Ultimate Collectors' Forums

Oh wow! I took a vacation through TN years ago and I believe this was the place I visited. Is it the store with like 2-3 floors and they have like every LoTR sword in wood/glass cases? I went there and completely forgot the name and could never find it! Thank you!

I was just in town last week taking my Nephews to SMKW. They still have those huge LOTR glass cased sword displays we made for them in there on the wall. They barely carry anything of mine these days, but I noticed the have some of my M48 and Honshu designs in there now.

Regarding the MC stuff, this is a sponsors thread about The Hobbit weapons, so I probably not derail it with LOTR MC talk. There are other threads on it, but the short of it is, IMO, not very. At least Glamdring is not. But I would no go using them even if they weree. They are worth quite a lot in mint condition.

As far as Hobbit MC replicas, that all depends of the films success and demand. I would love to do them though, but it's not my call.

Kit, are you allowed to discuss how progress went on the scabbard? I was just wondering if you'd be allowed to talk about whether you think the replica will be made or not

Also, is Orcrist lighter in weight than Glamdring?

[quote=""Valkrist""]I'm going with N2 on this one, 110%: the darker blue looks better, and is more accurate to the prop, which is always a massive plus for me.

Kit, if our opinions matter at all, please count our two votes. [/quote]
Somehow I hear a future ring to Legolas' handle color coming down the pipe.
I vote blue.

[quote=""RevAnakin""]They better make these things glow in the movie or I am gonna face-palm...[/quote]
Glamdring never glowed in LOTR , don't hit yourself too hard Rev

Appreciate the votes, but the color is really a fixed thing. It will match the prop, it's just the photography that may not. The pix are not the final product, just what was done up to the point UC had to release images on Monday. The guard molds still need some texturing and other finishing touches before I can lock the final production sample and color it.

[quote=""Elvenguard13""]Kit, are you allowed to discuss how progress went on the scabbard? I was just wondering if you'd be allowed to talk about whether you think the replica will be made or not

Also, is Orcrist lighter in weight than Glamdring?[/quote]

No and yes

hey kit, since the kili sword has the best hope of being functional do you think the batch of mc's will be functional this time at least for kili's sword?

We won't know if there will even be any MC versions until next year, so too early to say. They really don't want me talking about anything that has not been announced yet anyway.

This is interesting...

[quote=""Nasnandos""]This is interesting...[/quote]

Yay! Sting is glowing!

[quote=""timdp""]Yay! Sting is glowing![/quote]

Sting has always glowed. I'm pretty sure that's not what Kit is finding interesting, though I would like to know what he's wondering about. If it is the identity of the goblin above Thorin, he has already been identified as Bolg, the son of Azog.

Ooo, Dwaven bow!

Thanks for the reply Kit, hopefully you will be able to discuss it some other time tho

Who else has pre-ordered Orcrist?

I am still debating. $17.50 off plus $18 shipping is a great deal from BUDK, I think I'm going to order all three (Orcrist, Staff, and Glamdring) today or tomorrow. Under $500 for all three including shipping!

Just made my Orcrist preorder. Pretty excited, though this wait is going to be tough.

[quote=""RosereIII""]Just made my Orcrist preorder. Pretty excited, though this wait is going to be tough.[/quote]

Haha yeh I know, but at least I have time to save up for my camera and Orcrist. So excited!

[quote=""Valkrist""]Sting has always glowed. I'm pretty sure that's not what Kit is finding interesting, though I would like to know what he's wondering about. If it is the identity of the goblin above Thorin, he has already been identified as Bolg, the son of Azog.[/quote]

Another prop in there we were thinking of doing, but it will be for later.

[quote=""Nasnandos""]Another prop in there we were thinking of doing, but it will be for later.[/quote]

I take it that ur hinting at that big hammer/mace thing that Bolg is carrying, or maybes the hammer that Dwalin is weilding. I'd like to see UC produce Bolg's weapon tho, it looks interesting

Well, it can only be either the hammer, the bow, or the goblin weapon (looks like a crude spiked mace of some kind.) My hopes are for the hammer or bow. Not big on hodgepodge goblin weapons.

