Falchion
- A Chinese Dao
Like Orcrist, the grip of the dao is often curved (though not in the same direction).
These types of single-edged swords, with a wide distal end, function rather like axes and machetes. While their curving edge makes them good at slashing like a sabre, the acute angle of the blade allows a strike to cut deeper into the target without having to draw the blade across it. Most falchions and dao do have a slight curve to the spine (the falchion pictured above is one of the few surviving examples which does not), while Orcrist is straight along the spine.
Keeping the spine straighter means it should also function well as a thrusting weapon. With this in mind, movie version Orcrist is surprisingly versatile, and well-suited to a dwarf. One may presume that a stout dwarf could wield it with the force needed to cut through nearly any orc-made armor. Michael Martinez of Xenite.org wrote an interesting article which questions whether or not any dwarf could be able to use a sword made for the much taller Elves of the First Age.
We now know the grip is made of a large tooth capped in a metal pommel. The runes running along the blade have been translated on Elendilion.pl as being NAGOL E-LŶG or ‘Tooth of-Snake [or Dragon]’. Weta confirms that the inscription reads “The Serpent’s Tooth”.
There are also runes on the scabbard, which are readable in this image, originally from the Weta Collectors Forum:
- Just what these runes mean is a current topic on http://www.Elendilion.pl. Weta reveals that the translation is “Born from the Maws of Dragons I am Always Hungry and Thirsty”.
- The styling of Orcrist’s guard, blade, and engraving are similar to Sting, while neither weapon shares much in common with Glamdring. In the film the three swords are found together in the troll cave, as they are in the book, but only Sting has the characteristic blue glow when enemies are near.
Anyway, now that you are better acquainted with Orcrist, you are probably thinking “I want that!” Weta Workshop is making a very limited, hand crafted version from its Master Swordsmith line [details at the end of the page].
But if a sword the price of a small car isn’t in your budget, fear not, because United Cutlery is offering a very reasonably priced option. The blade is made of stainless steel. In the past, UC typically released more than one version of its replicas, such as the Museum Collection editions, which featured high carbon blades. As of Feb. 2014 there is talk of making a limited edition of Orcrist for collectors but nothing definite. The scabbard of Orcrist is much larger than that of Sting, and very ornate, all factors that make it less likely to be mass produced in metal and wood. As it turns out, UC has produced a replica in polyresin (details further down). It is also probably too much to hope for an affordable replica of the belt that matches the scabbard, but perhaps if there is enough demand…
United Cutlery released images of the prototype for Orcrist, which is now available for order from Amazon.com:
United Cutlery UC2928 Orcrist Thorin Oakenshield Sword
Another view showing more prominent blue coloring.
The description of the replica from the final product spec sheet is as follows:
In Third Age of Middle-earth, Thorin Oakenshield and his Company of Dwarves came upon a troll lair in Rhûdaur. There Thorin found an ancient Elven sword named Orcrist, forged by the high Elves of the West, in Gondolin. Thorin claimed Orcrist for his own and vowed to cleave Goblins with it once again. He wielded the sword through most of the Quest for Erebor, using it against the Goblins of the Misty Mountains. The Goblins called it “Biter” and hated and feared it.
The blade of Orcrist features a curved leaf shape on one side, and a straight edge on the other, a fitting design for a blade meant to cleave Orcs and Goblins. Adorning the pommel is an emblem of the heraldry of Ecthelion of the Fountain. The hilt is shaped from the tooth of a dragon. It is unknown if the tooth was acquired prior to the fifth battle of the First Age, or added to the sword with the inscription in the millennia after the Fall of Gondolin, most likely by the Dwarves of the North.
Inscriptions on the sword in Elven runes:
On the guard is the name Orcrist “Goblin-cleaver”.
Blade Inscription (both sides): “The serpent’s tooth”.
This authentically detailed replica is a reproduction of the actual filming prop built by Weta Workshop of New Zealand and used in the motion picture, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. United Cutlery, industry leader in fine movie reproductions, has meticulously recreated the prop using only the finest grade materials and craftsmanship. Close attention to detail was a top priority. The sword is 38 3/4″ long and features a stainless steel blade with an etched runic inscription. The hilt is crafted with solid metal parts, simulated gem stones, and an acrylic resin grip cast from the original prop. It is presented with a wood wall display and includes a certificate of authenticity.
UC2928 Orcrist – Sword of Thorin Oakenshield
Includes a parchment certificate of authenticity.
