18 Lord of the Rings Swords: A Middle Earth Deep-Dive

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Lord of the Rings Expert Peter explains the most important swords from the LOTR franchise

Co-authored by Peter and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: August 12, 2026 Fact Checked

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Ever wondered why Aragorn's sword has two names, or how Bilbo Baggins ended up with a sword forged by the elves of Gondolin? You've come to the right place! Come with us as we embark on a journey through 18 of the most famous swords in Middle Earth and their wielders, as depicted in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. At the end, we'll share where you can buy your own LOTR replica swords for display, real-life use, or cosplay.

What are the most famous swords from LOTR?

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Lord of the Rings Expert Peter says the most important sword in Lord of the Rings is Anduril (Elvish for “Flame of the West”), which is Aragorn’s sword. This sword was formerly known as Narsil before its shards were reformed. Other well-known swords from Middle Earth and their wielders include:

• Sting (Bilbo and Frodo Baggins)
• Glamdring (Gandalf)
• The Sword of Terror (the Witch-King of Angmar)
• Orcrist (Thorin Oakenshield)
• Morgul blade (Nazgûl)
• Herugrim (Theoden)
• Hadhafang (Arwen)

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Section 1 of 2:

Lord of the Rings Swords and Their Lore

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   Narsil/Anduril (Aragorn) It's no surprise that the most famous sword in Middle Earth lore has two names: Narsil and Anduril. It began its life as Narsil and was wielded by two of Aragorn's ancestors: King Elendil and his son, Isildur. Since then, it’s made its way into Aragorn’s hands, according to Peter. It has a two-handed hilt with a black grip, topped by a silver pommel with a hole in the center. The crossguard pieces are straight and level. When it was reforged as Anduril, the Elven silversmiths added engravings of runes to the blade.

   • The legend goes that Elendil wielded Narsil during a battle against the dark lord Sauron. During the confrontation, Sauron slew Elendil. Isildur took up Narsil to avenge his father, but Sauron broke the blade.
   • Sauron was about to kill Isildur, as well, but Isildur picked up a shard of Narsil and cut off the finger where Sauron wore the One Ring of Power. With the One Ring gone, Sauron's body crumbled to ash.
   • Over the centuries to follow, the Elves preserved the shards of Narsil, also known as the Blade That Was Broken.
   • When Aragorn decided to claim his ancient birthright as king of Gondor, the elves reforged the shards and made the sword whole again. After that, the sword was renamed Anduril, which is Elvish for “Flame of the West.”
   • Did you know? Book reviewer and literary expert Francesca Graziella says that "the broken sword symbolizes broken, divided kingdoms." When the sword is reforged and wielded by Aragorn, she adds, it symbolizes Aragorn uniting those kingdoms once again.
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   Sting (Bilbo and Frodo Baggins) No one knows what Sting's real name is, and it may never have had one before Bilbo Baggins found it in a troll cave. What is known for certain is that it was forged in the ancient elven kingdom of Gondolin, confirms Lord of the Rings expert Willie Jenkins. It's simple, yet beautiful, with a wood handle that suits the hobbits' rustic aesthetic. Though the elven silversmiths who made it may never have intended Sting to be a glorious weapon, it definitely took on a legend of its own after Bilbo claimed it. The hobbit named it Sting after his battle with the giant spiders of Mirkwood Forest. The spiders, not being able to see who or what was stabbing them, shrieked that whatever it was, “It stings!” “It,” of course, was Bilbo, stabbing them with his sword while completely invisible, thanks to the One Ring.

   • Bilbo later gave Sting to his young cousin, Frodo Baggins, to protect him on his journey to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom.
   • Did you know? Sting's blade (and the blades of other Gondolin-forged swords, like Glamdring and Orcrist) glows blue whenever orcs or goblins are close!
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   Glamdring (Gandalf) Glamdring has a long blade with a two-handed hilt, making it the perfect size and shape for the gray wizard Gandalf's tall frame. Gandalf found Glamdring in the same troll cave where Bilbo found Sting, says Jenkins. Like Sting, nothing is known of Glamdring's previous owner, but it was clear to Gandalf from the sword's make and markings that it, too, was forged by the elves of Gondolin.

   • Gandalf wielded the sword from one end of Middle Earth to the other against such formidable foes as orcs and the Witch-King of Angmar. It remained by his side until he passed into the West.
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   Orcrist (Thorin Oakenshield) Rounding out the list of swords found in a troll cave is Orcrist, a distinctive-looking weapon with a broad, slightly curved blade. Jenkins confirms that it was wielded by Thorin Oakenshield, a mighty dwarf whose grandfather was once the King of the Lonely Mountain. Thorin found Orcrist in the troll cave at the same time Bilbo and Gandalf found their Gondolin swords. They were all on a quest together, along with 12 other dwarves, to reclaim the dwarves' long-lost treasure from the dragon Smaug.

