More Rohirrim items . . . yay!Nasnandos wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:18 am Not much else new in the works, except a possible poly Eomer helm and steel Eomer spear head from ROTK.
Re: United Cutlery's - The Hobbit - Movie Props!Does that mean the design was changed? How much will it be altered from what we see on screen? Guthwine is a very unique design and the details very recognizable, I hope it isn't drastically alteredNasnandos wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:18 am There was an undercut issue with the hand guard design, so that had to be modified, which I was not happy about.
Think of each horse head on the blade as having a top, left side, and right side. In the left image in this pic, it's the side of the face you can't see, the one facing into the blade. You can kind of see that side of the head in the image on the right, with a bit of the eye and ear hole visible. On the actual sword there won't be any detail on that side of either head. It will just be smooth.Lindir wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 9:44 pm Are you able to illustrate what you mean Kit? My brain appears to not be working properly today. In my head I’m imagining that half of the pony face will have no detail.
No, it's the side of the horse heads that does not face you.Valkrist wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 5:47 pm That's a real bummer, Kit. Because the horse heads are on opposite faces of the hilt and therefore one of those inside edges will always be facing you,
Thanks Kit! Love hearing how things came to be. Especially with such a neat story - the accidental finding of Red Damascus haha.Nasnandos wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2019 8:05 amA process for red Damascus has been around since 2002. I know because it was first used on the black Damascus version of my Valermos sword, which ended up being black and red. We actually figured out how to do it by mistake, then it took forever to learn how to repeat it. Later it was used on some Shinwa katanas, then Honshu swords. The same process was used for the Valyrian Steel Oathkeeper that I worked on. The same factory made all of those blades.Jash wrote: Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:21 pm A few Chinese Forges have been making red "Damascus" katana blades for years now. Also, Valyrian Steel has come out with a red "Damascus" blade for their Book Version Oathkeeper. Soooo it should be possible now
"Pommel", dear...not hilts. You know, the knobby thing at the end of the grip that acts as a counter weight (and also keeps the grip from sliding off ) ...Valkrist wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:43 am Thank for clarifying, Kit, I see what you mean now, and that is disappointing but not the end of the world.
Deimos, I'm pretty sure UC wouldn't go so far as to compromise the entire symmetry of the hilt (which is what makes it so unique) by eliminating one of the horse heads. I don't think a single fan of Guthwine would buy that sword if UC ever did that. The 3D renderings that Kit has shown so far illustrate the two horse heads, so I'm 100% confident they will both be present. I can't think of a single UC replica where costs were cut by not finishing the side that would face a wall when displayed. Yeah there is the annoying license stamp, and the occasional goof-up with the leather stitching on the wrong side, but this looks more like an unfortunate case of them cutting a small corner to make the sword easier (and cheaper) to manufacture.
Ok, but do you see my concern? The Pommel has the horse's head, and it SHOULD be on both sides.Valkrist wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 12:08 pm Ouch, your sarcasm bites deep today.
I know what a pommel is. I think my brain just skipped over the word while reading your post since we were previously talking about the issue with the horse heads on the hilt. My bad
I'm only talking about the side of the head facing into the blade. The top will be as shown in the 3D images above. Actually I tweaked it a bit since that snapshot was made.Lindir wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:38 am When you say smooth, I understand the nostril and eye hole and ear won’t be there but will the shape of the brow and nose of the horse still be present or will it instead be completely flat onto the blade?
Exactly.Lindir wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:38 am I’m imagining that the design was changed due to a manufacturing issue, Deimos, and not about cutting costs.
Do you mean bring back the two the old UC made, or continue the line? Weta kind of already did it, and did it 1000x better, although I think there is probably room to do something in between.Jash wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 5:32 am On a side note (sorry if you mentioned this before)… I know UC will not bring back the original Museum Collection... but may I ask why? Did they not sell well enough? Too much of a risk with the glass cases?
Yes, that's what I meant by "something in between". United has delved into the functional sword market off and on since 2007, but really did not go full bore into it until the Honshu line about 4 years ago, which I design. Those are mostly forged Japanese style blades, but they recently added a broadsword I designed. I tested a production sample last month that was excellent, so I know the functional blades are no problem. However, I think they would want to cast the guards and pommels in a zinc alloy like the current LOTR swords to keep the cost down. At a guess, doing those parts in steel would mean the cost for a sword like Glamdring would go from around $1500 to $3000-4000.Valkrist wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 11:07 am It would be cool to have an intermediate line for those that want something slightly fancier than the normal UC replicas, but not so expensive that it drives them into bankruptcy, like Weta's MSSC line.
Re: United Cutlery's - The Hobbit - Movie Props!
I posted a few prop photos in this thread. Dry brushing gold and silver in the appropriate places would help, but there is also some green patina in there and even rust color at the blade tang.JJByers wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:01 am @Nasnandos
Hey Kit do you still have Deathless? I am thinking about tweaking my Noble Collection one to look........ A whole lot better than what we got lol. Or could you just recommend colors. In AUJ is the hilt more gold colored or would you say just dry brush some brass or gold paint on the hilt at first? Thank you!