Overall Length: 38-3/4″
Blade Length: 26-7/8″ [Note: Blade length is one inch longer than previously released dimensions, most text descriptions list it as 25-7/8″. -DJ]
Blade Material: AUS-6 Stainless Steel with Etched Runes in the Elven Language
Handle Material: Acrylic Resin
Display: Wood with Wood Grain Finish and Silk Screen Graphic
You may notice the overall size of this sword is not very large. This tells me it is made to the scale that would be used by elven actors like Orlando Bloom (such as when Legolas is seen wearing it in vlog 8). The Weta Master Swordsmith’s version is larger (49.2″ long overall), and I’m guessing that is scaled to dwarf size, so that it still looks large even in the hands of Richard Armitage (this is in keeping with their decision to make Sting in the large scale that would have been used by Elijah Wood).
CFGriffith.com has posted lots of images of unboxing the United Cutlery version of Orcrist.
The Noble Collection is offering its own replica of Orcrist. It is 39.5″ overall and made of stainless steel:
A high-res image of their version looks to have a CG inscription along the blade, perhaps because the final model wasn’t finished yet.
Update 12/18/12: April73 just got her Noble Collection replica and has pictures of the final product here.
Noble Collection is also making letter opener sized collectibles of the Hobbit Swords, Orcrist included.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – ORCRIST Letter Opener
If you are into LARP, or want a safer or more affordable alternative to steel for costuming, you may want to look into this latex over rubber version from Wicked Replicas. Measures 101 cm.
There is a new interview with Peter Lyon showing the different scale versions of Orcrist.
Update 2/1/13: Weta Workshop has released its Master Swordsmith version of Orcrist in a limited edition of 50 made-to-order pieces, with the possibility of purchasing the scabbard and belt in addition to the sword (but I am assuming not separately). Before you get too excited, keep in mind the price for the sword alone is $9,900 USD (plus shipping). Didn’t flinch at that? Fine then, read on.
Forged long ago in the lost Elf kingdom of Gondolin, Orcrist, the ‘goblin cleaver’, was a legendary blade, well known to the wise of Middle-earth and infamous among their enemies.
Having disappeared for centuries, the sword would reappear in, of all places, a Troll hoard, where, among the detritus and ruin, it catches the eye of Thorin Oakenshield. To the Dwarf, well versed in the crafting of fine weapons, it is a sword of peerless craft, but it is Elrond, lord and lore-master of Rivendell, who is able to name the blade and tell Thorin of its prestigious lineage.
No finer sword could a king of any race wish for. [Wetanz.com]
The following dimensions, details, and images are from Weta:
The blade is made from tempered spring steel and the dragon’s tooth grip is cast from CC60 urethane, painted and sealed under resin.
- Blade length: 37.0 in (940 mm)
- Total length: 49.2 in (1250 mm)
- Total Width: 7.9 in (200 mm)
- Weight: 6.4 lbs (2.92 kg)
On the cross is the name “Orcrist” etched in runes and the gently curvaceous blade, ground from spring steel, features etched elven runes stating “The Serpent’s Tooth”. On the pommel are four cubic zirconia gemstones inlaid.
The scabbard is made from a combination of white oak and steel and connects to the leather belt with leather straps and buckles. The inscription translates as “Born from the Maws of Dragons I am Always Hungry and Thirsty”.
The belt is made from embossed leather with steel buckle, loop and tip. It features straps for attaching the scabbard.
Update: 2/11/13: Designer Paul Tobin and swordsmith Peter Lyon offer their thoughts about the design of Orcrist, and the making of the scabbard for the Master Swordsmith’s edition replica.
Update: 12/13/13: The Royal Armouries in Leeds, UK now has a Master Swordsmith Orcrist in their collection.
Update: 2/24/14: The Orcrist scabbard made by UC is finally shipping from Amazon.com, but you may want to read reviews to avoid disappointment. It is made of polyresin, not metal or wood.
United Cutlery UC2964 Orcrist Scabbard
This authentically detailed scabbard collectible is a reproduction of the actual filming prop. The Orcrist Scabbard is 30″(76.2cm) overall, crafted in polyresin with a metal and wood grain patterned finish, Elven vine and leaf motifs, a built-in belt loop, and felt-lined interior. Close attention to detail was a top priority, right down to the engraved runic inscriptions. Includes a certificate of authenticity.
