Landsknecht Emporium – Dietrich XIV Arming Sword with Scabbard
In stock
$768.00
- Shipping estimated at checkout
- Every blade inspected before shipping
- 30-day returns
- Class
- Battle Ready
- Weight
- 1 lb 9 oz
- Brand
- Landsknecht Emporium
- Era
- Medieval
Overview
Landsknecht Emporium – Dietrich XIV Arming Sword with Scabbard
The Dietrich type XIV sword by Landsknecht Emporium is a fantastically agile and nimble arming sword in the hand and is superbly suited for pairing with a shield or buckler for advanced swordplay and technique, especially when one is a student of the I:33 manuscript. Landsknecht took great care in reproducing the weight, dimensions and performance characteristics of a class of medieval swords that served as a ready sidearm, not only for war, but practical self defense in times of peace.
The keenly sharp blade is ground from 51CrV4/6150 spring steel which was heat-treated to 50-52 HrC. The crossguard is ground from mild steel and slid up on the tang in typical fashion for swords with the shoulders of the blade sitting in the crossguard to eliminate any gaps as best as possible, then the bottom of the crossguard is staked towards the tang to add even more security to the joint. The grip is a simple wooden core slid on the tang for a tight fit which is reinforced with epoxy resin. It is tightly wrapped in leather to complete the grip.
The pommel is hollow, as seen on many original swords of this type - a property that helps to keep the overall weight of the sword low while still making a huge visual difference, but only providing the necessary amount of counterweight for this quick and light blade. For this, the pommel is prepared from three pieces of mild steel. The flats are formed into slight domes, and the side of the pommel is drilled, then hand-filed to fit perfectly on the tang. Only after each part is prepared does Landsknecht weld the three pieces together, followed by cleaning up the surfaces and attaching the pommel by hot-peening the tip of the tang for a very strong and lasting assembly.
Specifications
Every measurement that matters
- Brand
- Landsknecht Emporium
- Era
- Medieval
- Pommel
- Peened
- Blade Length
- 28 3/16"
- Weight
- 1 lb 9 oz
- Edge
- Very Sharp
- P.O.B.
- 5 3/4"
- Thickness
- 4.4 mm - 2.8 mm
- Width
- 46.8 mm
- Grip Length
- 3 9/16"
- Class
- Battle Ready
- Country of Origin
- Hungary
Reviews
What collectors are saying
Q&A
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The Maker
Landsknecht Emporium
The Landsknecht was the archetypal mercenary of the late 15th and most of the 16th century, with their heyday being in the second quarter of the latter. They were pretty much the meanest & baddest soldiers around that time, with a heightened sense of fashion. Our goal is to create weapons a period Landsknecht would be proud to use, mostly on a budget that keeps it accessible to modern recruits.
Due to the continuous research we are doing, we sometimes stray from that time and location to better understand trends that led to the development of weapons we aim to recreate. We are progressing from simpler items towards the more complex ones. We started with making Messers in 2016 and it was our main focus in these past few years. We intend to cover most of the styles relevant to our interest, while we’re planning to expand our repertoire with Katzbalgers, Bidenhanders, various daggers and all kinds of awesome stabbiness in the foreseeable future.
We founded Landsknecht Emporium to this end in March of 2016 in the outskirts of rural Hungary, at the end of a dead-end dirt road in a house not unlike those of murderous hillbillies in the movies that we call home.
Often paired together
This is really an excellent sword.
The sharp has a fast, zippy little blade. It’s so light that it’s easy to forget that it’s a full sword. The blunt variant will be slightly heavier, but I can imagine it would be a lot of fun for HEMA. I initially assumed (just looking at the pictures) that the XIV in the name referred to its Oakeshott type. It could possibly be a very thin XIV, but a XVI is my best guess having held it in person. Just for anyone curious.
Mine hasn’t been put through any torture tests (and won’t be) so I can’t speak to the overall durability, but it’s solidly built and I believe that it would take some decent punishment before failing completely. I haven’t followed Landsknecht Emporium very closely but they seem to specialize in messers and various single edged curved blades. If this is a first foray into straight bladed, double edged swords, it’s a very good one.
This is a very light and nicely shaped sword. My example is finished smoothly and has none of the asymmetry or roughness I was prepared for. There is a slight tinkle sound of possibly some flux left behind in the pommel but it is solid. I do wish it had a chape on the scabbard but the leatherwork overall is very fine.
I’ve had this sword for about three weeks and have used it a few times, and I have to say I was genuinely impressed. Despite its lightweight design, it is extremely sharp and very effective. It cuts exactly where you point it, and I am very happy with how it performs as a functional sword.
The overall quality is excellent. The blade is well made, and the fuller is straight and clean, contributing to both the lightness and structural integrity of the sword. It feels strong and flexible, as it should. The guard is well-fitted with no gaps or misalignment, and everything is straight and properly assembled.
The handle is the only aspect that I found slightly small. I have larger hands, and the historically accurate 3.5-inch grip feels a bit cramped at first. However, I found a comfortable solution by letting my pinky rest on the pommel. This creates enough space between my hand and the guard to prevent discomfort during use.
The included scabbard is a nice addition. The leatherwork is decent, and the overall appearance is quite good. The belt is more decorative than functional, but it complements the sword well. One area for improvement would be the addition of a chape, which would help protect the tip and complete the scabbard more fully. Even so, it remains a well-made and attractive piece.
The finish is also very well done. There is a slight intentional roughness that gives it a real, functional character rather than making it look overly polished or decorative. It feels like a working sword, not a display piece.
Overall, I am very satisfied with this purchase. It is a well-made, highly functional sword with excellent handling, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic arming sword—especially if they appreciate historical accuracy.