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UC's Sting is scaled for a hobbit, thus it looks small in human hands. If you want an actor-scale version, you would need to purchase Noble's version.

At any rate, I'm with BC on this one: undecided on whether to get the new version or not. I want to see what else UC and Weta are putting out before spending money twice on the same sword.

Question for Kit: as far as the leather versus suede and different shades of brown goes, which of the two scabbard replicas is closest to the actual prop from either movie? Or were so many props used, like you said, that it doesn't matter?
This Space for Rent

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The prop master pictures I had for the original LOTR scabbard had a very surface choppy, hand cut leather wrap, with more of the raw suede like surface. After the film was released I saw other scabbard props that had a less choppy surface leather. The prop leather color appears a shade darker in the film than UC's version.

The TH prop has a smooth leather wrap. The leather is a lighter brown color, much lighter than UC's replica. We guessed, rightly, that after color grading in the movie it would appear darker so we went a bit darker on the color, and I think we got pretty close.

I think the smaller movie scale prop this time around was close to 19 3/8", but we kept the same scale as our 22" from LOTR. Noble's Hobbit Sting is 22" long this time, not actor scale like their LOTR sword. They were probably hoping UC's scabbard would fit their sword.
KRDS

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[quote=""N2darkness""]Hey guys, I just got in my United Cutlery catalog in today and there is a listing for Orcrist scabbard for spring of 2013! Here is a pic.

Image
[/quote]

Thats interesting. After what Kit said, I figured it wouldn't be released until the end of the year/ early next year if they decided it was gonna work out.

Kit do you have any comparison photos of UC's Orcrist replica and the Weta prop that you could share with us?
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"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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Despite what that catalog lists, the scabbard is nowhere near ready. They only do one catalog a year, so I think they just wanted to get it in there. They are missing a few other new items for LOTR, like the Morgul-blade, which is being reissued in a Hobbit version.

Regarding the Orcrist prop, unfortunately, neither UC or I are allowed to show any pictures of the Weta props. We have a really good group shot of all the film 1 props, and comparison photos, but sadly we are forbidden to show them. Since Weta is also doing replicas, they probably prefered no one else use images of their props for any kind of marketing.

UC did get approval for a few 'making of' photos that we shot here in the shop for the Blade Magazine issue with Orcrist on the cover that came out last month. Parts of the props can be seen in a few of those photos next to the UC parts, but they were never used in the article. I did show a few of those in the last KRDS email newsletter. Hopefully we can put the full length interview/article online at some point. It deals strictly with how the replicas were made.
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KRDS

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[quote=""Nasnandos""]Despite what that catalog lists, the scabbard is nowhere near ready. They only do one catalog a year, so I think they just wanted to get it in there. They are missing a few other new items for LOTR, like the Morgul-blade, which is being reissued in a Hobbit version.

Regarding the Orcrist prop, unfortunately, neither UC or I are allowed to show any pictures of the Weta props. We have a really good group shot of all the film 1 props, and comparison photos, but sadly we are forbidden to show them. Since Weta is also doing replicas, they probably prefered no one else use images of their props for any kind of marketing.

UC did get approval for a few 'making of' photos that we shot here in the shop for the Blade Magazine issue with Orcrist on the cover that came out last month. Parts of the props can be seen in a few of those photos next to the UC parts, but they were never used in the article. I did show a few of those in the last KRDS email newsletter. Hopefully we can put the full length interview/article online at some point. It deals strictly with how the replicas were made.[/quote]

I thought that was the case with the scabbard :|

I'd be really interested in seeing the interview and photos, so hopefully you'll be allowed to release it soon :thumbs_up

For the Weta prop, that is understandable but still a shame. I liked seeing the photos you posted of the UC morgul blade next to the Weta one. It's always interesting to see differences and similarities between them.

BudK is showing on their website that they e xp ect to have Orcrist in by the 18th January. I'm hoping we'll get them in the UK around about then too, I'm really looking forward to seeing and holding the replica :D

By the way Kit, have you seen any of the photos online of Noble's version of Orcrist? What's your opinion on it?