Rubie’s is now selling an inexpensive plastic version of Orcrist for costume use:
Rubie’s Costume The Hobbit Orcrist Thorin’s Sword
Update: 3/20/14
Paul Tobin shares the creation process behind Orcrist on his blog.
preludeinz said:
That is an unbearably pretty piece of metal. Maaaaan. You know, I wouldn’t be able to pick a sword. Too many of them have stories that are simply too fantastic. But I think if there were a gun to my head, Orcrist might win on looks alone. Thank you for this post! Now I need to go and gawp at replica swords. I wouldn’t have even spared a thought for it otherwise.
DarkJackal said:
When I first saw the full blade I was like “What the heck is that thing?” Obviously I have a very narrow expectation of what a “sword” should look like, and was not aware of these dao-type blades. Still learning. I certainly appreciate the design more now than I did before.
d.b Feight said:
hi there I have something to add mate not read through any of the coments yet so not sure if it has been said but the sword orcrist is more similar to an ancient greek sword knows as a Hoplite Kopis or the more common Spanish name Falcata. These swords were designed specifically for chopping, severing and splitting helmets. They were also capable of having a very good thrust attack having a forward point as well as the blade heavy design. plus this is a stunning sword and I want one😀
d.b Feight said:
oh one thing I forgot about the Kopis/Falcata is that it is the sword used by Alexander the Great and the warrior Hannible I believe
d.b feight said:
just a source to a falcate for reference the main difference between the falcata and orcrist is that a falcata has traditionally a semi d ring hilt and is slightly shorter hope this helps
Nancy Reyes said:
it resembles the infamous Filipino bolo knife, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_knife
DarkJackal said:
It does kinda. A straight falcata has also been mentioned.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcata
oakenshield89 said:
Christmas List:
Orcrist,
Thorin’s axe,
two rings,
scale-mail hauberk and….Oh wth! Just gimme Thorin!😉
DarkJackal said:
A perfectly reasonable request. No point having all that stuff just lying about in a pile is there?
april73 said:
Beautiful sword, I would love to have a replica of it.😉
Faboamanto said:
Thank you so much for this – fascinating. I can’t wait to see Thorin with Orcrist on the big screen.. If I were to ever buy a sword, this would be it. I love swords, but just don’t have a proper space to display them.
I would buy a necklace with an Orcrist pendant…?
DarkJackal said:
I have a couple swords, and I have a feeling Orcrist is going to be joining them! A space hog it certainly appears to be.
And I’m sure there will be plenty of smaller scale offerings for those that can’t give over half a wall to it
Landon said:
great bit o; research dark jackal! Thanks for sharing. Hope you don’t mind if I post a link to it over on my blog?
DarkJackal said:
You are always welcome to whatever I have here!
The Queen said:
Cool! I had researched Orcrist some but didn’t come up with half of what you found! I wish we could get a clear pic of it tho. But I’m being impatient. I did get a good cap of his axe. Very simple design. But Orcrist is just beautiful!! Thanks!!
DarkJackal said:
As far as research, I’m always poking around in the Google dust bins looking for what others leave behind. Sometimes you find some interesting things!
I think they go out of their way to keep details limited. Partly so we will be awestruck when we see it in the film, but also to keep forgeries from being made before they can even get the official version out.
Mulubinba said:
Very late in commenting – RL catches up with me at times! I think Orcrist is stunning and I particularly loved the runes around the hilt. I wrote a post for the FanstRA last month about Thorin’s costume which includes a section I rehashed from a post last year about the sword and ring. http://mulubinba.typepad.com/an_ra_viewers_perspective/2012/03/my-entry.html
I received a notification from Weta re a Q&A with their sword smith here: http://www.wetanz.com/ask-the-weta-crew-peter-lyon-answers-your-questions? http://www.wetanz.com/ask-the-weta-crew-peter-lyon-answers-your-questions?utm_source=Weta+News&utm_campaign=ec3419fa28-WetaNews_12Apr_2012&utm_medium=email
Must get back to blogging, although we haven’t much to go on yet. Am half way through a post on Spiders and flies
The Starry Mantle said:
Great post, DarkJackal!
Weta’s design work is always beautiful. I love the shape of Orcrist, and I’m tickled by the literality of the goblin “cleaver”. Can’t wait to see it in action later this year!😀
aw267 said:
Hi, just a little correction for you on the UK law part. If you’ve taken the info I put onto UCforums, my name is Elvenguard13 on there by the way. The laws restricts the purchase of STAINLESS steel curved swords with a blade length of 50cm or more. If it is made of high carbon steel and hand forged like UC’s museum collection and the weta swordsmith collection then we can buy them over here
DarkJackal said:
Thank you for the clarification! I can’t say that law makes any sense to me. What is it really targeting?