   • After Smaug was killed by Bard the Bowman, Thorin and his company reluctantly joined forces with the elves of Mirkwood and the men of Laketown to defend the Lonely Mountain against a horde of orcs and goblins. During this infamous battle, called the Battle of the Five Armies, Thorin was mortally wounded. Despite this, the orc and goblin army was defeated.
   • Thorin lived long enough to say farewell to Bilbo before passing away. He was buried in a tomb under the Lonely Mountain, Orcrist at his side to glow and alert the dwarves in case orcs ever descended upon them again.
   • Did you know? The goblins of the Misty Mountains were well-acquainted with Glamdring and Orcrist, so it's obvious that their ancestors encountered the elves of Gondolin in centuries past. They feared these weapons and passed their legend down through the generations, calling Glamdring “Foe-hammer” or “the Beater,” and Orcrist “Goblin Cleaver” or “the Biter.”
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   The Sword of Terror (the Witch-King of Angmar) The wicked-looking Sword of Terror is aptly named, given its terrifying owner! The Witch-King of Angmar was once a king of men, as well as one of the 9 human rulers to whom Sauron gave a ring of power. The ring eventually turned the king into a wraith, as it did the other 8 kings who received rings. Together, they became the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths: half-invisible creatures who are neither living nor dead. The Witch-King became the chief and most powerful of the Nazgûl, and as such, he carried a long-handled sword with a long, deadly blade.

   • According to legend, no man could kill the Witch-King. It's fitting, then, that his demise came at the hands of Eowyn, a Lady of Rohan, and Merry, a hobbit from the Shire.
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   Morgul blade (Nazgûl) The Morgul blade is a short sword or dagger-style weapon with a dark gray blade, a black hilt, and a crossguard with pieces that curve upward slightly toward the pommel. The leader of the Nazgûl, who was also the Witch-King of Angmar, stabbed Frodo Baggins in the shoulder with it at Weathertop. After that, the blade disintegrated. The blade poisoned Frodo, and the brave hobbit and ring-bearer nearly became a ringwraith himself. Fortunately, he was saved by Arwen Evenstar and her father, Elrond the Half-Elven, the Lord of Rivendell and a master healer.
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   Herugrim (Theoden) Herugrim is an elegant sword with a distinctive, round crosspiece where the blade inserts into the hilt. It belonged to Theoden, King of Rohan, who briefly became little more than a puppet for the evil wizard Saruman the White. Under the influence of Saruman's servant Gríma Wormtongue, Theoden became weak and easy to control. But with Gandalf's help, he threw off Saruman's spell and banished Gríma from Rohan. Herugrim was key to helping Theoden remember his old strength. Grasping it after so many years of inaction helped him feel like a king and a warrior again.

   • Theoden carried Herugrim into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. There, after leading a routing charge of his Rohirrim, his horse Snowmane was spooked by the Witch-King of Angmar's fell beast. Snowmane fell on Theoden, crushing him, and the King of Rohan died from his wounds.
   • Herugrim was buried with Theoden in the Barrowfields of Rohan.
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   Hadhafang (Elrond and Arwen) Hadhafang's name means “throng-cleaver.” It has a slightly curved hilt with gold plating, no crossguard, and a curved blade. Elrond the Half-Elven wielded it when he and the other members of the White Council (Galadriel, Saruman, and Gandalf) assaulted the Necromancer in Mirkwood. The Necromancer, as it turned out, was actually Sauron, who was forced to take on a weaker form without the awesome power of the One Ring. Working together, they managed to banish him to Mordor, from whence he would eventually rise again during the War of the Ring.

   • Many years later, Elrond's daughter Arwen wielded Hadhafang as she carried Frodo Baggins to safety into Rivendell, away from the Nazgûl who had stabbed him with a Morgul blade.
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   Gúthwinë (Éomer) As the leader of the Riders of Rohan and the nephew of King Theoden, Éomer needed a sword that would see him through many trials and tribulations. Gúthwinë is that sword. It is forged in the same style as Theoden's sword, Herugrim, but the pommel and the crosspiece feature metal horse heads. The warriors of Rohan are also known as the Horse Lords, and they're experts at breeding and training horses. The animal is also a key symbol in their iconography, so it makes sense that Éomer, who spends most of his time riding a horse, would want it on his sword hilt.

