Pippin Sword — Barrow-Blade Replica from Lord of the Rings

From Hobbit Mischief to Knight of Gondor

This is the hand-forged replica of Peregrin "Pippin" Took's Barrow-Blade — the smallest sword in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, carried by the youngest member of the Fellowship through the longest character arc of any hobbit. Pippin begins the story as a careless prankster lifting carrots from Farmer Maggot's fields. He ends it standing in the courtyard of Minas Tirith, sworn fealty to Denethor, in the green-and-silver livery of a Knight of Gondor — and saving Faramir from the pyre with a blade he received from Tom Bombadil three thousand years late.

This Pippin Sword is forged in Kathmandu, Nepal from 5160 high-carbon spring steel — the same steel used in our battle-ready historical swords. Full-tang construction, water-tempered, and built to the same standard as the Barrow-Blades it honours. Of all three hobbit swords in our collection, Pippin's offers the widest customisation range — from 14 inches as a Barrow-Blade short sword all the way up to 28 inches as a true Gondorian longsword.

"Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor… in war or in peace, in living or dying, from this hour henceforth, until my lord release me, or death take me."

— Peregrin Took, sworn into the service of Gondor

Pippin's Barrow-Blade and the Story It Carried

Pippin's blade begins its journey in the Barrow-downs of Eriador, alongside Sam's and Merry's. When Tom Bombadil rescues the four hobbits from a Barrow-wight, he gives each of them an ancient sword from the Barrow's treasure — blades forged thousands of years earlier by the Men of Westernesse, the Númenóreans, for their wars against the Witch-king of Angmar. These are the Daggers of Westernesse, sometimes called Barrow-Blades.

By human standards a 15-inch blade is a long dagger. By hobbit standards it is a full-sized sword. For Pippin — the youngest, the smallest, the most reluctant warrior of the Fellowship — it becomes the weapon of his transformation. He carries it through Moria, through Lothlórien, through the breaking of the Fellowship at Amon Hen. He carries it captured by Uruk-hai, escaping into Fangorn, riding to Isengard with Treebeard. He carries it the night he looks into the palantír and meets the eye of Sauron. And he carries it into Gondor — into the white tower of Minas Tirith — when he kneels before Denethor and swears fealty.

The moment that defines Pippin's arc comes not in battle but in the courtyard of Rath Dínen: when Denethor, broken by despair, attempts to burn his son Faramir alive on a pyre. Pippin runs through the besieged city, finds Gandalf, and saves Faramir's life. The hobbit who once stole carrots saves the life of the future Steward of Gondor. The Barrow-Blade hangs at his side throughout.

What Makes This Pippin Sword Different

Most Lord of the Rings Pippin sword replicas are 420 stainless steel — display-only blades that cannot hold an edge or take real handling. The licensed United Cutlery version, the most-shipped Pippin sword on the market, is exactly this. The Everest Forge Pippin Sword is built differently:

• 5160 high-carbon spring steel — high toughness, takes and holds a working edge, absorbs shock without breaking. The same steel used in truck leaf springs and in our battle-ready longswords.
• Full-tang construction — single continuous piece of steel from tip to pommel. No welded extensions, no rat-tails.
• Water-tempered edge — heat-treated using traditional Nepalese methods for hardness with controlled flexibility.
• Hand-forged on the anvil — every Pippin Sword is shaped and finished by master smiths in Kathmandu. Each blade carries small hand-finished details no stamped replica can reproduce.
• 14-inch to 28-inch range — the widest customisation range of any LOTR sword in our collection. Order at 14" or 15" as a true Barrow-Blade, or scale up to 28" for a Gondorian Knight's longsword built around Pippin's character arc.
• Functional, not decorative — comes with a working edge by default. Optional sharpened combat edge or blunted display version on request.
• Cosplay & convention safe — request a blunted edge in your order notes and the same blade ships convention-ready. One sword, two roles: full functional blade for home, blunt edition for events.

Blade Design & Historical Roots

The Barrow-Blade design draws on real Anglo-Saxon and Iron Age short swords as much as it does on Tolkien's lore. Tolkien — a medievalist by profession — modelled the Westernesse blades on the seax, a single-edged short sword carried by warriors of early medieval Northern Europe. The slight curve toward the tip, the broad belly of the blade, and the 15-inch default length all reflect that tradition.