Here's a picture I found of it posted on another forum for anyone interested in seeing it:

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7506/dsc01266is.jpg
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"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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Yes, I saw them, but I'm not going to be critical of another companies replica. I'm sure the people who bought one are happy with it :)

All I will say is that I am glad UC went to through the extra time and effort of getting an actual prop from Weta, and allowing me be extra anal about getting the details and colors accurate, and 3D laser scanning the actual grip rather than 3D sculpting a "sort of" representation. I know they were probably not real happy with how long it took going back and forth with their factory to get the the blue tints on the guard and blade engraving to look right either. Especially since you can barely tell there is any blue color in the movie!
KRDS

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Well they might have been happy, but I sure am. I'm a prop fan, wither it be a ring or a sword it all comes down to the little details that make a prop accurate. I'm really glad you went the extra mile to make sure it was done right. I've stuck with UC with all there replicas and these are the reasons why. Keep up the great work!

One of these days you'll have to post your collection if all possible. I'd love to see what you have in your private collection.

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[quote=""Nasnandos""]Yes, I saw them, but I'm not going to be critical of another companies replica. I'm sure the people who bought one are happy with it :)

All I will say is that I am glad UC went to through the extra time and effort of getting an actual prop from Weta, and allowing me be extra anal about getting the details and colors accurate, and 3D laser scanning the actual grip rather than 3D sculpting a "sort of" representation. I know they were probably not real happy with how long it took going back and forth with their factory to get the the blue tints on the guard and blade engraving to look right either. Especially since you can barely tell there is any blue color in the movie![/quote]

People who purchased them have been saying that they are a lot better than the lord of the rings swords they put out, so at least there is some improvement. I can't tell if the runes on the blade are painted or engraved though. In that photo I just linked they look engraved, but in another photo I have seen they look painted or printed on.

Also their Sting has a raised vine pattern which looks interesting, but not accurate to how its presented on the handle in the movie.

It would be interesting to see a side by side comparison of UC and Noble's Orcrist, Sting and Glamdring. Is anyone here planning on buying the Noble versions?
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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[quote=""N2darkness""]Well they might have been happy, but I sure am. I'm a prop fan, wither it be a ring or a sword it all comes down to the little details that make a prop accurate. I'm really glad you went the extra mile to make sure it was done right. I've stuck with UC with all there replicas and these are the reasons why. Keep up the great work!

One of these days you'll have to post your collection if all possible. I'd love to see what you have in your private collection.[/quote]

Yeah, I'll stick with UC for accuracy, though they do drop the occasional bomb on us once in a while, such as the rerelease of the Gondor Shield, because now we know the old one is barely close to the prop. We forgive you though. ;)

For any replicas that UC does not put out, such as jewellery, I'm very happy with Noble as they do an outstanding job. At least their stuff is screen-accurate, unlike Weta's, which is bafflingly off, except for the One Ring.

As for Kit's private collection, I wish I'd had more money at the time he sold off some of his stuff long ago. All I know now is that if he ever decides to do that again and offers up Aeglos for sale, I hope he gives us a head's up here. I would love to put a bid on that object of art. :thumbs_up
This Space for Rent

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[quote=""Valkrist""] because now we know the old one is barely close to the prop. We forgive you though. ;) [/quote]
Ha. Not exactly my choice, but sometimes the target price point and meeting delivery time wins out over accuracy. It did look good, it just was not right. Being an owner of the original prop, I was not real happy when I saw the proto, that's for sure.