Nice! Thank You. Guessing the last pic is the plaque we would have had with United's version? God I wish United would make that sword... Noble's is such a discount deathless lolNasnandos wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2019 12:29 pmI posted a few prop photos in this thread. Dry brushing gold and silver in the appropriate places would help, but there is also some green patina in there and even rust color at the blade tang.JJByers wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:01 am @Nasnandos
Hey Kit do you still have Deathless? I am thinking about tweaking my Noble Collection one to look........ A whole lot better than what we got lol. Or could you just recommend colors. In AUJ is the hilt more gold colored or would you say just dry brush some brass or gold paint on the hilt at first? Thank you!
http://ucforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=455 ... 98#p114498
Noble's is pretty beefy lol. That basic shapes are there. My gripe is mostly the finish on it though. Appears to be a 3 piece hilt. The guard, the handle, and the pommel is epoxied on, mine has some showing from the seams. But they advertised it all shiny and golden with some weathering. And what you got was nothing of the sort. Was the Deathless prop received that much larger than Kili's sword? I figured they were all ME scale so it'd range along that size? Noble's fits in well with UC's Fili and Kili swords, its cosmetic shortcoming REALLY show next to them as well though.Nasnandos wrote: Mon Aug 26, 2019 3:30 am Yes, I think that was one of my display designs from before AUJ was released. That sword, like Thorin's regal sword, could not be made in a production version because the blade was about 1/2" thick and had grinds that could not be done on a machine grinder. It was too long to cast in stainless without warpage issues. I suppose we could have done it with a 5-6mm thick blade like the LOTR swords, and deep etched the engraved parts, but it just would not have looked right. The only way to do it properly would be to mill and CNC the blade out of a block of steel and make a tiny run of 50-100 pieces. The cost with the handle tooling amortized into it would have been a few thousand though, so that would not have worked either.
My apologies - I meant did UC have plans to continue the MC line after Glamdring and Sting? I really had my fingers crossed for Anduril and then Strider's lol. I agree - I don't think it would be worth it now, especially with the cases and increase in production costs. I just enjoyed having an "upgraded" display version. Honestly, out of my entire weapons collection - my MC Glamdring probably gets the most compliments.Nasnandos wrote: Sat Aug 24, 2019 9:02 amDo you mean bring back the two the old UC made, or continue the line? Weta kind of already did it, and did it 1000x better, although I think there is probably room to do something in between.Jash wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 5:32 am On a side note (sorry if you mentioned this before)… I know UC will not bring back the original Museum Collection... but may I ask why? Did they not sell well enough? Too much of a risk with the glass cases?
I remember there was a huge loss on those MC cases from shipping damage, so I doubt anything like that will ever be tried again. The factory that made the swords did a terrible job too. Both those products were not even close to being functional. UC can make them functional now, but I'm not sure if they want to try it. Maybe when the LOTR series comes out and LOTR interest peaks again. We can only hope.
It's dead on to the prop. I still have the full set of Gilmi axe props.JJByers wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:13 am Were the hafts to those really that thin on the prop? Looking at the film with what Davies has in hand and what I had it seems the UC Walking Axe haft is pretty thin? I could be wrong though, I am alot lol.
Jash wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 9:18 am My apologies - I meant did UC have plans to continue the MC line after Glamdring and Sting?
It was a relatively easy one actually, compared to some of the other ME weapons. Of course, it's not done yet, so there is always the potential for something else to crop up, but it's a pretty straightforward build.JJByers wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:13 am Very interesting inside look on the Guthwine hurdles (from both versions coming out). I wonder if this was the most problematic steel sword to be replicated thus far? lol.
I believe it was that UC was considering a re-release. A lot of the things they were considering back when AUJ came out were really exciting and so have etched themselves into my brain haha especially the planned Legolas scabbards with the harness. Still hoping that might happen one day.Nasnandos wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 11:16 am It's dead on to the prop. I still have the full set of Gilmi axe props.
Not sure why those axe heads were on the table in that pic. I must have been working on those at the time, maybe for a reissue.
Kit - Is that a list compiled from various polls? The latest poll on FB (I've left off everything with less than 4 votes as its a LONG list) - Denethors sword is further down on this one. I would assume items like Boromir horn aren't covered under the UC license, as its not a weapon/Shield?Nasnandos wrote: Those polls, limited as they are, have actually driven all of the reissue requests and much of the new product development since 2014. I looked through it this morning and it seems on par with the 2014 and 2018 polls.
These are the most requested items, in order:
Sword of Denethor
Helm of Eomer
Merry and Pippins Weathertop swords
Merry and Pippin's daggers
Horn of Gondor
Aeglos
Sword of Faramir
We'll I'm always looking for the most accurate version I can get my hands on. I know there are some things that are different on our shields versus the Weta version and I would upgrade given the chance. It would depend on how the final product ended up, because if it was entirely resin like the Gondor shield and painted to look like leather and wood I might pass (but might be a good base to improve / modify from?) and I do have the horn as well and some of those details aren't screen accurate either. I'm sure UC could do a better job at replicating the brass elements better that just paint.Valkrist wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2019 1:16 pm N2, given you made a Boromir shield for yourself, I'm surprised you'd want one made by UC. I seriously doubt they'd be able to top the quality of what you made, not to mention Rick's amazing leather work. I also thought you gor one of Blindsquirrel's Boromir Horn kits?
As for Aeglos, yeah having a metal spear head would be awesome but the detail on that thing is so intricate I could see UC going the resin route, which would be a shame. Or, a metal blade but no shaft, same as they are possibly planning with Eomer's spear.
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