I was hoping for the bow.

Well, I can't really comment on the bow before seeing more of it, but that goblin mace sure as hell looks interesting. Could be a nice addition to the Nazgul weapons.

However what i find the most interesting, is how Sting is glowing in the picture, and Orcrist is not, despite both Bilbo and Thorin being surrounded by orcs. Sure, it could mean nothing, being a movie poster and all, but Sting is glowing...

An Orcrist that doesn't glow would kinda be a party-pooper for me

[quote=""Darlak""]Sure, it could mean nothing, being a movie poster and all, [/quote]

You answer is right there. It is just a movie poster. You really think Gandalf would be posing so casually next to a goblin?

Note that Bilbo is holding the Ring as if he had just found it. Thorin was definitely not in that scene.

[quote=""Jamanticus""]Ooo, Dwaven bow![/quote]

Double oooo... ....I saw that too.

Might, just might consider getting it, if it's made out of real wood, like the collectible Mirkwood bow was.

That's Bolg? He is one ugly Goblin! Very sinister and big though, just like the book said.

As for the color on Orcrist, I never even noticed the hue on it at all in the past! Interesting to note it now.

And yes, Dwalin's hammer...give it to us...we wants it...

[quote=""Fingolfin""]That's Bolg? He is one ugly Goblin![/quote]

lol, Fin... find me one good-looking goblin then, and I'll be the first to pay for your eye exam.

Kinda sad and amusing at the same time to see all the Orcrists popping up on Ebay already and going for $300+.

It's funny and makes you wonder how stupid they think people are, and then you realize that these are probably knockoffs already yet they are using the new UC product pictures.

Sadly, someone out there will probably buy these.

[quote=""Valkrist""]lol, Fin... find me one good-looking goblin then, and I'll be the first to pay for your eye exam. [/quote]

Touche! He's just extraordinarily ugly.

Here are some newer pics that show the blue color much better.

That article on theonering.net says Orctist is due to be released in December and budk.com is saying the same. Kit, do you know if this is correct or not?

Look what I found:

http://blog.budk.com/replicas/hobbit-mo ... ca-swords/

What the heck is that? It's not the hilt of Thorin's sword, that's for sure. Balin's Mace maybe? Doesn't look right either.

[quote=""Valkrist""]What the heck is that? It's not the hilt of Thorin's sword, that's for sure. Balin's Mace maybe? Doesn't look right either. [/quote]

Its the handle of Fili's cleaver. Sorry I should have said

Also the link contains video previews of Orcrist and the new Sting

Thanks, EG, I guess I could have clicked the link.

Interesting to note in the Sting video with the LOTR version side by side, that the hilt on the new version is darker. Seems like they opted both with the scabbard and the new sword to go away from the red and more toward the brown. The new Sting also has pits on the hilt and pommel, whereas on the LOTR one we can surmise the elven smiths polished those out once they added the runes.

[quote=""Valkrist""]Thanks, EG, I guess I could have clicked the link.

Interesting to note in the Sting video with the LOTR version side by side, that the hilt on the new version is darker. Seems like they opted both with the scabbard and the new sword to go away from the red and more toward the brown. The new Sting also has pits on the hilt and pommel, whereas on the LOTR one we can surmise the elven smiths polished those out once they added the runes.[/quote]
I think it may be just a lighting issue on the browner grip, we'll see.
I personally really love Ocrist, but, yes, the cast grip has to go IMHO.

Yeah, the "dragon's tooth" really ruins it for me. Not even so much the made up history and circumstance behind it all, but just the look itself is not flattering at all. It would look so much better with a leather or wire-wrapped normal hilt, or even a curved wooden hilt like Hadhafang's.

Ooh, dat Sword of Fili. I better start saving now.

[quote=""Thranduil""]I think it may be just a lighting issue on the browner grip, we'll see.
I personally really love Ocrist, but, yes, the cast grip has to go IMHO.[/quote]

What do you plan on replacing the cast grip with? Are you going to carve a new tooth out of wood or maybes find a piece of bone big enough? Or are you gonna make a completely different handle?