[quote=""Valkrist""]As for Kit's private collection, I wish I'd had more money at the time he sold off some of his stuff long ago. All I know now is that if he ever decides to do that again and offers up Aeglos for sale, I hope he gives us a head's up here. I would love to put a bid on that object of art. :thumbs_up [/quote]
That will probably never happen. I actually kick myself now for selling off most of it, but if I hadn't, half of it would still be packed up in storage. Better off with people who actually had room to display them.
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KRDS

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This is my customized UC Witch-king dagger from a few years ago. The new Hobbit Morgul-blade replica should look close to this. It won't have the tight, wet-wrapped look to the leather grip like this one does though, as I have not come up with a way to do that in production consistently and ine xp ensively. Although, if anyone wants to know, I can e xp lain how to customize any leather wrapped UC grip to make it tighter like this.
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KRDS

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The guard and pommel are just coated in a flat black paint wash, then a very fine sanding sponge is used to remove black in places. That's basically what is done in production, but you have to be really careful not to remove the surface plating because there is copper layer underneath that will show through if too much is removed. Same process for the blade, but polishing the black off is slightly different.

It took me a while, but I found my old instructions for shrinking the leather. This can be done on the Hobbit Glamdring sword, or any other ridged, leather wrapped sword grip, like Anduril or the Witch-king dagger.

SHRINK FIT A LEATHER WRAPPED, RIDGED GRIP - First wrap the grip in a wet, scalding hot wash cloth for 5-10 minutes to soften the leather. Then wrap the grip in nylon or cotton cord, from one end to the other, very tightly. Be sure to get the cord wrapped tight in each ridge corner, allowing no space between each wrap. Basically this is forcing the leather to shape. I usually continue to wrap another layer of cord from one end to the other, to get it nice and thick.

I use jute cord, but you can use cotton cord, or even nylon paracord, as long as it will absorb water. The diameter of the cord needs to be around 2-3mm (1/16-1/8"). If it is too thick it won't get tight in the ridge corners.

Then cover the whole cord wrapped grip with a hot, wet wash cloth again to get the cord get saturated with water. You can also run hot water from a tap over the center of the grip, if you are careful not to get water on the guard and pommel. You don't want water inside the hilt. This is just to saturate the cord with hot water.

Let it sit for a few minutes, then blow dry it with a hair dryer for about 5 minutes, set on no heat. Leave it wrapped and let it completely air dry for a few days. When you unwrap it, the leather should retain the shape. You can also let it dry under a heat lamp, but I would still leave the cord wrapping on for a few days.

You can repeat the whole process a few times to get it tighter and tighter, but the key is to make the cord wraps as tight fitting and close together as possible.
KRDS

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[quote=""Nasnandos""]The guard and pommel are just coated in a flat black paint wash, then a very fine sanding sponge is used to remove black in places. That's basically what is done in production, but you have to be really careful not to remove the surface plating because there is copper layer underneath that will show through if too much is removed. Same process for the blade, but polishing the black off is slightly different.

It took me a while, but I found my old instructions for shrinking the leather. This can be done on the Hobbit Glamdring sword, or any other ridged, leather wrapped sword grip, like Anduril or the Witch-king dagger.

SHRINK FIT A LEATHER WRAPPED, RIDGED GRIP - First wrap the grip in a wet, scalding hot wash cloth for 5-10 minutes to soften the leather. Then wrap the grip in nylon or cotton cord, from one end to the other, very tightly. Be sure to get the cord wrapped tight in each ridge corner, allowing no space between each wrap. Basically this is forcing the leather to shape. I usually continue to wrap another layer of cord from one end to the other, to get it nice and thick.

I use jute cord, but you can use cotton cord, or even nylon paracord, as long as it will absorb water. The diameter of the cord needs to be around 2-3mm (1/16-1/8"). If it is too thick it won't get tight in the ridge corners.

Then cover the whole cord wrapped grip with a hot, wet wash cloth again to get the cord get saturated with water. You can also run hot water from a tap over the center of the grip, if you are careful not to get water on the guard and pommel. You don't want water inside the hilt. This is just to saturate the cord with hot water.

Let it sit for a few minutes, then blow dry it with a hair dryer for about 5 minutes, set on no heat. Leave it wrapped and let it completely air dry for a few days. When you unwrap it, the leather should retain the shape. You can also let it dry under a heat lamp, but I would still leave the cord wrapping on for a few days.

