Hand-Forged Hunting Hanger Sword – Full-Tang 5160 Blade with Knuckle-Bow Guard

A hanger is a short, single-edged sword worn at the belt, in wide use across Europe from roughly the 16th to the 18th centuries. It was the practical everyday sidearm — huntsmen carried it to finish and dress game, sailors used it aboard ship, and infantry wore it as a short service sword. The name comes from the belt hanger it was suspended from. This one is a modern, hand-forged interpretation in 5160 spring steel.

They overlap closely. Hunting swords of this period were usually hangers — short, broad, single-edged belt swords — often dressed more finely for the hunt with decorated guards and grips. So a hunting hanger is a hanger used and dressed for the hunt, which is exactly what this piece is built as.

Not strictly. Hangers belong to roughly the 16th to 18th centuries, so they are post-medieval — the era of huntsmen, sailors, and early modern infantry rather than knights. The type is often listed under medieval swords because it shares the same collecting world, but if you want a genuinely medieval short sword, our crusader arming sword is the piece.

The clip is the section along the back of the blade near the tip that is ground away and sharpened, forming a false edge. It lightens the point and makes it finer and more controllable, while the broad forward part of the blade keeps the mass for cutting. On this hanger the clip is forged and ground by hand.

Yes. This is a real, fully functional hanger, not a cast display piece. 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, and finished cleanly enough to display as a centrepiece.

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.

Yes. The tang runs the full length of the handle, so there is no rat-tail or glued-in tang to fail. Full-tang construction is what makes the sword strong enough to handle and cut with rather than just display.

It has a polished steel guard with a knuckle bow that runs from the guard to the pommel, and a downturned quillon on the other side. Together they protect the hand from the front and the sides, which is why this arrangement became common on hangers and hunting swords. It is formed and fitted by hand in steel.

Yes. Historical hangers came both straight and curved, and this one is built straight with a clipped false edge. If you want the curved hanger profile, we can forge it for you through Custom Forge — tell us the curve you want when you order.

The handle is shaped rosewood over a full tang, with a fluted metal pommel cap and the polished knuckle-bow guard. Each grip is shaped and fitted by hand, so the rosewood grain and colour vary slightly from piece to piece.

Yes. Every sword ships with a tooled brown leather scabbard with lacing, made by hand to fit the blade size you order.

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.