   • Éomer turned the tide of battle in Rohan's favor at Helm's Deep, and he also rode with Théoden in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, confirms DeMarco. After Theoden's death, Éomer inherited the title of king of Rohan.
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    Boromir's sword Boromir's sword has no official name, but that doesn't mean it's not special. This blade was forged in Gondor, one of the kingdoms of men at the end of the Third Age of Middle Earth. The blade is sharp and tapered, and the hilt has a black grip and a silver pommel. On the crossguard, the 2 crosspieces tilt upward toward the blade instead of extending straight and perpendicular to it.

    • Boromir brought this sword with him to the Council of Elrond and carried it on his adventures with the Fellowship of the Ring. He also held it as he died, having used it in a valiant but failed attempt to defend the hobbits Merry and Pippin from the Uruk-hai.
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    Éowyn's sword Éowyn is Éomer's sister, King Theoden's devoted niece, and a shieldmaiden of Rohan. She's also a complex person who wants to win renown in battle in her own right. Her sword is a reflection of her personality: straightforward and elegant, but also dangerous. The pommel is gold or bronze with scrollwork and horse heads carved into it. The crosspiece also features 2 horse heads curving around either side of the blade.

    • Despite not being trained as a warrior like her brother, Éowyn is skilled with the sword. As members of a warrior society, she and the other women of Rohan know they must be willing to fight and die for their people if the men fall.
    • Desperate to prove herself, Éowyn disguised herself as a man and rode into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields with Merry. Together, they slew the Witch-King of Angmar, but not before he wounded Éowyn's arm.
    • After recovering in the Halls of Healing in Minas Tirith, Éowyn fell in love with Boromir's brother, Faramir. After the War of the Ring, she and Faramir got married, and it's not known if she ever picked up her sword again.
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    Faramir's sword Faramir is Boromir's younger brother. Despite his age, Faramir is nobler and wiser than Boromir and resists the temptation of the One Ring, whereas his brother gives in to it. His sword is simple and utilitarian, yet it also reflects his intelligence with the engraving of 2 ravens on the crossguard. The crossguard differs from Boromir's sword in that it's straight, not angled.

    • Faramir is a Captain of Gondor and one of the last great leaders holding Sauron's hordes back from the city of Minas Tirith. He is wounded when his father, Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, commands him to try to secure the city of Osgiliath. Faramir's forces were overwhelmed, however, and the captain barely made it back to Minas Tirith alive.
    • In a fit of madness, Denethor tried to commit suicide by burning himself alive and wanted to take Faramir with him. Gandalf stopped him at the last moment, saving Faramir, but Denethor was still determined to die and threw himself over the walls of the city.
    • Faramir recovered and met and fell in love with Éowyn in the Halls of Healing. Later, after the War of the Ring was won, Faramir turned the stewardship of Gondor over to Aragorn.
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    Thranduil's sword The sword of Thranduil, the Elven-king of the Woodland Realm, is unique from other swords in Middle Earth because it appears to be cast completely out of steel. Even the hilt is steel! The sword blade curves slightly at the end, like a scimitar, and the hilt has no crosspiece (much like Hadhafang). The hilt and blade feature vine-like carvings, a bit of nature to juxtapose the cold gleam of the steel. Overall, it's both beautiful and dangerous, which is also the perfect description of Thranduil.

    • Thranduil is Legolas's father. He fought side-by-side with the dwarves in the Battle of the Five Armies, but his relationship with Thorin Oakenshield and his company was not always friendly. In fact, right before the Battle of the Five Armies began, Thranduil threatened Thorin with an attack if he didn't give him the jewels promised to him by Thorin's ancestors.
    • After the Battle of the Five Armies, Thranduil finally received the jewels he went to war over and returned to Mirkwood. Years later, he held the creature Gollum, AKA Smeagol, captive for Gandalf and Aragorn, but Gollum eventually outwitted the elves and escaped.
    • Thranduil sent Legolas to the Council of Elrond to discuss the fate of the One Ring. Though it's not shown on-screen, Thranduil also fought battles against Sauron's forces before the One Ring was destroyed and the Dark Lord was finally defeated.
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    Uruk-hai scimitar The Uruk-hai scimitar is a lot different from the swords wielded by elves and men. Cast entirely out of metal, its design is crude and cruel. The tip of the blade has a harsh angle that allows the wielder to hook and rip through their enemies rather than merely stab them. They were carried by the Uruk-hai, tall and fearsome orc warriors bred by Saruman the White. Unlike regular orcs and goblins, the Uruk-hai can move about in daylight, which is why Saruman sent them to track the Fellowship of the Ring and capture the hobbits. He knew that one of the hobbits carried the One Ring of Power, and he hoped to use the Uruk-hai to acquire the One Ring for himself.
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    4 dwarven swords (Thorin, Balin, Fili, and Kili) In addition to Orcrist, Thorin Oakenshield also carried a sword forged by his own people. Three other members of his company wielded swords, as well: his nephews, Fili and Kili, and his distant cousin Balin. Dwarf swords have short, broad blades in a variety of shapes, with intricately carved handles and detailed etching. The tip of Balin's sword, for example, resembles a star with a hole in the center, while the tip of Thorin's is shaped like a diamond. Kili's is the least elaborate design with a simple tapered point, whereas his brother's sword is the most distinctive. Fili's blade tip is shaped like an off-center "V," giving it 2 points instead of just one.