What makes Pippin's sword unique among the three hobbit blades is the customisation range. Where Sam's blade tops out at 26" and Merry's at 22", Pippin's reaches 28" — long enough to function as a true late-medieval European longsword. This reflects something essential about Pippin's arc: he is the only one of the three hobbits who is formally knighted, given the livery of Gondor, and serves in the Tower Guard. A 28-inch blade is the size of a Gondorian Knight's sword. Tolkien fans who want to honour the full character arc — from carrot-stealing hobbit to sworn knight — choose the longer length.

Specifications

All dimensions and weights are approximate due to the handmade nature of each blade.

Customise Your Pippin Sword

Every Pippin Sword is forged to order. The Pippin offers the most flexible customisation range of any sword in our LOTR collection — eight blade-length options, four handle materials, four finishes, six scabbard colours, and free engraving. Use the option menus above the Add to Cart button to configure your blade:

• Blade Finishing — Satin (–$5), Polished/Mirror (default), Raw/Forge Finish (–$10), or Blacked/Coated (–$5).
• Blade Length — 14" or 15" (Barrow-Blade short sword, default), 16" (slightly larger short sword), 18" (+$30 — small longsword), 20" (+$55), 22" (+$85), 24" (+$95), 26" (+$120), or 28" (+$135 — full Gondorian Knight's longsword).
• Handle Material — Rosewood (default — traditional dark hardwood), Whitewood / Sadhan (lighter Nepalese hardwood), Horn (+$5), or Bone (+$10).
• Scabbard Colour — Black, Brown, Yellow, Red, Green, or Blue leather wrap over a cottonwood core.
• Personalisation — add a name, initials, quote, or short message engraved on the blade. Free with order. Pippin's fealty oath ("Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor…") is one of the most popular engraving choices.
• Custom Logo or Photo Engraving — upload your own image for engraving. Useful for clan crests, family arms, dedications, or commission gifts.

If you want a Pippin Sword built outside these standard options — different blade geometry, different overall dimensions, special finish, scabbard with hand-tooled detail — the Custom Forge service can build it from your reference image or specification.

Cosplay, Conventions & LARP

The Pippin Sword is a popular Lord of the Rings cosplay sword — Pippin's Tower Guard livery (the green-and-silver of Gondor) is one of the most recognisable LOTR cosplay builds, and a real hand-forged Barrow-Blade transforms the costume from costume to character. Most events require blunt edges for safety and weapon-policy compliance.

You don't need a separate cosplay version of this sword. Just add "Blunt edge for cosplay" in the order notes when you check out, and our smiths will ship the blade convention-ready — same forged steel, same full-tang construction, same scabbard, just a rounded edge instead of a working one. If you ever want it taken to a working edge later, any competent sharpener can do it.

• Comic Cons & fan conventions — blunt-edge build passes most weapon checks. Always confirm your specific event's policy.
• LARP & reenactment — durable steel and full-tang construction stand up to repeated handling far better than foam or stainless replicas.
• Renaissance faires & Tolkien meetups — pairs with Hobbit, Knight of Gondor, and Tower Guard livery builds.
• Photography & film props — hand-forged steel reads correctly on camera in a way stainless cannot.

Pair with Sam & Merry's Barrow-Blades

The three Barrow-Blades carried by the hobbits — Sam's, Merry's, and Pippin's — were forged at the same time, by the same hands, in the same kingdom. Collectors who own one often build out the full set. Each blade has its own customisation profile and its own moment in the story:

• Sam Sword — the Barrow-Blade that wounded Shelob in the Pass of Cirith Ungol.
• Merry Sword — the Barrow-Blade that broke the dark spell on the Witch-king at Pelennor Fields.

For the lore behind the Barrow-Blades, see our blog: Lord of the Rings Swords — Merry, Pippin, Boromir & the Barrow-Blades.

Care & Maintenance

5160 spring steel is high-carbon and will rust if neglected. With basic care it will outlive you. After handling, wipe the blade down with a soft cloth, apply a thin coat of mineral or camellia oil, and store the blade in its scabbard or on a display stand away from direct humidity. If light surface rust ever appears, it can be removed with fine steel wool and re-oiled. The blade can be re-sharpened by any competent knife sharpener — it does not need a specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions

IP & Trademark Disclaimer: Everest Forge produces hand-forged interpretations inspired by bladed weapons that appear in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Warner Bros. Discovery, New Line Cinema, MGM, the Saul Zaentz Company, or the Tolkien Estate. All character names, film titles, and franchise references are used for descriptive identification only. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.