The Lord of the Rings Anduril – United Cutlery (2021 Review)

This is our review of Anduril – United Cutlery Lord of the Rings sword.

I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan and have been looking into getting a collection of the movie’s memorabilia for a while now. This being said I had to do a lot of research to ensure my collection would be filled with items worth collecting.

I found this sword to be amazing. The sword is amazing and the work on it is extremely detailed. The moment you first get your hands on it you’ll feel like you were instantly transported to Middle-earth.

This article will present a short review of the United Cutlery’s Anduril sword. The review will deal with a short description of it and its features.

If you are interested in the product and you are wondering if it is worth your money keep reading the article to find out.

Product Overview

This product is a replica of the Anduril sword from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which Aragorn carried into the final battle against Sauron in the Third Age. 

The craftsmen ship on this sword is spot on and worth the price you’re paying for the product. The way it was made makes it much more realistic in comparison to other products out there.

It’s a stainless steel blade featuring a screen-printed wood display plaque with decorations. The sword is 52 inches long with a 40 inches long blade.

Aside from the stainless steel used for the blade, the handle is wrapped in black leather and the handle has 24K gold details. 

This makes it a great replica for anyone interested in collecting Lord of the Rings memorabilia. The sword is perfectly balanced which makes it even more realistic especially when it is combined with extreme attention to detail which makes it seem even more authentic.

This great balancing makes it comfortable to hold which is why this prop is great for all the practical uses you can imagine. You can pleasantly pretend you are Aragorn fighting Sauron’s army without getting tired of holding it.

The display pictures of the sword featured on different sites don’t do it justice since you are not really able to see the extreme attention paid to the details.

The sword has all the belongings engraved text on the blade and the handle of the sword. The engraving is clean and legible which makes it much more genuine than the replicas which are missing it.

This is one of the first things United Cutlery’s version has over the other replicas. The engraved symbols are usually done with a laser and this particular version has a very vivid hand-engraved feel to it.

Another great thing about it is the fact that despite the fact that the blade looks sharp enough to cut through all of the furniture in its range once you start swinging it around and accidentally lose control of it. However, despite the appearance, the blade is actually dull, except for the point of course. 

Speaking of the blade it is extremely shiny due to the fact that it was made from stainless steel. To ensure it stays the way it was when you first got it to make sure not to touch it, or if you must, wipe it down before returning it to the mounting plaque.

All of this makes it an extremely affordable piece regardless of what your end goal for purchasing the sword is. It could be a great addition to your collection, that one thing that is going to elevate your cosplay to another level and make everyone else envy you for this shining addition to your costume or you are simply looking for a decorative piece that would signal your love for a series in a subtle way.

In the end, there is not a single bad thing I can say about this replica, and cannot praise it enough. 

Alternatives

The United Cutlery version of the sword is extremely popular and sought out by the likes of serious collectors and even casual fans, which is why it is often sold out. Luckily I found an alternative, although the United Cutlery one is a better deal by far.

The first alternative can be found on Darksword Armory’s website. It is quite similar to the reviewed product, except for the fact that it is a little less detailed. This alternative is also a fair amount more expensive than the one we are reviewing.

To summarize it this sword is an amazing replica of the prop used in the movies and is worth the money you’re going to put towards it. The design of the sword is realistic and the quality is really good.

This replica will get you the most for your money since the details on it are extremely specific and probably the closest you could get, with the next step being stealing one of the props from the set.

Since the quality of the sword is so good and it seems to be durable it is a great collector’s piece and since it is extremely easy to maintain, especially with the wooden mount, it will maintain its value and if you ever wish to sell it you could get your money’s worth back. 

If this article got you interested in possibly buying this sword you can find it by clicking on the button below.

What is the difference between Narsil and Anduril?

When it comes down to it Narsil and Anduril are two different names for the same sword. There is a symbolic difference between the two, but physically they are one sword.

We see Narsil briefly during a flashback in the movies. The sword was held by Elendil during the War of the Last Alliance. During the battle against the forces of Mordor, after the two leaders, Elendil and Gil-galad get defeated while fighting Sauron himself, the sword falls in hands of Isildur. 

The sword gets knocked out of his hand during the battle and once Sauron steps on it, the sword breaks in half (or three pieces, depending on what you are going off of, the books or the movies). Despite this, he manages to cut the Ring from Sauron’s hand and banishes him.

The shards of the sword were originally kept by Isildur, but ultimately they were lost after what, they got forwarded to Arnor where the shards were kept until the events depicted during the third movie.

The shards were reforged into a new sword that Aragorn wielded during the War of the Ring. Even though it was still the same sword Aragorn renamed it, giving it the name of Anduril.

Although it may seem silly to change a name of such an important item so late into the franchise there is actually quite a bit of symbolism related to the name.

The original name, Narsil, means white and red flame which is a metaphor for the enemies of the darkness. The name change brought a new meaning to the sword, now dubbing it the Flame of the West. 

This was a way for J. R. R. Tolkien to emphasize Aragorn’s rise to power. The name change also served as an indicator of the fact that Aragorn and his forces were direct opponents of Sauron.

Mordor, which in the movies served as a layer of a sort for Sauron was located towards the East of Middle Earth, while Aragorn and his forces originated from the West of Middle Earth. 

Because of their locations and the new name of the sword which was now wielded by the leader of the human army, the conflict was even more amplified and there was a bigger emphasis on the return of the king element of the last movie.