La Tène Iron Age Celtic Sword – Hand-Forged Blade with Whitewood Forked Pommel

La Tène Iron Age Celtic Sword — Hand-Forged Blade with a Whitewood Forked Pommel

The Everest Forge La Tène Iron Age Celtic Sword is a hand-forged tribute to the swords of the Celtic Iron Age — the La Tène culture that armed Gaul and ancient Europe from roughly 450 BC to the Roman conquest. It is the most compact blade in our La Tène line, with a distinctive light whitewood hilt and a forked, antenna-style pommel that sets it apart from every other sword in the range. Hand-forged in Kathmandu by Nepalese master smiths from 5160 high carbon spring steel (recycled truck leaf-spring stock), water-tempered, full-tang. A 21-inch broad double-edge blade with a 7-inch whitewood grip, carried in a leather-wrapped wooden scabbard. Available in seven blade lengths from 18 to 30 inches — built for collectors, reenactors, cutting practice, and lovers of Celtic history.

This isn't a wall-hanger. It's a real functional sword built to the same standards as our combat-grade gladii and kukris — hand-forged 5160 spring steel, water-quenched, full-tang, sharpened to a working edge. At 21 inches it is fast, light, and easy to handle — an ideal first Celtic sword, a one-handed sidearm, or a compact piece for a tight display. The pale whitewood hilt with its forked pommel gives it real character: the look of a tribal Iron Age blade carried by a Celtic warrior, reborn as functional steel.

Note: This is a historically inspired original Everest Forge design, not an exact museum reproduction of any single excavated piece. Slight variations in weight, dimensions, grain, or finish may occur due to the handmade nature of the item and the natural wood hilt. It is live, sharpened, full-tang steel intended for collecting, display, and cutting practice — not for edge-on-edge contact sparring or LARP.

A Compact Celtic Iron Age Sword

The La Tène culture gave Iron Age Europe its signature weapons, and not every Celtic sword was a long cavalry blade. Shorter swords and long fighting knives served as fast sidearms in close combat — easy to carry, quick to draw, and deadly in the press of a fight. The Gaulish and Gallic warriors who carried them ranged across Central and Western Europe, often finishing their hilts in organic materials like wood, horn and bone.

This sword sits in that compact tradition. At 21 inches it is the shortest blade in our La Tène collection — and the easiest to handle. If you have searched for an iron age celtic sword, a compact celtic blade, or a one-handed La Tène sword, this is the piece. The broad, gently tapering double-edge blade is true to the La Tène form — straight and built to cut, not the leaf-shaped blade of the earlier Bronze Age — and the forked whitewood pommel gives it a tribal Iron Age character all its own.

Our hand-forged version honours that craftsmanship rather than copying a museum cast. Compact and lively, it remains a fully functional 5160 spring steel sword.

Why This Iron Age Celtic Sword Stands Apart

Product Specifications

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

Customise Your Iron Age Celtic Sword

This is a made-to-order sword. Use the dropdown options at the top of this page to fully customise your blade before forging. All standard options are included at the listed price — no extra charge for personalisation.

Want a fully bespoke Celtic or Iron Age blade? Custom blade profiles, carved hilts, engravings, or one-of-a-kind designs are available through our Custom Forge service.

Hand-Forged Sword vs Decorative Wall-Hanger

Search for a Celtic sword online and you will find two very different types of product:

Type 1: mass-produced decorative replicas. Stamped or cast stainless steel, hollow or rat-tail tangs, no real edge, no customisation. They look like display pieces but will not stand up to real use.

Type 2 (this one): a genuine hand-forged sword in real 5160 spring steel, full-tang, water-tempered, customisable across seven blade lengths. Built to the same standards as our combat-grade Roman gladii and Nepalese kukris, forged by Nepalese master smiths and made to order.

The difference is fundamental: this is a real sword, not a decoration. Cared for properly, it will outlast any wall-hanger replica by decades.

The Complete La Tène Collection

The La Tène Iron Age Celtic Sword is part of our hand-forged La Tène collection — straight Iron Age Celtic blades, each forged from 5160 spring steel and finished by hand.

Who This Sword Is For

Celtic and ancient-history enthusiasts — A compact Iron Age Celtic blade with a distinctive whitewood forked hilt, an unusual centrepiece for any Celtic, Gaulish, or Iron Age collection.

First-time sword buyers — At 21 inches and an accessible price, it is an easy, affordable way into hand-forged Celtic swords without sacrificing real, functional steel.

Reenactors and living-history performers — A functional, period-feel sidearm for Iron Age and Celtic reenactment. A blunt display edge is available at no extra charge where event rules require it.

Cutting-practice enthusiasts — Real 5160 spring steel, full-tang, water-tempered and sharpened. The compact blade is fast and easy to control.

Gift buyers — A knockout gift for the history lover or blade collector in your life. Add free engraving with their name, a date, or a motto for an heirloom piece. See engraving options.

How It's Made

See the full forging process →

What's Included

• Hand-forged 21-inch La Tène Iron Age Celtic Sword (or your chosen blade length)
• 7-inch whitewood hilt with forked pommel (or your chosen handle material)
• Leather-wrapped wooden scabbard in your chosen colour
• Sharpened working edge (or blunt display edge if specified)
• Free standard engraving on request — name, date, or motto
• Care and maintenance guidance for high-carbon steel and the wood hilt
• Worldwide tracked shipping, duties and taxes prepaid (DDP)
• Satisfaction guarantee on standard configurations
• Warranty against forging and heat-treatment defects

Shipping, Returns & Warranty

Production time: each La Tène Iron Age Celtic Sword is hand-forged to order after you purchase.

Shipping: worldwide with full tracking on a DDP basis — duties and taxes are prepaid, so there is nothing further to settle on delivery. Full details on our Shipping & Returns page.

Returns: satisfaction guarantee on standard configurations in unused condition. Custom configurations — custom finish, engraving, non-standard blade lengths, or colours — are made to order and non-returnable. Full warranty policy.

Warranty: limited warranty against manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship.

Secure checkout: all payments are processed through encrypted, PCI-compliant gateways. Checkout security details.

Care & Maintenance

After every use: wipe the blade clean and dry, then apply a thin coat of light oil (mineral oil, camellia oil, or 3-in-1 oil).

Wood hilt: keep the whitewood hilt away from prolonged damp, and wipe it occasionally with a little wood oil or beeswax to stop the wood drying out.

Storage: store in a dry environment. Avoid long-term storage inside the leather scabbard. A display stand or wall mount is recommended.

Rust spots: light surface rust is normal on 5160 carbon steel and is easily removed with very fine steel wool (grade 0000) and a few drops of oil.

Sharpening: use a quality whetstone at 22 to 25 degrees per side. Avoid power grinders, which can ruin the temper.

Frequently Asked Questions