You can repeat the whole process a few times to get it tighter and tighter, but the key is to make the cord wraps as tight fitting and close together as possible.[/quote]

Thanks for that Kit, I'm considering trying it on my Morgul blade when I get the time :thumbs_up
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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Kit, I am working on a scabbard for my Morgul blade and have been sliding it inside testing to see if it fits. I have noticed that where the throat of the scabbard meets the guard, the finish is starting to rub off and leave a grey marking on the wood.

I checked my Glamdring replica and there's a very small area where the protective covering is rubbing off, again where the throat of the scabbard meets the guard. Will this cause any problems? I'm worried the rest of the protective layer will rub off on both :|
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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[quote=""Nasnandos""]It's metal-on-metal, so it will wear through the clear coat over time, especially if you like to slam the scabbard on tight. If you want to avoid this, and have a silent insertion without the 'clack' of metal on metal, apply some small, thin, adhesive back felt or rubber pads at the top of the scabbard throat where the contact points are.[/quote]

Thanks for the help Kit :)

Will the small areas be fine as they are, or should I try and coat them in a clear protective layer? They are pretty small, and not really noticeable.
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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[quote=""Nasnandos""]That's up to you. The metal surface is coated in a nickel based surface plating, and the clear coat is just to seal it and prevent oxidization by air and finger prints. I have lots of parts that don't even have a clear coat that have never oxidized.[/quote]

Thanks for the help Kit. I'll just leave it as its not really worth going through the hassle, they are really small areas where its rubbed away.
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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Kit, I received my Hobbit UC Sting scabbard today, and I'm really pleased with it, I just have two questions. Firstly, I can't remember if this has been said or asked already so if it has then apologies, but mine didn't come with a certificate, so I just wanted to ask if these were meant to or not? And the other question, I have the LOTR version of it too, and I'm considering buying another Hobbit version and swapping the metal fittings over, giving me two dark brown leather ones. I know the core of the scabbard is black plastic, what I wanted to ask is are the screws in the same place/is it the same plastic mould as used for the LOTR sting scabbard? Do you think what I want to do is possible easily enough? Thanks in advance!

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[quote=""Jamie Shakespeare""]Kit, I received my Hobbit UC Sting scabbard today, and I'm really pleased with it, I just have two questions. Firstly, I can't remember if this has been said or asked already so if it has then apologies, but mine didn't come with a certificate, so I just wanted to ask if these were meant to or not? And the other question, I have the LOTR version of it too, and I'm considering buying another Hobbit version and swapping the metal fittings over, giving me two dark brown leather ones. I know the core of the scabbard is black plastic, what I wanted to ask is are the screws in the same place/is it the same plastic mould as used for the LOTR sting scabbard? Do you think what I want to do is possible easily enough? Thanks in advance![/quote]

Some revisions were made to the mold core as I recall, but they should both have exactly the same screw hole positions. I have one of the first protos here so I'll check.

[quote=""N2darkness""]Kit, Do you happen to have any side by side comparison shots of the Ringwraith sword and the actual prop and the UC version? I've been thinking of doing some weathering to that one as well.[/quote] Those first four props were only borrowed from Weta, and back then we were still using film to photograph everything. I don't think I have any of those photos. Probably all lost when UC was purchased in moved to Georgia in 2007. I'll check, but I'm pretty sure I don't have any. The main difference I recall on the Witch-king sword is that there was no engraved vine design on the metal fitting in the middle of the hilt. The Ringwraith sword was identical except for some of the dark blacks and rust coloring on the blade.
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KRDS

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I have the prototypes for each sword packed up in storage. They are weathered like my Witch-king dagger. I don't think I ever took pix of those.

As I recall, and my memory is a bit foggy, we were given a disk with photos of the hero props, but the images were very small, and the photos were not taken in profile, so there was no way to accurately reproduce the patterns. That's what NL e xp ected us to work with. We told them that was not possible, and then contacted Weta about borrowing props for a few days to photograph and measure. They were still shooting the film, so this was not easy, but they were kind enough to send them.

