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The Draco Arming Sword: The Everlasting Flame
“My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!”
– Smaug, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Hobbit
The Draco Arming Sword is our interpretation of the exemplary Oakeshott Type XIV sword preserved in the Deutsches Solingen Klingenmuseum. An accurate study was conducted for the 2015 exhibition “The Sword – Form and Thought,” and in 2018, we had the opportunity to analyze the sword in person, thanks to the current Museum Director Sixt Wetzler and former Dr. Isabel Immel.
The Draco borrows its name from the Latin word for “dragon.” In our interpretations of this sword, we were always asked to complement them with a tooled leather chappe representing a dragon. In the images, you find the blue version featuring a dragon taken from an English surviving knife scabbard from the Thames; the other displays a golden wyvern on a red field, as seen on the Wessex coat of arms. As fans of Tolkien’s work, we felt inspired to evoke the power of this mythical figures, which is why we chose this name.
The broad, lenticular cross-section of the blade transitions through measured tapers for precise handling without compromising stiffness in critical areas that serve to bind an opponent’s sword and execute the “ludus” as described in the I.33 Tower of London Fechtbuch. The brass pommel provides an appropriate dynamic ratio, although it differs from the original due to the different metal alloy, so the adapted distal taper ensures optimal flexibility for sword-and-buckler study and controlled training.
Like our recreation, the original sword is known for its versatility in cut-and-thrust combat. An exceptional study of the original Solingen sword during the Deutsches Klingenmuseum’s “The Sword – Form and Thought” exhibition in 2015, followed by a four-hour hands-on analysis in 2018, allowed us to faithfully recreate its historic essence. We thoroughly measured and traced it, examining it closely, particularly the missing layer of metal on the crossguard where, in ancient times, a leather chappe complemented the sword for better thumb accommodation, as seen in the contemporary German combat treatise I.33.
FEATURES:
- Agile and robust: Around 1.1 kilograms, ideal for I.33 Fechtbuch technical application.
- Fullered lenticular-section blade: Offers flexiblity, control, and a perfect balance between cut and thrust.
- Gracefully curved, slightly octagonal crossguard with chappe: Faithfully crafted to intercept and hook the opponent’s attack thanks to the curvature
- Heat treated crossguard and blade: Ensures longevity and resilience.
- Blunt edges, optimal flexibility and thickened tip: Prioritizes safety for training and demonstrations.
- Thinner edge (1.5–1 mm): Offers closer adherence to historical measurements.
- Collector’s quality: A fully functional and authentic piece, ideal for advanced practitioners of historical fencing, demanding reenactors, collectors and display purposes.
As a museum-grade sword, the Draco Arming Sword bridges the worlds of historical research and technical martial application, ideal for demanding reenactors, advanced historical fencers, film productions, and collectors seeking impeccable craftsmanship.
