Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!

Santa probably won't be delivering it until next November or December, but at least the elves have gotten the order to make it.

That's really awesome news!

YES!!!

Guthwine will finally be a reality and that makes me happier than words can express! Yiiiiiiippppppeeeeeeee!

Did Kit just fly by our forum in a sleigh and wearing a red suit and white beard, delivering some sort of merry pronouncement?!?!

I havent purchased an LOTR/Hobbit sword in a while... I've been a bad collector, but I will DEFINITELY buy Guthwine as soon as it is released!

Kit, will you be allowed to post teaser photos when you have them like you did with a lot of the previous releases?

I’m looking forward to seeing teaser photos though it’s not an elf piece I’m still going to be getting it. Hoping they rerelease Eowyn’s sword too

I really can't post pix until United does first, but it's going to be six months or so before there is anything to see anyway. It's still in the 3D CAD stage.

Kit, are you working off a prop or did you keep reference photos from the one you owned and sold to one of our members, Jash? (I hope I'm remembering that correctly.)

Recently re-watched the LOTR extended trilogy and it got me excited for Guthwine. I’m very excited to see teasers as we get closer to its release.

Val, I believe it was Jash who bought the prop from Kit.

I just placed an order on Bard’s sword today. Not the usual retailer I shop with and it was a bit more expensive than I’d have liked but I’m glad to be getting it. Should be here on Monday.

BudK just posted a listing for the Moria staff with a January release date!
https://www.budk.com/LOTR-Illuminated-M ... spla-44721

No pre-order option?

Awesome! Time to ring Rev's bell about this one, although I think he moved recently...

I bet they won’t keep to those dates but I’m pleased it is moving.

A must have.

Rev is taking orders via messenger. $195. Shipping to Canada is $80

Sweet! Thanks, Idril. I don't have his contact info for that, but if you could let him know to reserve one for me, that would be great. Buckeye is wondering why there is no pre-order so he probably won't be able to order them until they are released? I'm guessing this will be the same as with Bard's Sword: BudK gets the lion's share of the first run, and the smaller distributors get the leftovers, if and when there are any.

I forget what Kit said previously about this staff, but unlike the Hobbit AUJ staff, there is only one version of the Moria staff, right?

I asked Rev to send you an invoice. Pay it if you want or not. I’m sure he has your paypal address.

I don’t remember what Kit said about the staff except the bit about the torch. Seems like a great improvement to me so really looking forward to it. Wondering about having two for each side of the entry to my new collectibles room (when I get a new house that is)

I'm going to guess that if BudK doesn't have a page up for it, then there no non-light up version this time.

Idril, you could always implement your idea by pairing this staff with the light-up AUJ one. That way you don't have to have two of the same unique collectible.

Yes Val that was the original idea and the reason for buying the AUJ one.

Oh, my apologies. When you mentioned having two for each side of your door, I somehow thought you were talking about getting two of the Moria staff.

Sorry for the delay. I literally just found out about it all yesterday from a customer. But here we go:

Castle Kon is currently taking pre-orders for the United Cutlery Illuminated Moria Staff Of Gandalf And Display Plaque Length 66”

Price is $195 + Shipping

Shipping rates international are as follows:

$80 Canada
$90 Europe (general)
$100 UK
$120 Australia

US shipping rates can be calculated per request.

Apologies for the higher than normal shipping but this has been quoted to me at the 15 pound weight limit which increases it's price to me and then to you. Also, no news that it is in two pieces so most likely one again.

The way to pre-order is as follows:

email: CastleKon@gmail.com

with your paypal email address and shipping country. I shall then send paypal invoices that will allow partial (half payment). At least half must be placed as we are fairly close to the release (next month). Feel free to pay all if you want. One week before shipping, I'll follow up with anyone who hasn't fully paid for the rest.

The current release date is January 14, 2019, but that can easily change as we all have seen with past preorders.

There is only one version of the staff. No point in having two as the only difference would be the little LED flashlight in the hole under the crystal.

Here are some pix of the final prototype.

It looks so good. What is the crystal made of Kit?

Idril wrote: Sat Dec 22, 2018 1:20 pm It looks so good. What is the crystal made of Kit?

Carbon under pressure for a gazillion years ....