What they sent were not hero props though. They were rough aluminum bladed swords with polyurethane handles. There was no etching done on the blades for the corroded finish texture, just black paint. Handles were smooth too. These were probably just for distance shots, worn in the scabbards, when the black riders were on horses. In fact I seem to recall someone telling us exactly that.

Anyway, they were slightly warped and deformed, so basically they were OK enough to make pattern drawings from, and get the the exact sizes for everything, but not usable for the surface finish textures and colors. We had to rely on the hero prop photos and on set photos for that. As I recall, there was no metal ring in the middle of the prop grip. We could not make a leather sleeve wide enough that would pull over that center ridge without the rest being loose, so we added the ring to cover the break in the leather. It was the same problem with the Witch-king sword grip, so the ring was added there too. Someone, either the boss at UC, or someone from NL licensing, asked that we add the same engraved design to the WK subhilt, so I added that. Or it may have been my idea. Can't recall now. The only other change I recall was the pommel on the WK was rounder/fatter on the hero prop than the one we had, so our pommel is a bit different.
KRDS

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Yep. Those are from that same batch of hero prop pix. More corrosion, more rust.

The third sword was never made because not many people were asking for it. The Witch-king sword sold OK, but the Ringwraith was only so-so. There were more requests for the Wich-king dagger, but by far much more demand for the swords of men an Elves. It was kind of funny, because NL was leaning for more bad guy weapon replicas, and Orc swords in the beginning. That was definitely not what people wanted.
KRDS

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As would I, but with the tooling investment required, and considering other things are higher on the list, not likely.

I would not say I'm an e xp ert, but as far as the ring blade, I'm afraid that's just for looks. Index finger rings on guards are usually seen on fixed blade knives, like early American bowies. It's there to keep from losing your grip in a fight. I have seen them on antique European swords before, but it's on the wrong side of the guard on this sword to be usable for that purpose.
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KRDS

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[quote=""Valkrist""]Pity, I would love to be able to finish the Nazgul set with the third sword. Ah well. :|

By the way, Kit, as an e xp ert on blades, what exactly is that hole for? Would a wielder actually slip his finger through there while holding the sword, and if so, to what benefit?[/quote]

Yes, the wielder could put a finger through there. This would allow for more precision control when going about stabbing mortals.

Can't think of any other possible use for something like that, and it's quite practical. Curving a finger over one of the quillons was a common practice historically, having a hole for the finger gives it more style :thumbs_up
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Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!

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[quote=""Valkrist""]Pity, I would love to be able to finish the Nazgul set with the third sword. Ah well. :|

By the way, Kit, as an e xp ert on blades, what exactly is that hole for? Would a wielder actually slip his finger through there while holding the sword, and if so, to what benefit?[/quote]

Me too!

As for the hole, I think it would help stablize the sword being weilded one handed especially on horseback. Just try slipping your index finger over the hilt while holding Narsil and see how much more control you have.

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Yup, right on the money, N2!

Whenever you shorten the blade of an edged weapon whether it is by sliding the grip up a tiny bit or by even holding the sword with it firmly gripped by the ricasso itself, you get more control but less leverage. Which generally is good for stabbing- there are many old illustrations of knights going at each other in battle, and they'd grab their very sharply tapering swords halfway down the blade trying to get to the armpits and other less protected bits of the enemy.

Rapiers are a great example of swords with rings built in to have your finger go through. Granted, they're part of the guard instead of integral to the blade (which is something I love about those Ringwraith weapons, so brutally utilitarian).

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Last edited by Jamanticus on Sat Jan 19, 2013 3:19 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!

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Jaman beat me to it. I was going to say that I seem to recall seeing rapier style European swords before with that loop hole, meant to stabilize your grip and give you better control over the sword. And the pictures says I remember correctly. :P


Funny enough, the reason I'm fond of that other Ringwraith sword is the handle and pommel. I don't know what it is about them, I just dig the look. The handle kinda has a marble-y look to it, you know?

