The Hobbit - my build of Bilbo's Sting

[Loneken]

Beautiful!! I want one!

 

[thd9791]

Absolutely stellar. Your crossguard really looks on point, are you peening the pommel?

 

[bookface]

Aaaand it's done! As a brief rundown, it's 700 layer damascus blade, the blade, guard, and pommel were all rough forged to shape before grinding the rest of the way. Handle is cocobolo like the original prop, but I just could not figure a way of replicating the vine inlay as it was done on the prop for The Hobbit. If I remember rightly they didn't do that on the LOTR prop either, it was a vinyl sticker. So instead I have a fluted handle with a twisted sterling silver wire inlay. I did peen the pommel on, so that sucker is not coming off.

 

[bookface]

Since you seem to be well versed in blade making - I've noticed some pommels in the films have been peened, how the heck does the handle/wood not crack or something?

I just remembered that you asked this, so here's a couple of pics.

This is before peening. I've chamfered the edge of the tang hole so that I can grind the pommel smooth but it will still have some solid purchase. I heated it up to just below a dull red colour and used a rounding hammer to squish it down. I would have liked to get it a little hotter but I just have a regular propane torch and it just wasn't hot enough.

And this is what it looks like finished. It could probably be a little neater, but it works. I guess I could always weld it to fill those small gaps.

 

[thd9791]

Ohoo I thought people did it cold.. that's super cool, I think it looks fine even with the gaps, much cleaner than the bump on the weathertop swords!

The inlay was a good call, it's very unique

 

[bookface]

Thought I'd give one last update with it on the wall. I made a wall plaque from olive wood and added a bit of a burst finish to it. My map is made from actual calfskin parchment.

 

[J EM]

that came out really neat! I also love your plaque.

 

[ziddersroofurry]

I love how this came out so much. It really looks like something you'd find in Middle Earth.

 

[Cbstudios]

This turned out spectacular. The twisted wire inlay looks gorgeous in the cocobolo grip.

 

[bookface]

Hey thanks guys. I think my next one is going to be either Aragorn's ranger sword or Glamdring. First I need to do some regular work though and make some money. I love projects like this but they don't bring in the dough.