Clear Elvish polyresin I did not have a prop to copy, so that's a sculpt based on a couple photos of the actual crystal prop and screen captures of about every angle I could find of it from FOTR. Definitely not 100% accurate, but it's as close as I could get to what you see in the movie. Much better than the crystal in the Noble replica anyway. That one was not even close to accurate.

I'm not crazy about the flat bottom, but it was necessary. My original version had the full crystal shape, but the LED was not scattering the light into the crystal very well. I flattened it and made face flush on the LED lens. That seemed to work better.

The staff looks amazing Kit, and as you are likely to be the only one that would even know where it might differ slightly at all from the original prop, I don't think it will bother any of us.

Did you see my question about Guthwine? I'm wondering if you got another prop to work with since you had sold yours off, or if you are going off of photos you took when you had it? Actually, how would it work nowadays if UC ever decided to do older LOTR items that you don't have/had before? I think you mentioned something to the effect of Weta not loaning stuff out anymore, even if there is an active license agreement...?

I have probably said this here before, but I photographed and took measurements all the props I sold. In many cases, as with Guthwine, I had already made pattern drawings of all the parts before I sold it, so I had everything I needed from the prop. Othere than adding some details and measurements to those drawings, the only thing I had not completed was the silk screen art for the plaque, which I need to finish this week.

Kit, sorry if this has been asked before, but have you ever or are you able to post any comparison pics between the UC sword of Bard and the prop? I can’t remember if you received the prop or if it was one where you had to work from photos.

I want to age mine up a little to look a bit more like the one in the movie but there’s not a lot of photos out there. Even in the Weta books there’s no detailed closeup shots. Was there any pitting on the blade at all like with Orcrist and Glamdring from what you can remember?

I’m thinking a mixture of black and brown paint in areas on the copper/brass hilt furniture would work nicely too.

I’m very excited that you’re working on Guthwine though and that’ll be getting pre-ordered as soon as we can.

Thanks Kit, and yes, that does ring several bells. I guess that also answers my other question: if you had to create the Moria Staff replica from screenshots alone, that seems to confirm that Weta won't be parting with any more props moving forward. I guess the Weta Collectibles division now has a leg up on UC since they have access to all that stuff. Good thing we are past the bulk of prop replicas from those movies as I've generally preferred UC's replicas over Weta's.

Lindir, given that Bard's sword originally belonged to his ancestor, Girion, I would imagine that it looked far more beat up than the pristine version that UC made. That being said, I like how it looks currently because it is consistent with UC's approach to all their past replicas, which is to say the swords all look as they would have when they were newly forged (except the Nazgul gear),

Oh I know it’s consistent with the UC replicas but I was feeling a bit inspired. I was going back through the KRDS thread and saw what Kit had done to his Orcrist and he was talking about pitting in the blade and was wondering about Bard’s sword.

Even in the last chronicles book the sword isn’t shown in great detail like some of the others.

Kit was this one of those swords that was not made in real world materials at all? I remember you stating that Tauriel’s knives were only ever made in polyurethane until they made real steel versions to gift to Evangeline.

I’m in two minds about it in all honesty, but I’d like to try and dirty it up a bit if I can get over the fear of ruining the entire piece

What’re your thoughts on the replica though Val? It should be here tomorrow and I’m very excited for it.

I really like it.

It's not as outlandish as many other weapons from the Hobbit movies, but I think it sits in the middle of the road between them and the more conventional and practical designs used in LOTR. I feel PJ leaned too heavily into the realm of fantasy for the Hobbit movies (which I know is ironic given it is a fantasy story,) but as Tolkien meant it as a history of sorts for our own world, I really liked that the LOTR designs reflected that. You can place Bard's sword next to Anduril or Glamdring and you can see that it doesn't belong ever so slightly (my opinion) because it feels a little more ornate in terms of hilt and pommel construction, as well as blade design. Still, I love it and accept that not every weapon in Middle-earth has to feel like it came out of a history book.

Valkrist wrote: Sun Dec 23, 2018 8:05 am Thanks Kit, and yes, that does ring several bells. I guess that also answers my other question: if you had to create the Moria Staff replica from screenshots alone

The staff was cast from a prop. It was the crystal I was referring to that we did not have a prop of.