    • Thorin, Fili, and Kili all died from their wounds in the Battle of the Five Armies. Balin survived that event, and he later led a group of dwarves to reconquer the Mines of Moria. Sadly, he was killed by goblins, and his people buried him in a tomb in Moria.
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Section 2 of 2:

Where to Buy Lord of the Rings Replica Swords

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1. 1
   Weta Workshop (for display) Weta Workshop is the company that made all the props for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, including the weapons. They currently sell screen-accurate replicas of some of the most famous swords in the Middle Earth legendarium, including Herugrim and the Sword of Éowyn. They're always adding more replicas to their catalog, so if you don't see your favorite sword now, check their website every couple of months!
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   Darksword Armory (for functional swords) Want to be able to swing and hack with your Lord of the Rings-themed sword like it's a real weapon? Darksword Armory produces swords inspired by the blades used in the Lord of the Rings films. While they're not officially licensed, their designs are incredibly close to what you see on-screen, and they also hold up to a lot of use.
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   Medieval Collectibles or Next Level UK (for cosplay) Need a sword for cosplay that's light enough to carry around a convention, but is also screen-accurate enough to look good in pictures? Try a foam Lord of the Rings sword from Medieval Collectibles or Next Level UK. The options are limited, but if you're cosplaying as Aragorn, Frodo or Bilbo Baggins, or the Witch-King of Angmar, you'll find inexpensive options at these sites.

   • Or, follow our tutorial to make your own LOTR-inspired sword out of wood!
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How powerful was King Théoden when he went to battle with Herugrim?

  

  Tim DeMarco
  Lord of the Rings Expert

  Tim DeMarco is a Lord of the Rings expert based in Toms River, New Jersey. Tim has been a fan of The Lord of the Rings for over 25 years. In 2022, he began creating content online dedicated to the works of JRR Tolkien under the name @BardofArda. Tim specializes in the lore of The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, and his content features parody songs, scene performances, and trivia competitions. Tim has amassed a combined following of over 35k across platforms.

  

  Tim DeMarco

  Lord of the Rings Expert

  Expert Answer

  While King Théoden was old, he still had a lot of strength left in him when he held Herugrim. He went on and defeated the Black Serpent, and goes all the way to face the Witch King.

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• Question

  How did Narsil become Andúril?

  

  Willie Jenkins (Knewbettadobetta)
  Lord of the Rings Expert

  Willie Jenkins (Knewbettadobetta) is a Lord of the Rings content creator and Lord Master based in Long Island, New York. Willie first read The Lord of the Rings at the age of 12 and has since become an expert in its lore. He now teaches The Lord of the Rings at Signum University, working directly with Professor Corey Olsen. He is also part of the Signum Collaboratory, where he has his own shows and content available. Willie also co-hosts The Voices of Arda podcast, has worked with Torn Many Times on TheOneRing.net, and has partnered with Amazon on Rings of Power content and with Warner Brothers on The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Willie creates a plethora of content on all social media platforms @knewbettadobetta, and has built an online community of over 130k people.

  

  Willie Jenkins (Knewbettadobetta)

  Lord of the Rings Expert

  Expert Answer

  A brief history of Narsil is that it shines with the light of the sun and the moon. Elendil's sons are Anárion and Isildur. Anárion's name is from the sun, and Isildur's name is from the moon. Even the lands of Minas, the lands of Ithilien, and the lands of Anárion are sun and moon. Those are Elendil's children. Aragorn is the descendant who reunites the lines of Isildur and Anárion. That is why he is the one who can become the High King of both Arnor and Gondor. And he is the one who can reunite them because he has both those bloodlines in him. Reforging the sword, and its becoming Andúril, the Flame of the West, is pivotal to him. He walks around with the broken hilt of Narsil, doesn't he? Then he has it reforged in Rivendell, and now it becomes Andúril. It's like a representation of those bloodlines coming back together in the form of that sword.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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