Hurstwic's video: Hurstwic: Some Thoughts on the Grip of Viking-age Swords

How did Viking-age warriors grip their swords? The grips of many surviving Viking-age swords are big enough for the hand of even the biggest berserkur, but some surviving grips are quite small. We examined an assortment historical Viking-age swords and speculated on how a Viking-age warrior might have gripped them. This footage was recorded while shooting material for a special features chapter of Hurstwic's next DVD, "The Final Battle of Grettir the Strong", but the material was off-topic of our intended DVD, and so we have posted it to YouTube. The principal photography for our DVD will take place on location in Iceland in the summer of 2016. No weapons were harmed in making this video. We recognize we are the guardians of these precious, ancient weapons while they are in our hands. We also recognize that what we want to learn cannot be discerned through the glass of a museum display. We must pick them up and move them. We handle the artifacts with respect and care, guided by the owner of this private collection, an expert in Viking-age weapons. We are grateful to this anonymous collector for allowing us access to his collection for our research.