AW267 said:
There were various crimes that were comitted using samurai swords. They were the cheaper stainless steel models that you could buy for about £20 over here. When the law was originally brought in, they banned all curved swords even if they were hand forged but there were petitions that went out and they revised the law slightly so that handforged carbon steel curved swords could be purchased. I discussed it with a member over on UCforums and like he said all these laws aren’t doing anything to stop these crimes, if they ban swords people will use knives, if they ban knives they’ll go to forks, etc. Its always the innocent collecters, who are being punished. I remember being incredibly dissapointed when I couldn’t buy Arwen’s sword and the elven warrior sword. Both really beautiful replicas made by UC. I have no intention to harm anyone with them, but yeh stupid laws.
I hope Orcrist will fall into the category of straight bladed swords though, fingers crossed.
DarkJackal said:
I figured it was like that. That’s a terrible shame. Restrictions such as this are meaningless when it comes to someone intending violence. It’s like someone had to “Do something!” and that’s what they came up with. *sigh*
AW267 said:
I have an update: It appears that Orcrist could very well be legal for sale in the UK as the store that I buy from has it up for pre-order and I have placed my order already😀 I am buying the United Cutlery version tho, Noble’s swords have a bad reputation. Their other prop replicas however have very good reviews
D.J. said:
Great to hear it looks like it won’t be an issue this time!!
AW267 said:
I know, I’m so happy. Can’t wait until February when its released! I also cant wait to see it being used by Thorin in the Hobbit😀
D.J. said:
Sort of cruel that we have to wait till next year! So funny that everyone wants a sword that we haven’t even seen in action yet.
D.J. said:
From what I’ve heard of previous weapons, UC is a great deal compared to Noble. But the thing that might make me consider Noble is if it is in a different scale than UC. I think it would be good for people to have two options if they are going to use it for costuming.
AW267 said:
Ah yes, I had forgotten about the different scales. Hopefully Noble will give some more information about Orcrist and other Hobbit replicas when they go out next week. I really want Bilbo’s contract😀
D.J. said:
Appears the Noble version is 91 cm, so it’s shorter than the UC version. So much for my different scales idea.
http://www.noblecollection-distribution.com/en/the-hobbit-sword-orcrist-p-3666.html
AW267 said:
ahh, it would have been interesting to see the two scales. Their new Sting replica is the same size as UC’s as well, so its smaller than the one they produced on their lord of the rings license.
D.J. said:
It seems a bit odd having such similar offerings (at similar prices).
AW267 said:
I know, thats what I was thinking also. But im gonna stick with UC as their Orcrist looks better (judging by the photos released). I wonder why Noble went with a darker handle colour
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KingFaldin said:
The most interesting aspect of the swords, to me, are the runes. The inconsistencies between the runes from the book versus those of the movies still bothers me. The Hobbit clearly states that at least Orcrist’s name was engraved in “the ancient tongue of Gondolin”. Why then are the runes not written in what was presumably a form of stylized elvish? They’re written in Dwarven runes. How can Orcrist be named and recognized by Elrond as a weapon of Gondolin when it has no markings, save for the newly presented “jeweled hilt”? Not trying to criticize Jackson’s representation, far from! I actually am very enthusiastic about buying a replica as soon as permissible. I’m just wondering what the significance is of the Dwarven runes as opposed to using the “tongue of Gondolin”.
D.J. said:
Hi KingFaldin, thanks for stopping by! I’m no expert in runes, but from what I could gather from the sites who specialize in that type of knowledge, the engravings on the sword itself are in Angerthas Daeron, rather than dwarven runes.
http://www.elendilion.pl/2012/01/10/g-i-p-report-orcrist-the-goblin-cleaver/
Which is still not Gondolinic runes, but at least it isn’t dwarven. Perhaps the runes were made at a later date, in order to describe the sword, which in the “ancient tongue of Gondolin” would be “goblin cleaver” but not necessarily with runes from Gondolin. Even without identifying marks, Elrond might be like any true expert, who can date an object by the material, craftsmanship, design, patina etc. Just a thought.
KingFaldin said:
I was thinking the same thing about Elrond. It does say in The Hobbit that he “knew all about runes of every kind”, so in that respect, he might even be able to recognize the uniqueness of each sword and attribute that to a Gondolin-make stylization without even needing to translate the runes.
