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Strider's Sword from United Cutlery Reviewed
By Orc
Nov 26, 2004, 04:43 GMT

United Cutlery manufactures this decorative sword under license to New Line Productions and Tolkien Enterprises. The sword comes shipped in a decorative box consistent with the licensed Lord of the Rings movie products.

Blade

The blade appears to have been hollow ground and is formed of 420 J2 stainless steel. There is a fuller that runs almost the entire length of the blade terminating 4.13 in from the tip. The fuller is approximately 0.05 in deep and tapers from 0.55 in wide at the base to 0.3 in just before tapering to a point. The blade was finished in with a satin polish and some of the grinding / buffing lines are visible under the right lighting conditions. As this is an artifact of the grinding and buffing process to achieve the satin finish, it should not be considered a defect.

The thickness of the blade (as measured at the edge of the fuller which is thickest part of this blade) starts at 0.3 in. at the base and subtly tapers to 0.11in at the tip. While the blade is has a false edge (which is not sharp), the point is sharp and care should be taken when handling this sword. The blade is nicely made with the fuller running straight and true. The sword I received has a minor defect in the spine of the blade running from the top of the fuller to the tip of the blade. The spine is not straight in this region and arcs approximately 0.12 in out of true. Fortunately this defect is only apparent under close scrutiny and does not detract from the overall appearance of the blade from a distance.

The blade is acid etched on one side with the Lord of the Rings logo, United Cutlery catalog number and a Taiwan makers mark. This maker's mark is nestled in the fuller at the base of the blade and is subtle enough not to detract from the overall appearance of the sword.

Handgrip

The handgrip is wrapped in forest green leather and all of the fittings (pummel, guard etc) are firmly attached and well constructed. The handgrip is large enough to accomidate either one or two hands comfortably and provides a good grip. The pommel is well fashioned and fits comfortably in the hand to aid in quick maneuvering of the sword.

Plaque

The plaque appears to be fashioned from fiberboard with a wood grain finish applied to the front of it. Care should be taken when handling and mounting the plaque, as fiberboard can be prone to breaking. The front of the plaque has been finished to give the appearance of an aged wood grain and is quite presentable. The lettering and designs on the plaque are silk-screened and show no signs of flaking off of the plaque.

Overall

This sword is well assembled with no loose parts or fittings, and has an excellent overall appearance. When wielded one handed, it has a blade heavy feel to it, which can make it feel a bit awkward. When two hands are used with this sword, it has a much more balanced feel, though it still remains slightly tip heavy. Since the Strider Sword is designed as a display sword rather than a 'combat ready' blade, the imperfect balance cannot truly be considered a defect, nor detract form the overall impression of the sword. For a display sword, it does have a good feel and reasonable balance. For a display sword is appears to be well fashioned and is visually appealing as well as staying true to the pattern of the sword wielded by Strider in the Lord of the Rings movies.

Advantages

This sword is well made, assembled and has a nice feel to it. The stainless steel used in its fabrication, requires little maintenance, which is definitely a plus for individuals not familiar with caring for swords. Since the Strider sword has a
wider tang to it than some of the other United Cutlery swords, it should be able to stand up to a very limited amount of abuse, such as non contact swinging.

Disadvantages

The sword is designed to be a decorative piece rather than being "combat ready," as many serious sword collectors would prefer.

Disclaimer

This sword is not suitable for the hacking of Nazgul, Orcs, Trolls, Uruk-hai, Dwarves, Elves, Humans, Ents, Hobbits, and inanimate objects, with the possible exception of cardboard cutouts of the above.

Strider's Sword was provided for review by Arms of Valor and is available in their store.

Described Dimensions/Qualities

Overall Length: 47.25 in.
Blade Length: 36 in.
Blade Thickness: 0.25 in
Blade Material: Tempered 420 J2 stainless steel with a false edge.
Handle Material: Solid metal crossguard and pommel, antique metal finish, genuine leather-wrapped grip, rat-tail tang construction.
Plaque: 11" x 13-1/4" x 3/4" wood, adorned with the heraldic insignia of the Kingdom of Gondor.

Actual Dimensions of Sample

Overall Length: 46.75 in.
Blade Length: 36.25 in.
Blade Width (maximum): 1.96 in
Blade Thickness (measured along highest edge of fuller): 0.23 in. at base with a subtle distal taper to 0.16 in at the tip.
Point of Balance (from end of pommel): 13.0 in.