That, and there's a freakin' finger hole in the blade. That's pretty sweet, too. :crazy:
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

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I always wondered if this is the "grass is always greener" effect. Two Rohan swords are made and they are kind of flops compared to other swords (at least in the market here in Florida) so they don't produce Guthwine which we all beg the sword gods for everyday. The same goes for this last wraith sword. Do we all love these swords or is it the fact that we CAN'T have them that makes us want them?

Just random thoughts. There was a study done that said the male mind is programmed for chase. That is why many men like sports, are more attracted to the women they can't have, and now I am wondering if we all fall into that category (except the few women on this forum) about these swords :p

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[quote=""RevAnakin""]I always wondered if this is the "grass is always greener" effect. Two Rohan swords are made and they are kind of flops compared to other swords (at least in the market here in Florida) so they don't produce Guthwine which we all beg the sword gods for everyday. The same goes for this last wraith sword. Do we all love these swords or is it the fact that we CAN'T have them that makes us want them?

Just random thoughts. There was a study done that said the male mind is programmed for chase. That is why many men like sports, are more attracted to the women they can't have, and now I am wondering if we all fall into that category (except the few women on this forum) about these swords :p [/quote]

And there is also the "completeist" factor to consider. I know I am prone to that, especially with particular collectibles. I first pick up the items l like the most, only to discover that over time other pieces in the same line of merchandise have grown on me. Then I end up e xp anding the range of my collection.

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[quote=""Valkrist""]Pity, I would love to be able to finish the Nazgul set with the third sword. Ah well. :|

By the way, Kit, as an e xp ert on blades, what exactly is that hole for? Would a wielder actually slip his finger through there while holding the sword, and if so, to what benefit?[/quote]

These ring holes are usually seen in knives that have no cross guard. It is to prevent the users hand from slipping onto the blade during the thrust motion.

So for a sword with a crossguard, the finger rings slot is unnecessary.

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[quote=""Lindir""]A pic of Orcrist with plaque from the Shot show 2013
I wish there were some better shots of it but its the only one I could find.[/quote]

I believe that's the last prototype I put together that they took to the show, so it won't really look much different than UC's official photos, which are the same sword. I still have not seen an actual production sword yet. Some of you will probably see them before I do.

[quote=""Jamanticus""]Yes, the wielder could put a finger through there. This would allow for more precision control when going about stabbing mortals.

Can't think of any other possible use for something like that, and it's quite practical. Curving a finger over one of the quillons was a common practice historically, having a hole for the finger gives it more style [/quote]
It's not really usable as designed. The distance from the grip to the hole opening was too far, and the guard was a bit too wide. Try gripping the Witch-king sword and wrap your index finger around the guard. It's a similar distance and guard width to this one. If you actually swung the sword around offensively or defensively, you would end up with a sprained or broken finger. The hole should be one the grip side of the cross guard.

The gauntlets the wraiths wore could not bend a finger that direction, nor fit through the hole anyway, and they don't in the movie. Still, it was a cool look.

Actually, if you look close in the film you will see at least three wraiths carried the ring guard swords, each slightly different. Three used the straight cross-guard swords, and three used the Witch-king style swords as well. They must have had a stash of them somewhere, because three sword were left on the ground at Weathertop when Strider drove them off, but they had the same swords again at the river later.

[quote=""Jamie Shakespeare""]I wanted to ask is are the screws in the same place/is it the same plastic mould as used for the LOTR sting scabbard? Do you think what I want to do is possible easily enough? Thanks in advance![/quote]
Just to follow up, I checked and we did have to move the scabbard tip screw hole location, since the new tip was shorter than the LOTR version. You can simply make a new hole in the scabbard body for it though, or simply epoxy the tip onto the body and don't use the screw.

I was looking for something in my old LOTR reference and found these. Nowhere near as detailed as the rusted hero swords you see in closeup in ROTK, but this is the actual Ringwraith filming prop we were sent.

