Is this a recast of a United Cutlery Anduril?

[Jm419]

Hi everyone,

Several years ago, long before I got into the prop community, I bought an Anduril off of ebay for like $75.00, I don't remember exactly what I paid. The thing looked good enough hanging on the wall, but it was a rat-tail tang (meaning the blade was rather weakly attached to the hilt), the threads in the pommel (yes, it screwed on...) were stripped, the runes were no more than black nailpolish on the blade, and the leather grip was scarred in several places and appeared to be held on with, well, hot-glue. It was fine, for a time, and I liked it for what it was worth.

I always salivated over those UC swords, though, so imagine my surprise and joy when I received a UC Anduril for Christmas this year. The Anduril handled so much better, so I immediately went into the kitchen and rubbed off the runes on the blade with acetone, so I had a Narsil as well. However, as I compared the two swords, I became more and more worried that my Narsil was a recast of either a UC Anduril or Narsil. Here's my evidence, and I'd like to see what people think.

Contention 1: Narsil (as the perhaps-recast will be called from now on) is about 3-5% smaller in all dimensions than the Anduril is.

Anduril is the one with the darker metal, on the left in this shot.

Anduril on the bottom of this one.

I'm aware that metal contracts when cool, so this does seem to point to recasting. It could just be a smaller sword in general, but this isn't the only evidence I have.

Contention 2: The pommel runes on Narsil are a very sloppy and hardly legible match to those on Anduril.

Anduril

Narsil

This is, I think, the most damning piece of evidence. Though it's possible that the swordsmith just rushed though the rune carving on Narsil, it's too close a match for someone who didn't do their research. The runes are similar in shape, but much sharper on the Anduril, and they're also slightly smaller on Narsil.

Contention 3: There are several details in the quilions and grip which are shared, but appear less sharply on the Narsil.

Quilion/Crossguard shot, Anduril on the bottom.

Anduril grip detail.

Narsil grip detail.

So, with this, I'm fairly certain I have a UC recast, but I'm not entirely sure. These are the points I've noticed, if anyone else has any questions I'd be happy to take more pictures. Let me know what you think.

 

[rollerboi]

I'm pretty convinced, especially from the photographic evidence and the shrinkage factor.
Is that ebay seller still active? I'd like to put 'em on my block list, if so.

So, what are you going to do about it now? Cut it into shards?

 

[Jm419]

I'm pretty convinced, especially from the photographic evidence and the shrinkage factor.
Is that ebay seller still active? I'd like to put 'em on my block list, if so.

So, what are you going to do about it now? Cut it into shards?

That's what I was worried about. We're gonna have to see what the general consensus is.

I don't remember the ebay seller - this was like 5 years ago on a different ebay account, so I don't even have access to the records anymore. Sorry for the inconvenience. :confused

I'm not so sure how easy it's gonna be to cut it, though that was the plan. I do have a UC Narsil plaque that it's on right now, so I may just decide to keep it. It has a nice bright blade on it, which'd be a shame to wreck if I didn't know how to use my tools properly.

 

[Jm419]

Bump for more opinions.

 

[Voodoo13]

In the argument for shattering it, aside from having access to liquid nitrogen, I don't see much of a way to get a clean shatter from it as I'm fairly certain dry ice wouldn't even touch it.

 

[Jamanticus]

If it helps, the original prop was 'shattered' in this way...

Peter Lyon took the sword, dremeled the shattered pattern into the back of the blade with a dremel cutting wheel and then snapped the blade apart in those places.

A look at closeups of the UC shards and some measurements (PM me if you'd like, JM ^_^) and I think it'll be a not-all-too-impossible thing to do, might be fun!

 

[JasonCash]

I used to run a knife and sword shop. I never imagined the amount of "knockoffs" we would see of the LOTR swords, the highlander and Braveheart copies were bad enough. We constantly had to get in polite arguments with costumers saying they bought "the same exact sword for a 3rd of what we charge". Like everyone says here research research research....

@jamanticus... I never knew that about the Shards, pretty cool

 

[Jm419]

Jamanticus,

That's a definite possibility, and it'd basically guarantee what you end up with. However, the blade here is so shiny it's almost certainly chromed, which means that it's probably not solid chrome - so if I cut it, I could end up with brass or copper underneath, which'd look odd to say the least. I wouldn't mind having a look at those pictures, though, that'd be cool.

Jason,

Nope, definitely not the same sword. Feel free to direct customers to this thread...

 

[Mullreel]

if you are worried about the chrome factor, could you use rub-n-buff to even out the appearence on the edges?

 

[Voodoo13]

if you are worried about the chrome factor, could you use rub-n-buff to even out the appearence on the edges?

Or a spray chrome afterwards to clean up the edges would probably work as well.

 

[Jm419]

Everyone seems to think that this is a recast, then?

 

[moonwalker]

Maybe an unofficial one. Here in France, a really serious website sells UC (official) LOTR swords, and unofficial ones, which are lesser quality but great for the price, and these are legal.

My two cents.

 

[rollerboi]

What is an "unofficial" one? Sounds like another word for recast, what company puts "unofficial" merchandise out the back door to undercut their official sales?

 

[moonwalker]

Well, here is the link :

EPEES le seigneur des anneaux

As told before that's a REALLY serious website, so...