Lindir wrote: Sun Dec 23, 2018 8:36 am Kit was this one of those swords that was not made in real world materials at all?

Like the Dwarven weapons? Not at all. Bard's sword is basically a normal sword of men, with normal materials and construction. Steel blade, some type of embossed leather for the grip - at least I think it is supposed to me leather - and metal guard and pommel. That said, I think the one you see him using throughout BOFA had a polyurethane hilt and aluminum blade, not a real sword. There is a hero prop that appears to have metal hilt parts that Luke Evans holds in the marketing photos, but I don't think that was ever seen on screen up close. It may be the one he was wearing in the scene where Bilbo gives Bard and Thranduil the Arkenstone.

Lindir wrote: Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:37 am Kit, sorry if this has been asked before, but have you ever or are you able to post any comparison pics between the UC sword of Bard and the prop? I can’t remember if you received the prop or if it was one where you had to work from photos.

I want to age mine up a little to look a bit more like the one in the movie but there’s not a lot of photos out there. Even in the Weta books there’s no detailed closeup shots. Was there any pitting on the blade at all like with Orcrist and Glamdring from what you can remember?

I don't think I have any photos of them side-by-side, but here are a few pix of the prop showing the weathering. The prop blade was not really pitted much, but it was darkened and corrosion stained all across the surface. There was a Girion version that was completely corroded, and Bard's was supposed to be that, but cleaned and polished up a bit, so there were a few version of the prop made. I'm not sure if they decided to polish the blade more after this prop was made, or if the darkened surface just did not translate to the screen very well. Regardless, it does not really look like this in BOFA, so I did not attempt to duplicate it.



There was also some dirt and grime where the leather meets the metal hilt parts. You can kind of see it in these photo.

The bronze/copper looking metal had a more patina and a rougher texture surface too, but I think that had more to do with urethane hilt surface that was painted over. The hero prop Bard holds in the movie poster is smoother, so I went with that look on the UC replica.

He is holding the hero prop in these images.

Thanks for the photos Kit.

The one he used in the movie isn’t as aged as I was expecting, and that version you received it’s a bit overly aged on the blade though I like the grime on the leather.

In my post before I meant made in real world materials as in was it made with real metal components but I clearly worded my question wrong but thanks for letting us know that there was indeed a hero version of the sword.

In your experience Kit, what methods have you found success in when ageing leather? I like the grime and dirt around the hilt components but don’t want to ruin the leather completely. With pitting as well, what tools do you use? I really like the finish you achieved on your Orcrist replica.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Bards sword arrived on Christmas Eve and I love it so much. It feels great in hand. I also began ageing it. Pics will be posted soon but I’ve dirtied down the metal fittings with black and brown paint to give the bronze/brass effect more of a patina.

Next step will be to add a little pitting to the blade. I know it’s not on the prop but I like the way the pitting looks.

Kit, was the sword meant to have a completely flat edge? The LOTR/Hobbit swords usually have a “false edge” but the edge on my sword is completely flat.

Sorry to change the subject, but @Nasnandos a fellow collector recently purchased the witchking sword. Postal service wasnt gentle with it. Looks like the pommel took a hit and now the entire handle can twist roughly a quarter turn. It can be tightened but it no longer is in proper alignment, any thoughts or ideas for him? Is it the standard construction? Threaded pommel on tapered or welded tang? I've told him to leave it alone so I could ask for your input.

JJByers wrote: Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:22 am Sorry to change the subject, but @Nasnandos a fellow collector recently purchased the witchking sword. Postal service wasnt gentle with it. Looks like the pommel took a hit and now the entire handle can twist roughly a quarter turn. It can be tightened but it no longer is in proper alignment, any thoughts or ideas for him? Is it the standard construction? Threaded pommel on tapered or welded tang? I've told him to leave it alone so I could ask for your input.

