Hand-Forged Fantasy Short Sword, Fullered Rosewood Hilt

A short sword. Daggers top out around a 12-inch blade, and even a large medieval quillon dagger rarely passes 15 inches. At 20 inches this sits squarely in short-sword territory and would be catalogued that way by any museum. Sellers frequently list blades this size as "long daggers" because the term sells, but it is not accurate and we would rather tell you what you are actually buying.

Yes. It is hand-forged from 5160 high-carbon spring steel, full tang, oil-tempered, and sharpened to a true cutting edge before it ships. It is built to be handled and cut with, not cast for a shelf. It is finished cleanly enough to display, but the construction underneath is a working blade.

The blade is forged from 5160 high-carbon spring steel, the same alloy used in heavy-duty truck leaf springs, prized for toughness and edge retention. It is oil-tempered for a hard cutting edge backed by a flexible, shock-absorbent spine. On a long slender blade with an acute point, that toughness matters — a hard, brittle blade of this profile would be a liability.

Yes. The tang runs the full length of the hilt and is peened over at the pommel, so the grip and fittings are mechanically captured between the guard and the pommel. There is no rat-tail, no weld, and no glued-in stub to fail.

No, and that is one of the most persistent myths in sword collecting. A fuller is a structural feature, not a wound feature. Removing material from the centre of the blade where it contributes least to stiffness makes the blade lighter without meaningfully weakening it — the same principle as an I-beam. On this blade the fuller is forged and ground in, not pressed cold as it is on cheap replicas, and it is darkened against the satin finish for contrast.

They are close in size and easy to confuse, so here is the difference. The Crusader Arming Sword has a 22-inch blade of diamond section — no fuller, thicker through the centre, stiffer, and built as a historical medieval type. This short sword has a 20-inch fullered blade with a longer, more acute point, a rosewood grip, and swept quillons on a polished hilt, and it is an original fantasy design rather than a historical reconstruction. In the hand the arming sword feels more solid and blade-heavy; this one feels quicker and more point-forward. Pick the arming sword for historical accuracy, this one for a lighter, faster fantasy blade.

Yes, sharpened as standard and finished by hand. If you need it blunt for larp, stage use, display, or to satisfy import rules where you live, choose the display-blunt option or tell us in your order notes. There is no extra charge either way.

The grip is rosewood, a dense hardwood that takes a fine finish and wears well in the hand. The guard is polished steel in a cruciform form with swept quillons, matched by a conical pommel that peens over the tang. Buffalo horn, bone, and walnut are available as grip alternatives on request. Because rosewood is a natural material, grain and colour vary from piece to piece.

Yes. Every sword ships with a fitted black leather scabbard with tooled detail and belt strapping, cut by hand to the blade size you order. If you order a custom blade length, the scabbard is made to match — that is part of why custom builds take longer.

Yes. Blade length, blade width, and the fuller itself are all adjustable to order. Send us the dimensions you want and we will confirm what the profile will carry — a long acute point has limits on how much length you can add before it stops handling well. Use Custom Forge to start that conversation.

Yes, within reason. It handles tatami mats, water bottles, and light green targets well, and the long point makes it a capable thruster. Do not use it on bone, metal, seasoned hardwood, or anything you would not put a good knife through. An acute point is the most fragile part of any blade, so avoid thrusting into anything hard, and check the peen and edge after every session.

Yes. We ship worldwide from Nepal by DHL or FedEx in 7 to 14 business days with tracking. In-stock specs dispatch within 2 to 3 business days; fully custom builds take roughly 4 to 6 weeks to forge first. Import and blade laws vary by country, so please check your local rules before ordering.