Tinker Norman Sword

Description of the Product

The Tinker Norman sword has a distinctive cruciform guard and brazil-nut pommel. It is available in two versions, blunt and sharp, which are similar in weight and static balance and offer virtually identical handling characteristics. Both are harmonically balanced, with the cutting ability optimized in the case of the sharp version. The blunt version has a rounded tip and thick blunt edges for safety and durability for live blade-on-blade combat training.

The blade is forged in 5160 high carbon steel and marquenched to HRC 50-52, allowing superior edge retention. The grip is wood-cored and has a leather cover over a cord wrap.

The swords of the late Viking Era slowly morphed into Norman swords, and from there into the knightly swords of the High Middle Ages. The blade type remained much the same as it had in the previous Viking swords, the Oakeshott type X or Xa. The pommel in this sword is of a Petersen type B, so-called Brazil nut pommel. This sword type was widely used from c. 950 all the way to c. 1250, so swords like this likely featured heavily in the Norman invasion and conquest of Britain in 1066.

• Classic Norman sword -Oakeshott type X blade with Brazil nut pommel
• Swords like this were used commonly 950-1250 CE
• Available as both sharp and blunt versions
• Choose yours: sharp for cutting practice or blunt for safe training
• Fully functional and durable sword with nice handling
• Peened pommel
• Blade 5160 marquenched spring steel
• Includes leather covered wooden scabbard with steel fittings and 2 hanging rings
• Manufacturer: Hanwei

Dimension of the sharp version:

• Overall length: 92.1 cm
• Blade length: 77.8 cm
• Handle length: 13.4 cm
• Pommel: 3.4 cm
• Weight: 1.1 kg
• Point of balance from the guard: 14.9 cm
• Blade width at guard: 5.2 cm
• Blade width at tip: 2.25 cm
• Blade thickness at guard: 6.3 mm
• Blade thickness at tip: 3.4 mm
• Blade material: 5160 Spring steel
• Sharpness: Sharp

Dimension of the blunt version:

• Overall length: 93.3 cm
• Blade length: 79.0 cm
• Handle length: 13.4 cm
• Pommel: 3.4 cm
• Weight: 1.1 kg
• Point of balance from the guard: 16.3 cm
• Blade width at guard: 5.1 cm
• Blade width at tip: 2.86 cm
• Blade thickness at guard: 5.9 mm
• Blade thickness at tip: 3.0 mm
• Blade material: 5160 Spring steel
• Sharpness: Blunt

As this is a 100% handmade sword, the specs can vary slightly from piece to piece.

About Tinker Peace Line:

Hanwei commissioned Michael ‘Tinker’ Pearce to design a line of swords that will satisfy both the sparring and cutting needs of Historical European Martial Arts practitioners. In this collection you get authentic and genuine pieces that are based on historical designs, but made with modern techniques and materials to make them as strong as possible. Every Tinker Pearce sword is a fully functional, battle-ready blade.

These swords are offered either blunt or sharpened, so you can choose whether you need one for cutting practice and authenticity or one for training, HEMA-combat and reenactment. Either way you get one of the finest modern swords on the market with impressive handling.

The creator of these fine weapons is Michael Tinker Pearce, a noted maker of custom medieval swords, whose pieces have a long-standing reputation for durability and overall performance. He has studied swords for over thirty years and has been instrumental in making features such as authentic weight and balance as industry standards. His research and broad-based training has enabled him to understand both how swords were used by those who depended their lives on them, as well as the needs of modern re-enactors and martial artists.

These swords meet Tinkers quality requirements. Each blade is forged from 5160 Spring Steel, and is tempered to a hardness of 50-53 Hrc and the tang to the low 30s Hrc. For the Medieval models the very end of the tang is threaded with nut that can be tightened. However the Viking and Norman Sword sharps and blunts have the end of tang peened tightly into the pommel for historical authenticity and to meet the needs of collector and reenactment groups.