It's the standard construction. I don't recall if the tang tapers to the threaded tail on that one or just had the threaded tail welded on the tang end, but that's the part that would bend. It's softer steel than the wider part of the tang, so it's possible to bend it back straight, but there is always the risk that it will break. The threads are coated in industrial epoxy, which is often so hard that the tang would break before the glue bon, but I have heated those pommels up with a heat gun before to soften the epoxy so the pommel can be twisted off for repair. It's tricky though - too hot and you can burn the leather wrap or injection molded grip under it, or the pommel finish, which I think was a type of powder coat.

usely ,there is a 14 to 21 days delvery and vs .If the sword i bougt from a retreiler ore a store ,(replaysment and a new sword)
is the sword comes from one on one ,you might be scamed -

if you try to look for somtething more original ,maby try to look at krobterkel or wetawoorkshop

Lindir wrote: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:52 am In your experience Kit, what methods have you found success in when ageing leather? I like the grime and dirt around the hilt components but don’t want to ruin the leather completely.

For dirt and grime I usually use a flat enamel or acrylic based paint. Wet wash on, then wipe off as much as needed, leaving colore in the deep areas. You can also dry brush or sponge dab paint on.

For this leather, I would mix a color slightly lighter than the dark brown leather color first. Then go lighter in smaller areas if needed. Best to test doing this on something else first to get some practice.

Lindir wrote: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:52 am With pitting as well, what tools do you use? I really like the finish you achieved on your Orcrist replica.

If you mean that Orcrist blade, I think I used some very small, round Dremel bits to cut random sized pits. You should practice doing that on some scrap stainless steel. It's very easy to ruin a blade. I'm sure I did some acid treatmenst in a few places to get a bit of corrosion going in those pits, but that was minimal.

I also polished the blade more with a buffing wheel and some polishing compound. I wore down some of the hard corners and grind lines with a block wrapped in fine sand paper too, jut to get it a bit more used looking.

Hi Kit,

Was wondering how you did the colouring on Orcrists blade? I recently got one and the purple colour is faded after a wipe. Is there an easy way to redo this?

You may have answered this but I have read this thread front to back but couldn't see it in particular.

Appreciate any advice you can give.

This is a great thread guys, the knowledge is unreal.

If you are talking about the one I customized, that is here:
http://ucforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=455&t=5269&start=50

I custom mixed a flat enamel paint, sort of a navy blue color to match the movie color, then mixed that with dull clear enamel to make it a bit transparent. I paint filled the etch then wiped across it with paper repeatedly to remove the paint from the top surfaces, leaving it mostly in the crevices and corners. I use post it notes to remove the paint - wipe across once to pick up paint, then get a clean one and wipe again in the same direction, et cetera. You have to do it that way to keep from smearing the paint around, and you have to do it while it is still wet. It you mess up, just dampen a cloth in paint thinner to clean up the mistakes, or wipe the whole thing off ans start again.

The production sword was done in a similar manner, but I don't know if they used enamel or a water based acrylic paint.

Thanks for getting back Kit. True gent and appreciated.

I only have three spots left for pre-orders on the Moria staff. Placing the order with United tonight!

Hi Rev, I would like to request that you please open and inspect the staff before shipping it to me, if at all possible. Extremely appreciative of the extra time and effort that it takes for you to do this.

Hey Kit,

Hope all is well! You may have seen a lot of chat here about the Guthwine replica being offered by Indy, I just wanted to ask, will this affect UC’s decision to replicate the sword?

Jamie Shakespeare wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 3:36 am Hey Kit,

Hope all is well! You may have seen a lot of chat here about the Guthwine replica being offered by Indy, I just wanted to ask, will this affect UC’s decision to replicate the sword?

More importantly, to what extent will it impact UC's sales of Guthwine, and thus future LOTR releases? This line has been trickling on for 18 years now, and with the demand being but a fraction of its former self, mainly restricted to the last few dedicated collectors, I can't see how any loss of business to Indy's replica would be a good thing for future releases. Especially given the relative obscurity of this sword compared to a more prominent piece like Anduril or Sting.

Kit, I've just heard that the Moria Staff has been pushed into mid-February. This really comes as no surprise if true, I can't remember the last time UC stuck the landing on their announced release dates. Having said that, have you heard of any reasons for the constant delays? Factory issues? Late shipments? China vs. US trade war?

Jamie Shakespeare wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 3:36 am Hey Kit,

Hope all is well! You may have seen a lot of chat here about the Guthwine replica being offered by Indy, I just wanted to ask, will this affect UC’s decision to replicate the sword?

UC already made the decision. It's been in development for a while now. I doubt that Indy's small run will make any difference.