“An eleventh I know, | if needs I must lead
To the fight my long-loved friends;
I sing in the shields, | and in strength they go
Whole to the field of fight,
Whole from the field of fight,
And whole they come thence home.”
-Havamal, 157.
By Lord Mikhail Heimdallson
Silo-flex laced edge for durability, 8 lb final weight; linen-laminated, raven-motif spine with 11-bight Turkshead knot leather grip. Unique 5-pane Spangen design riveted center boss researched, designed and originally deployed aboard the half-scale Gokstad longship replica ‘Munin’ during build with Hus Ravenspeak, The BC Viking Ship Project, and The Burnaby Scandinavian Center, which is now moored at and sailing out of the Vancouver Maritime Museum.
The center boss design was destructive tested ’til failure a long time ago (we had some fun with live steel testing) via Hus Ravenspeak Heavy Spear, thrown and stabbed, then bashed while on ground via my bearded axe, and cut while on ground ’til failure with heavy viking sword ‘Trollstooth’ from the duel during the movie ’13th Warrior’. An unplanned test of its design strength was discovered during the Tallship Regatta when a 35ft fibreglass schooner entered the docks too fast, lost control and T-boned the side of our wooden clinker-built longship ‘Munin’s starboard side.
An emergency inspection by the crew, and Chris Frostad, shipwright, revealed that the schooner’s prow luckily struck one of the many shields on the side, and the slight scuff to the boss took the full force of the blow. A design tried and true.
Twenty more rivets were added to this boss design, as it is intended for continual SCA heavy combat. Also added is the heavily-fluted running dog pattern taken from a Sutton Hoo boss find, for added strength, protection and sexy. Plus I like dogs. I gave them brass eyeballs …. which almost seem to watch you.
Two more blanks of the same design are cut and planned for creation for Stronghold HugginnDalr fighter use.
“When the gale blows hew wood, | in fair winds seek the water;
Sport with maidens at dusk, | for day’s eyes are many;
From the ship seek swiftness, | from the shield protection,
Cuts from the sword, | from the maiden kisses.”