As to the runes, I can see that. Perhaps they were not named at the time (though I see no reason why they shouldn’t have been =P) and later, someone deduced their heritage and decided to engrave them to “show pedigree” in a sense.
I find it odd though that Elrond mentioned nothing about the type of runes used in the book. Even a statement along the lines of, “This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade…but the runes are not those used Gondolin…” but, I rather attribute that to avoid confusion in his reader, who might be unfamiliar with all the various languages Tolkien created for Middle Earth.
KingFaldin said:
http://www.tolkiendil.com/langues/english/otsoandor/gondolinic_runes
I wonder if Tolkien wrote this after The Hobbit, while he was writing his other works, in order to reconcile some disparities in Middle Earth’s history…Nevertheless, the movie’s swords and the book’s swords are very neat! Even if the runes don’t coincide, hahaha
Caleb J. Switzer said:
I love the design they chose for Orcrist! It keeps with the Elven style and adds some brutality to the Elven style. I had high expectations for the Orcrist when news of the Hobbit reached my ears. They fulfilled my expectations. I love the speculation that Orcrist was the sword wielded by Glorfindel of the Golden Flower of Gondolin, one of Turgon’s lieutenants, who fell slaying a Balrog to allow survivors of Gondolin to escape. The handle was the tooth of one of Morgoth’s first breeds of dragon that Glorfindel had slain. I wish Tolkien was alive so we could ask him questions like these, but he probably say they weren’t important.
Kyle said:
I like everything except the tooth handle and the etch found in Sting. It seems to clash with the elven aesthetic found in most of their work and it doesn’t match the sword in general. As for the swirly Sting etch I think they should have had a new design and not try to tie it into Sting for no reason. Orcrist was associaed with Glamdring, not Sting. But hey I didn’t pay the design team so not really my call.
J said:
Orcrist is supposed to glow blue; in the book, when Dain becomes king, it says that they were never taken by surprise cause it glowed blue.
D.J. said:
Okay I’ve now seen the film, and neither Orcrist nor Glamdring glow at all.
starkillr45 said:
I have just ordered Orcrist From the Noble Collection, mostly cuz i was excited to get it and didnt want to wait for the Budk version to come available. after looking at many pictures though, i am slightly worried that the Handle will look like wood, VS the united cutlery version looking like the Dragons tooth that its suppose to be…. so within the week ill know… then i might have to ship it back an pre-order the Budk version. anyone out there have the noble version?
april73 said:
I have ordered it too a few weeks ago from Noble Collection (the French site, because in the USA site, there was no shipping in my country) and I have just received it recently.
It’s a beautiful replica. The blade of the sword does not cut and it’s real wood, but Orcrist is beautiful and the price is not very expensive compared to a “real” replica.
If you would like to see pictures of the Noble Collection’s Orcrist, I have posted picture in my blog, here : (but sorry, the text is in French, but you can use Google translator😉 )
http://aprilsviolet.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/une-enorme-surprise/
april73 said:
Oops, I mean : it’s not real wood for the sword arm (I don’t know if it’s the exact word for that).
D.J. said:
That’s very helpful to post a pic of the final product! Thanks very much April!
starkillr45 said:
Yes thank you very much! Tho I am slightly dissapointed in the noble version, the handle is suppose to be “dragons tooth” vs wood look. I might have to good with the united cutlery version
april73 said:
You’re welcome.😉
april73 said:
I was also a little dissapointed about the handle, I thought it was in wood. It’s also too bad that the sword was not sold with its sheath. But the sword is still very nice and the price was affordable.
Dark Jackal has posted above the pics of the very beautiful Orcrist replica made by a sword master. I would love to have the same. But this one is too expensive, I’m not rich enought to buy a sword whose price amounts to several thousand dollars, lol.
D.J. said:
Yes, if that little letter opener, Sting, costs $8,000, you can imagine what Orcrist will cost in the Master Swordsmith line.
april73 said:
Wooow… $ 8’000.–… I need to work weeks to earn that, lol.
Thorinftw said:
Is the master swordsmith collection of orcrist out or no?
D.J. said:
Not that I have heard of yet.
