The Sword That Was Broken, and the Real Sword Type Behind It
Andúril is Aragorn's sword in The Lord of the Rings, and Narsil is the same sword before it was broken. In Tolkien's story, Narsil was forged by the dwarf smith Telchar long before the events of the books. It was the sword of Elendil, king of Gondor and Arnor, and it broke beneath him in the battle against Sauron. Elendil's son Isildur used the broken hilt-shard to cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. The shards were kept by Elendil's heirs for three thousand years, until the elves of Rivendell reforged them for Aragorn and he named the new blade Andúril, "Flame of the West". As a real-world weapon, Andúril is a hand-and-a-half sword, a type knights carried in the 14th and 15th centuries.
| Quick facts | Narsil | Andúril |
|---|---|---|
| Who carried it | Elendil, then his son Isildur | Aragorn, Isildur's heir |
| Made by (in the story) | Telchar, a dwarf smith of Nogrod | The elven smiths of Rivendell, from the shards of Narsil |
| Meaning of the name | Usually read as joining the Sun and the Moon | "Flame of the West" |
| Famous for | Cutting the One Ring from Sauron's hand | Aragorn's sword in the War of the Ring |
| Real sword type | Hand-and-a-half sword (also called a bastard sword or longsword) | |
Our Lord of the Rings swords guide covers the other blades of Middle-earth, from Boromir's sword to the hobbits' barrow-blades. This post is about one sword only.
Narsil: The Sword of Elendil
In Tolkien's history of Middle-earth, Narsil was already old when the story of the Ring begins. It was made by Telchar, the most famous smith of the dwarf city of Nogrod, in the far past of the First Age. By the end of the Second Age it belonged to Elendil, the leader of the Faithful Númenóreans who escaped the drowning of Númenor and founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.
The name is usually explained as joining two Elvish words for fire and white light, the red sun and the white moon, and the sword was said to shine with both. In the final battle of the War of the Last Alliance, Elendil and the elf-king Gil-galad fought Sauron himself on the slopes of Mount Doom. Both were killed, and Narsil broke beneath Elendil as he fell.
The Hilt-Shard That Cut the Ring
The broken sword then did the most important thing in its history. Isildur, Elendil's son, took up the hilt-shard of Narsil and cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand, and Sauron was overthrown. Isildur kept the Ring instead of destroying it, which is where The Lord of the Rings really begins.
The shards were not reforged. They passed from heir to heir of Isildur through the long decline of the northern kingdom, and were kept at Rivendell, a sign that the line of kings had not ended. In the books Aragorn carries them with him as a ranger, a broken sword he wears as a claim to a throne he has not yet taken. A rhyme about Aragorn in the book promises that the broken blade will be renewed and the crownless one will be king again.
Andúril: The Flame of the West
In the book, the elven smiths of Rivendell reforge Narsil before the Fellowship sets out, and Aragorn names it Andúril, "Flame of the West". Its blade is traced with seven stars between a crescent moon and a rayed sun, with runes around them, and it is said to shine red in sunlight and cold white in moonlight. In Lothlórien, Galadriel gives Aragorn a scabbard for it, and he carries it through the whole War of the Ring.
Peter Jackson's films change the timing. On screen, the shards stay in Rivendell for most of the story, and Elrond brings the reforged Andúril to Aragorn in The Return of the King, just before he takes the Paths of the Dead. Either way, the meaning is the same: when the sword is whole again, Aragorn is ready to be king.
| Book | Films | |
|---|---|---|
| When it is reforged | In Rivendell, before the Fellowship leaves | Later; Elrond brings it in The Return of the King |
| What Aragorn carries before that | The shards of Narsil, as a sign of his line | His own ranger's sword; the shards stay in Rivendell |
| Scabbard | A gift from Galadriel in Lothlórien | Not a major story point |
The Real Sword Behind Andúril: The Hand-and-a-Half Sword
Take away the elvish runes and the legend, and Andúril is a familiar kind of medieval sword: a long, straight, double-edged blade on a grip long enough for one hand and part of another. Historians call it a hand-and-a-half sword or longsword; collectors often call it a bastard sword. It sits between the one-handed arming sword and the true two-handed greatsword, and knights could fight with it in one hand, alongside a shield, or in both hands for more power and control.
