13th Century Arming Sword – Atrim Design Type XIV

The arming sword was once used by a knight or soldier in conjunction with a shield. Used around the 10th to 11th centuries until the 15th to 16th centuries, this double edged blade is believed to have been inspired by the Viking Sword.

This Type XIV Arming Sword by Kingston Arms is the second in a series of performance oriented swords designed by Angus Trim (ATrim). It is based on Oakeshott's Type XIV specifications, where swords in this category were used in the 13th to early 14th century. This is a time when mail armor was transitioning to full plate armor. For this reason, the style of this sword is oriented towards cutting compared to later period swords that feature a more acute point. The combination of cutting and thrusting abilities coincides with the use of a sword and shield during those times.

During the collaboration with Angus Trim who designed the sword, Kingston Arms was left to experiment with the weight, balance, taper, and harmonics of the sword. After much effort, the team decided with a hand forged full tang blade from mono tempered 9260 spring steel, a material favored for its incredible flexibility and shock resistance. The blade is flat ground with a handsome satin finish.

To match Angus's design, the fittings for this sword are made from high quality stainless steel. The handle has a solid wood core, cord-wrapped for strength, and features a textured leather over-wrap. This beautiful sword comes sheathed in a scabbard with a solid wood core, stainless steel shape, and stitched leather wrap.

Expertly designed and constructed with high quality materials, it is one of the best performing medieval swords available. For those interested in customizing the sword, the changing of fittings should be done with great care to retain the handling characteristics of the sword. Besides the weight, the overall shape and size should also be considered.