Thorinftw said:
Also where is a good place to buy a replica in the us and can you buy tr scabbard for it anywhere
Thorinftw said:
I meant where is a good place to buy orcrist and can you buy the sheathe
D.J. said:
I have not heard of a scabbard being produced yet. One of the lowest prices on the UC version I have found is here: http://www.bladecenter.com/orcrist-sword-of-thorin-oakenshield-uc2928.aspx
Tara said:
I was told a scabbard for Orcrist will be available most likely in late summer, and that it was mentioned in UC’s catalog.
I have the UC Orcrist on order, can’t wait for it to get here! I will be getting the scabbard as well when it comes out.
D.J. said:
A scabbard would be incredible. Please keep us posted if you find any more info on it!
ldejavul said:
Wow, what a thorough breakdown of everything I wanted to know! My wife and I just saw the movie last night and the first thing I said when I saw this sword hit the screen was…”I want it!”. I am really looking forward to more info and at some point owning this mean blade! Thanks again for all your info and hard work!
Joshua Ong said:
Awesome! I’d give an arm and a leg for that beauty. UC really does a good job with blades. Anduril was the awesomest! By the way, nice component breakdown there.
Queen_of_Erebor said:
😥 I really wish I could afford Weta’s Orcrist… I really want the scabbard and belt along with it. I’m hoping somebody will come out with it! And I want Thorin’s dwarven sword and his axe. Ah, but I’m probably just getting my hopes up.
D.J. said:
Noble Collection actually will offer the dwarven sword of Thorin, but shipping is not scheduled until April. Check this page:
http://www.noblecollection.com/index.cfm?fa=products.catagory&catid=91
starkillr45 said:
I Hope UNITED CUTLERY releases a sheath like they did for Anduril, Glamdring, an Striders sword. that would be epic. also hope UNITED CUTLERY releases the dwarf sword, The Noble Collection swords arnt really that accurate vs UNITED CUTLERY, like the dwarf sword is all “New” an golden an such, an Oricist Had a darker handle an wasnt very detailed, i sent it back an ordered The United Cutlery version, i guess im just a stickler for details
Whitney said:
I just received my UC version of Orcrist yesterday and I couldn’t be happier with it. I have had a particularly bad week, but it has me smiling every time I look at it hanging on the wall! I preferred this version over the Noble version because I liked the look of the hilt more and thought it matched the original prop a bit better. I also like the wooden display that comes with the UC version better. It certainly looks great, and I’m not regretting my decision. I would love to see both the Noble versions as well as the Weta master swordsmith version in person. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone who’s willing to spend that kind of money on a sword..
D.J. said:
I’m pleased to hear you love this version. No reason to be disappointed when the two versions are so close in price. Since you have seen both, are there any other differences between the two that stand out, if you remember?
Whitney said:
Hi D.J., Sorry if I was a little unclear on that, but, no I haven’t seen the Noble version in person. I was just going off of the detail pictures I have seen online. The outside of the box that UC’s Orcrist came in states their sword features “an acrylic resin grip cast from the original prop”. This adds credence to my impression that their version is more accurate. The pictures of the Noble version have a handle which is darker, and the grain of the “dragon’s tooth” just didn’t look quite right to me as far as being similar to the original.
Further, United Cutlery is a company that makes knives and swords, whereas Noble Collection makes movie prop reproductions and collectibles. I would trust that a company that specializes in blades is going to know a little more about putting one together right, even if it isn’t meant to be used.
A Williams said:
Hi DJ,
I managed to get one here in the UK😀 I used the sword in a still life photo for my photography blog: http://ajwphotographyblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/thorins-quest/
D.J. said:
Excellent! It looks great. What is your opinion on the look and feel of it?
A Williams said:
It’s heavier than I expected it to be, although it’s not as heavy as Glamdring. The official product stills from UC don’t do the replica justice. It’s probably my favourite replica sword that I own are you thinking of buying one?
thefilmcell said:
If you are reading this great article but are looking for a company in the UK to buy these collectables you should take a look at http://www.thefilmcell.com we have a good range from of all the Hobbit swords from all manufacturers listed above.
Bob Woosnam-Savage said:
Hi there – and a fascinating discussion! I just thought that those contributors, in the UK at least, will like to know that you will soon have the chance to view the Peter Lyon Weta Master Swordsmith limited edition version of ‘Orcrist’ in person at some point in December when we, here at the Royal Armouries Museum, in Leeds, should be receiving our sword. This will be put on display alongside the other four swords in the series. Enjoy!
Bob, Curator of European (and Elvish) Edged Weapons, Royal Armouries
D.J. said:
Greetings Bob. Thank you for sharing that opportunity with us.