Typical historical examples from the 14th and 15th centuries have a blade of about 85 to 100 cm, an overall length of 110 to 130 cm and a weight of about 1.2 to 1.6 kg. That is lighter than most people expect: a good longsword is quick and well balanced, not a club. We explain the type in full in our hand-and-a-half and bastard sword guide, and how it compares to bigger swords in Longsword vs Greatsword vs Zweihänder.
- The blade. Straight and double-edged, with a fuller along part of its length to save weight without losing stiffness. Our fuller guide explains why.
- The point. Tapered enough to thrust as well as cut, important against armour.
- The cross-guard. A straight or gently curved cross to protect the hand.
- The grip and pommel. A long grip and a heavy pommel that balances the blade and locks the hilt together. See our guide to types of pommels.
Swords like this are sorted by the Oakeshott typology, the system historians use to classify medieval blades by shape. Our Oakeshott typology guide shows where hand-and-a-half blades fit.
Want a hand-and-a-half sword inspired by the king's blade, forged to your length, guard and finish?
Start a custom forge requestCould Andúril Work as a Real Sword?
Yes, and better than most fantasy swords. Because it follows a real, proven sword type, a forged Andúril-style sword can be a fully working weapon. A few things are worth knowing:
- Runes and stars become engraving. The decoration along the blade is etched or engraved. It adds nothing to the cut, and deep engraving near the edge can weaken a blade, so it belongs on the flat, along the fuller.
- Balance matters more than looks. A heavy, decorated hilt can make a sword feel slow. A good forge balances the blade with the pommel so it handles like a real longsword.
- Sharp or blunt. A working sword is sharpened; a cosplay or display piece is often left blunt, which many events require.
Forging an Andúril-Inspired Sword at Everest Forge
Everest Forge is a custom forge, so a sword inspired by Andúril is a normal request for us. Every blade is forged after you order, at our forge in Kathmandu. Some honest notes:
- Our own design. We forge a hand-and-a-half sword in the spirit of the king's blade, to your specification. We do not copy the film prop or sell it as an official replica.
- Steel. We forge in 5160 spring steel only, which is tough and suits a long blade. We do not make Damascus or pattern-welded blades. Our sword steel guide explains why.
- Your details. Blade length, guard shape, grip wrap, pommel, engraving, and whether the edge is sharp or blunt.
- Left-handed. Any build can be made left-handed. Just write "Left Handed" in the order note.
These are the closest swords we already forge:
You can also browse longsword patterns in our Build Your Blade configurator, or read what happens after you order a custom blade.
A king's sword, forged to your specification
Tell us the blade length, guard, grip, pommel and engraving you want. Send reference images and we will quote and forge your hand-and-a-half sword in 5160 spring steel.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Narsil and Andúril?
They are the same sword. Narsil was Elendil's sword, which broke in the battle against Sauron. After it was reforged for Aragorn, it was renamed Andúril.
Who made Narsil?
In Tolkien's story, Narsil was made by Telchar, a dwarf smith of Nogrod, long before the events of The Lord of the Rings.
Who reforged Narsil into Andúril?
The elven smiths of Rivendell. In the book they reforge it before the Fellowship sets out; in the films Elrond brings the reforged sword to Aragorn in The Return of the King.
What does Andúril mean?
Andúril means "Flame of the West". Narsil is usually explained as joining Elvish words for fire and white light, the sun and the moon.
How did Narsil break?
It broke beneath Elendil when he fell fighting Sauron at the end of the Second Age. Isildur then used the hilt-shard to cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand.
What is written on Andúril's blade?
In the book, the blade is traced with seven stars set between a crescent moon and a rayed sun, surrounded by runes.
What type of real sword is Andúril?
A hand-and-a-half sword, also called a bastard sword or longsword: a straight, double-edged blade with a grip long enough to use in one hand or two.
How long and heavy is a real hand-and-a-half sword?
Historical examples are typically 110 to 130 cm overall, with a blade of 85 to 100 cm, and weigh about 1.2 to 1.6 kg.
Can you forge an Andúril-inspired sword?
Yes, through our custom forge. We make a hand-and-a-half sword in 5160 spring steel inspired by the story, to your length, guard, grip and engraving.
Is an Everest Forge Andúril an official replica?
No. Everest Forge is not affiliated with the Tolkien Estate, Middle-earth Enterprises, New Line Cinema or Warner Bros. We forge our own designs inspired by the story.