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KRDS

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I know, Deimos, I know. :|

I've made my peace with it, however, much as I got over the fact over a decade ago that elves in PJ's world wielded curved blades. Not that Tolkien specifically said they didn't, but after decades of artwork showing them with straight, western-medieval style weapons, it took an adjusment in thinking to accept PJ's vision. Now I love them, though Orcrist is still very borderline for me, especially with the dragon's tooth addition.

But, whatevs, as they say... :huh:
This Space for Rent

Re: United Cutlery's - The Hobbit - Movie Props!

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[quote=""Nasnandos""]I found these too. Old pix of UC's unmade Elessar crown. The crown itself does not look as good as it appears in this photo. It was quickly assembled from some test parts right out of the molds to check parts fit, so everything was still really rough. I loved the way the display came out.
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Wow those photos are amazing Kit. Such a shame it never got made :/

Is there any chance of it going back into production along with some of the other items UC is re-releasing?

Do you by any chance have any old photos of Haldir's sword? Or was Haldir's sword one of the props that you didn't receive from Weta?
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

Re: United Cutlery's - The Hobbit - Movie Props!

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No. The tooling was never finished and was probably tossed in a dumpster 10 years ago when we cancelled the project. There were a few other items developed that never got made too, but the photos have not turned up yet.

Regarding Haldir's sword, yes we had that prop, but I don't think I'll post any pix of that quite yet. I'm still holding out (slim) hope that it will get made one day.

Im not giving away any insider info, since this was in the film, but something interesting that I noticed. If you look close in TH when Thranduil and the elves are walking up to Thror's throne in Erebor, to pay homage to him, they appeared to all be wearing the same Haldir sword design, with the blade e xp osed. At least that's what it looked like when I saw it in Imax HFR 3D. I could barely tell when I saw it in 24fps. In the Weta Chronicles book you can see the Rivendell guard is wearing the same Haldir sword and scabbard too, with a different gold handle vine.
KRDS

Re: United Cutlery's - The Hobbit - Movie Props!

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[quote=""Nasnandos""]No. The tooling was never finished and was probably tossed in a dumpster 10 years ago when we cancelled the project. There were a few other items developed that never got made too, but the photos have not turned up yet.[/quote]

Such a shame, I really like the display :(

[quote=""Nasnandos""] Regarding Haldir's sword, yes we had that prop, but I don't think I'll post any pix of that quite yet. I'm still holding out (slim) hope that it will get made one day.[/quote]

If it does get made I hope they do a hand forged version. Even slimmer chances perhaps but I really want that sword, and of course stainless curved blades are banned over here in the UK :angry: I won't rant about it again though :P

[quote=""Nasnandos""]Something interesting that I noticed, if you look close in TH when Thranduil and the elves are walking up to Thror's throne in Erebor, to pay homage to him, they appeared to all be wearing the same Haldir sword design, with the blade e xp osed. At least that's what it looked like when I saw it in Imax HFR 3D.[/quote]


Ahh so thats what they were carrying. I thought it was a new sword design but it does look like it. I've only seen in in 24fps so was struggling to make out what they were. But the shape was very similar to Haldir's. I can't wait to see the Mirkwood Elven weapons. Tauriel's daggers should be interesting, hopefully UC may produce them when the time comes to it.

Also Thranduil's sword... but that also looks curved. Gah, stupid laws :angry:

[quote=""Nasnandos""]In the Weta Chronicles book you can see the Rivendell guard is wearing the same Haldir sword and scabbard too, with a different gold handle vine.[/quote]

Yeh I noticed that too. I saw one of the riders carrying it the first time I saw the film. I really like the shape of the sword and its nice to see it in the art book, even though its a slightly different design.

When I saw the film again I noticed that the Elven archers who surround the Dwarves in Rivendell are not wearing quivers. I don't know if they were on their saddles or something but I think the art book mentions they were designed to be worn over the back and yet they just aren't there in that scene. I guess it could have been a continuity error, but did anyone else see them on their saddles perhaps?
Last edited by Lindir on Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

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