[quote=""Elvenguard13""]What do you plan on replacing the cast grip with? Are you going to carve a new tooth out of wood or maybes find a piece of bone big enough? Or are you gonna make a completely different handle?[/quote]

'Zactly what I was wondering.....

Thrandy, see if you can find some faux ivory (I have no idea what that stuff costs) and then "yellow" it like real ivory.

The primary problem is in what they insinuated with the tooth.

The new grip needs to compliment the design.
I think I'll make up my mind the same I did with Isildur's sword; When it arrives.

I guess this is a question for Kit. And I cannot remember if I asked it before.

Aside: I like to swing my swords occasionally. Now, my Windlass high carbons I use for cutting and practicing ect, but sometimes I just like to practice form, swinging different swords/axes. I had used Boromir's for a while because I love that one handed fighting style but then someone mentioned on here that the rat tail could break off at the handle from that little centripetal force. I know that Strider's sword is full tang, so that is the only one I risk swinging.

I know Orcrist and Glamdring can't/don't have full tangs, but is the build quality high enough for me to practice form with them for the hell of it, or are they truly hangers? Keep in mind, I shall be striking nothing with these.

Oh and I direct link to that video is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... eHkfByh1QQ

[quote=""Thranduil""]The primary problem is in what they insinuated with the tooth.

The new grip needs to compliment the design.
I think I'll make up my mind the same I did with Isildur's sword; When it arrives.[/quote]

Very interested to see what becomes of this... also, I'm curious about you Isildur's sword. Did you ever post any pics of it? If not, please?

[quote=""RosereIII""]Very interested to see what becomes of this... also, I'm curious about you Isildur's sword. Did you ever post any pics of it? If not, please?[/quote]
I lost a lot of photos when my hard drive locked up on my old comp.\I have to redo this leather because I didn't get it right, but here you go.
http://i1025.photobucket.com/albums/y31 ... 730410.jpg

I remember the old photos. Looks tons better than the rubberized grip of the original. I really wonder what UC was thinking at that point. I understand why the Elven Warrior Sword hilt had to be done the way it was, but not bothering to use a few strips of leather on Isildur's sword?

That's a facepalm right there for the boys from Georgia. Way to drop the ball.

BTW, what is dangling from the end of that chain we can see around the hilt and crosspiece?

[quote=""Thranduil""]...I have to redo this leather because I didn't get it right, but here you go.
http://i1025.photobucket.com/albums/y31 ... 730410.jpg[/quote]


[quote=""Valkrist""]I remember the old photos. Looks tons better than the rubberized grip of the original. I really wonder what UC was thinking at that point. I understand why the Elven Warrior Sword hilt had to be done the way it was, but not bothering to use a few strips of leather on Isildur's sword?

That's a facepalm right there for the boys from Georgia. Way to drop the ball.

BTW, what is dangling from the end of that chain we can see around the hilt and crosspiece?[/quote]

I remember seeing that photo too. What is wrong with it? If you're thinking you have to make the strips wider that are around the middle part of the grip, I think yours looks just fine the way it is...I'd prefer your leather grip as is over the UC version any day.

Just a guess, but I think the chain is holding Thrandy's One Ring from NC

[quote=""Deimos""]I remember seeing that photo too. What is wrong with it? If you're thinking you have to make the strips wider that are around the middle part of the grip, I think yours looks just fine the way it is...I'd prefer your leather grip as is over the UC version any day.

Just a guess, but I think the chain is holding Thrandy's One Ring from NC[/quote]
Yes it is my NC One Ring hanging from it's chain, "Isildur's Bane".

It's new photo, so none of you have seen it before. Not that there weren't photos in the Isidur sword thread, they're gone (photobucketed out with no way to replace them).
Anyway, at the middle of the grip the leather should skip a weave in 2 rows, then proceed back to what you now see. Photo in Isidurs sword thread posted by ed209 (after I did my new grip-go figure?)

