Since the founding of Darksword Armory, the swords in our catalogue have had multiple inspirations. Our swords are based on examples from literature, myth, art, and film – including our popular Lord of the Rings swords. Many more of our swords are based on surviving historical artefacts; Darksword founder Eyal Azerad has travelled to museums all over the world in order to examine swords from different eras in history, and these were replicated in our forge to exacting specifications. Many of our most popular designs, though, have been our fantasy designs, and for over a decade these unique, coveted pieces have been based on the vision our designer, Terry.
Terry and Eyal have worked closely over the last 10 years to create some of the most remarkable fantasy swords on the market. Since 2008 Terry has sketched original and fantasy-inspired swords and knives which we have endeavored to capture in steel, and these designs have been some of Darksword Armory’s most sought-after. The Vindaaris is the latest of Terry’s designs, and it is truly a wonder to behold.
The inspiration for the Vindaaris was twofold. First, it was inspired by the Norse myths of the light elves that allied themselves with the gods. Hailing from the ancient world of Alfheim, these elves and their weapons would be instrumental in the final battle against evil. The designer’s description references this:
In the last days of the age of Gods, the All-Father Odin, summoned his allies to his throne. Among those were the glorious and enigmatic light elves from Alfheim, they and their god ruler Freyr swore their arms to the All-Father for the final battle for Midgard. These swords are among those laid at Odin’s throne, forged for the end times of Ragnarok.
The inscription in Beleriand script reads, “Honor, Loyalty, Disgrace, Vengeance” – common themes from Vikings of legend and myth.
The other source is, as many of our swords, is the work of J.R.R Tolkien. The elves of light in Tolkien’ work made many mighty swords, and this fantasy blade more greatly resembles a sword you would see on the hip of an elf-lord than a Viking. The Tolkien “heritage” of the design is honoured in an alternative inscription made in the “Tengwar” language Tolkien invented for his elves of Middle-Earth. The elven inscription on the blade is from the Volsung saga, an epic tale of Viking lore, and reads: “Better to fight and fall than live without hope.” Thus, from both sources of inspiration, this would be considered an “elven” blade.
The sword itself is a powerful two handed weapon. The unique blade is made from 5160 steel, flowing effortlessly to the flared section unlike anything else in our catalogue. The curved guard is expertly sculpted, showing cunning lines and elegant script. The leather-wrapped handle hides a robust tang, and the graceful pommel reflects the weapon’s elven heritage. Make no mistake, as beautiful as this sword is it is still, in fact, a very real weapon.
We at Darksword Armory our proud of our collaboration with Terry Maranda, and invite you to own a piece of his legacy.
Jay –
Havent bought it yet but looks super dope
Eyal Azerad –
hahaha. Thank you.
Steven,
Darksword Armory inc.
Daniel Meyers –
I posted a review of this sword over a year ago, before Darksword’s site switched over to their new version. The Vindaaris was my first purchase from their forge, and it was definitely worth the money. It is, quite simply, a work of art.
I’m not the biggest person in the world, so such a large sword isn’t exactly practical for me to use. The Vindaaris is a full length, hefty two-handed longsword that weighs quite a bit. I was tired after a few practice swings. But thay weight doesn’t mean it isn’t well balanced, and the length of the hilt and comfortable grip make it easier to control than one would think.
As a longtime Tolkien fan, what caught my attention initially about the sword was the limited edition engraving. Being the nerd that I am, I grabbed the editon of the books I had available and compared the runes. The engraving work is *exact.* The blade itself is polished to nearly a mirror sheen, and the gap in the guard is minimal.
What I didn’t expect was the leather on both the guard, scabbard and belt. It is a brighter forest green than I expected, but the quality is quite good. It is definitely sturdy enough to be worn all day.
Overall, it’s a beautiful sword, one an Elven lord of Tolkien’s tales would carry proudly. I may never be able to carry it myself, but it is the crown jewel of my collection. Keep up the good work, Darksword!
Kevin Wilhide (verified owner) –
The most beautiful sword I’ve ever seen, and a great sword to handle and cut with.
K. Patterson –
My first sword. I found it to be a little heavy at first, but I bought this for training and learning. So it has helped me grow into it. Now lifting it is no problem. As the other review stated it is well balanced. This sword my wife and I feel is as much a work of art as it is a functional sword. The blade and the scabbard are just beautiful. I have had it for about two months now… No real complaints. Put a few marks in the ceiling lol.
Handle is tight. Sword was shipped well oiled and I haven’t had to reapply yet. Blade still has a mirror finish. I bought a blunt blade for training but it does have enough of a edge to tear paper even though it doesn’t cut clean. Shouldn’t be hard to put an edge on it when I reach that stage. The Darksword crew answered my questions when I emailed to inquire as my sword was a discount blade.
I have one small complaint… Nothing big. The spacer on the handle must be plated and some of plating has worn off in one small spot. I use the sword frequently so I notice, but no one else has yet. The spacer appears to be a light bronze so the colour isn’t far off the silver plate. This might just be my sword though. My sword was bought knowingly with a few flaws on the handle from the discount section… All cosmetic. My blade is fully functional.
Odd thing with the scabbard, I think I missed some packing lol, as I keep finding pink foam pieces coming out of the scabbard when I draw… Nothing big…
All and all. I am very happy with my blade. Good job guys and beautiful blade.
Thank you for the help and once I learn this blade I think I will return for a arming sword… Cheers.
P.S. There is a single YouTube review video for this sword that shows how much abuse this sword can take. It convinced me that this was a well made blade. It will be some time before I do cutting tests, but I have complete confidence this blade will not fail.
jaredruscoe –
Fantastic sword and fantastic service. I got one of the used versions, and it was still a beauty, although i believe there was some stress fractures in it as when I was cutting tatami mats the sword hit the wood post and it shattered the sword. I looked at the grain pattern and it seemed okay. I contacted darksword and they had me send it back and they replaced the blade. Massively great service.
Cary D. Van Valkenburgh (verified owner) –
I am pleased with my sword . It seems very well made . I hope the blade holds up . It is so good looking I don’t want to use it .
The service and shipping were good . I received my sword within about 10 days after ordering it .
I am use to the weight of my katanas , but it feels good in my hand .