[quote=""Thranduil""]I lost a lot of photos when my hard drive locked up on my old comp.\I have to redo this leather because I didn't get it right, but here you go.
http://i1025.photobucket.com/albums/y31 ... 730410.jpg[/quote]

Well thanks...I now officially HATE the handle on mine. I was able to deal with it, until I saw yours. All joking aside, beautiful work as always!


Back to the original topic: Knowing that a lot of people here had issues with the Orcrist handle, does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions/images of what they think it should look like? ...I'm sure everyone does, but 'would you care to share them' would be a better questions I suppose!

Val, this is a question for you.

I saw a comment on youtube where someone said that they were Dwarven runes on Orcrist, but I thought they were old Elven runes. Am I right?

and RosereIII, although I like the tooth handle I sometimes like to think what the original handle looked like. I think the handle would be straight, not curved, to fit in with Sting and Glamdring, and maybes it had a leather wrap similar to Glamdring but it would be green, but it obviously has its unique pommel with Ecthelion's mark on it.

[quote=""Lindir""]Val, this is a question for you.

I saw a comment on youtube where someone said that they were Dwarven runes on Orcrist, but I thought they were old Elven runes. Am I right?

and RosereIII, although I like the tooth handle I sometimes like to think what the original handle looked like. I think the handle would be straight, not curved, to fit in with Sting and Glamdring, and maybes it had a leather wrap similar to Glamdring but it would be green, but it obviously has its unique pommel with Ecthelion's mark on it.[/quote]

There is really no such thing as "dwarven" or "elven" runes. There are two runic languages used by Tolkien. The first, in the original book of the Hobbit, real world, Old English runes were used. He used these runes because he had not developed his own yet. Remember Tolkien wrote this whole story of Middle Earth to be Britain specific mythology that was lost during the Norman Conquest.

Then later, he took those Old English runes and reinvented them for Lord of the Rings. That is where we get the "Cirth" runes we see in the back of the ROTK appendix. The movies have exclusively been using Cirth, even on the Hobbit weapons, even though they should be Old English. Some are saying that the Dwarf weapons have the Old English runes on them, but since 99% of movie Dwarvish in invented, we really can't tell which runes they are using unless they specifically tell us.

So in other words, the youtuber you were describing doesn't really understand the languages of Middle Earth and should refrain themselves from making stupid comments like that misleading people.

P.S. Sorry I am not Val...

[quote=""RevAnakin""]There is really no such thing as "dwarven" or "elven" runes. There are two runic languages used by Tolkien. The first, in the original book of the Hobbit, real world, Old English runes were used. He used these runes because he had not developed his own yet. Remember Tolkien wrote this whole story of Middle Earth to be Britain specific mythology that was lost during the Norman Conquest.

Then later, he took those Old English runes and reinvented them for Lord of the Rings. That is where we get the "Cirth" runes we see in the back of the ROTK appendix. The movies have exclusively been using Cirth, even on the Hobbit weapons, even though they should be Old English. Some are saying that the Dwarf weapons have the Old English runes on them, but since 99% of movie Dwarvish in invented, we really can't tell which runes they are using unless they specifically tell us.

So in other words, the youtuber you were describing doesn't really understand the languages of Middle Earth and should refrain themselves from making stupid comments like that misleading people.

P.S. Sorry I am not Val...[/quote]

Ahh thanks for e xp laining it for me Rev. Hahha I was meant to write "and whoever else can answer" but must have forgotten

Rev is right, although he's not me.

The runes we commonly associate with being elvish, like those found on the One Ring, flow more like normal script and are called Tengwar. The ones that people mistakenly call Dwarvish runes are the Cirth Angerthas, also of elven origin. The Dwarves simply adapted it for their own use.

The runes saw many evolutions since being created by the elf Daeron, who was the minstrel of Thingol: Certhas Daeron to Angerthas Daeron, then later adapted into Angerthas Moria and Angerthas Erebor.

As a side note, Tengwar was brought by Feanor to Middle-earth and largely replaced Cirth among the elves.