Valyrian steel is folded hundreds of times in the process of forging (I: 20)
First Look Needle Prototype
Today we got our first look at the Needle Prototype, it isn’t perfect. The handle parts need to be polished, and the grip is the wrong color (should be black) but other than that it looks good. Needle has a full tang 1045 high carbon steel blade, purists rejoice. Once we get the changes made and another prototype we’ll get it to GRRM for final approval, then to the photographer, then set a price, and then we can start taking preorders.
Ice is having concept art designed now.
Then we’re also thinking about doing a small edition of Khal Drogo’s Arakh just to get a Dothraki weapon style established. The arakh will be using a different product pipeline than Ice so may come out concurrently or prior to it, despite Ice being started first.
32 Responses to “First Look Needle Prototype”
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March 18th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Looks great! I really like the leather hilt.
March 18th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Can’t wait!
March 18th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Awesome!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Looks awesome, black leather should look even better!
I know many will ask this but…any estimate on the price range? With today’s economy one has to save up for some pleasures of life.
March 19th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Iv gotta say that Im quite pleased with the way Needle came out! It looks very elegant; would fit nicely in someones home even if they dont collect overly fantasy swords.
March 19th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Arya would be psyched and I will be too, can’t wait! =)
March 19th, 2009 at 9:14 am
It looks very good. Could you please provide the size dimensions and an image of the blade? Many thanks.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Can you show us the backside of that leather grip? I was a little disappointed with the grip on my Longclaw - it looks like it is one wide piece (and not a more traditional long strip) that is just wrapped around the handle and glued to the back. There’s a definite seam running along the backside.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:09 am
*drools* Oh wow…. Looks fabulous! And yes, I’m in the camp that is asking for a price estimate if you guys don’t mind.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:20 am
That’s one pretty hilt, no mistake!
I look forward to seeing the blade itself in the future, though!
March 19th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Very nice! Can’t wait to hear a price quote, I guess I should start saving up now. The sword is as beautiful as I would expect after seeing Longclaw! Keep it up!
March 19th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Yes, Longclaw’s leather has a seam, that wasn’t an accident, that was how it was meant to be. That is how that style of hilt is done. We weren’t trying to mislead you into thinking it was made another way, its pretty standard for that kind of hilt (leather over ribs).
Needle’s has no seam, the back looks just like the front, for the blade too. The only way to tell the back from the front is the front has Mikken’s mark, and the back has all the prerequisite copyright/grrm/limited edition/number text. Which I know isn’t popular with purists, but is absolutely required per our contract with GRRM and the need to prevent knockoffs and other fraud.
As for the price, somewhere between $199 and $220 likely. Needle is smaller than Longclaw, but it is using more expensive metal. Additionally, shipping costs on Needle should be much cheaper (especially for you Australian folks).
March 19th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Here’s one purist who isn’t concerned about copyright/ggrm/# on the blade! Two hundred bones for a 1045CS limited edition signed by grrm? That’s a steal by anyone’s definition! Now, when is it available? This year? =)
March 19th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
We hope to have Needle ship this summer.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Any idea when you hope to start taking pre-orders? I definitely want to make sure I get a good spot in line to get one myself. And yeah, that is definitely a good price. Any idea what the plaque will look like? Something similar to Longclaw, but with the true Stark colorings?
March 20th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Preorders will start as soon as we have an approved prototype, possibly in April. That way we can have pictures of the actual product.
And yes, the plaque is pretty much the same as Longclaw, but in reverse with the true Stark colors.
March 21st, 2009 at 11:01 am
I was wondering about a time estimate of when we can see the concept art of Ice? Also, if all goes well, when you would expect Ice to be completed. Thanks.
March 21st, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I don’t imagine Ice would make it up for sale until 2010, we’ll probably have concept art available this summer.
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:45 pm
That looks very nice, I agree on a different color grip, but so far it looks great. I can’t wait for Ice now, I’ll definitely be getting it! =D
March 25th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I like the fact there’s not a silly pommel. What size and weight are we looking at?
March 31st, 2009 at 5:20 am
absolutely fantastic looking. i can’t wait to hang it in my SoI&F themed room.
April 4th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
It looks wonderful. I can’t wait to hang it next to Longclaw. Also I for one am very excited about Drogo’s Arakh. Keep up the good work!
April 8th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Stick ‘em with the pointy end…
April 8th, 2009 at 11:41 am
i understand it would likely be more work for you guys, but any thoughts to giving the longclaw owners a chance at getting a matching number needle? it would be a nice bonus for the pre-order ppl, but if its impractical i’ll take what i can get
April 8th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
sorry, its extremely impractical
April 10th, 2009 at 12:20 am
As with all other australians that have left comments on this site, i find the shipping cost of longclaw just too large a hurdle to overcome, no matter how much i want it. But is it possibility that longclaw and needle could be shipped together. Im thinking that it wouldnt be much more expensive for both then just longclaw shipping because needle is smaller. If it wasnt much more expensive then the $350 for both to be shipped i reckon more Australians could justify it.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:27 am
needle will be much easier to ship and if you averaged the shipping cost for the two it might end up coming out to say $200 each, but in the end its still $350 for Longclaw and $50 for needle.
We could really use an Australian retailer to step up and import a bunch at wholesale to save on shipping. We could probably ship a whole pallet to Australia for around $500, which would be 40 swords.
But that is bulk ocean freight, and doesn’t include inland transport from the port, but still, much cheaper than air.
If you know an Australian retailer pester them and get them to contact us about this.
April 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Above I said there is no seam, the pictures I had seen before didn’t look like it, now that I actually have the prototype in hand I can tell you that yes, there is a seam in the leather in the back.
April 15th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
it looks cool but…i just never imagined needle to have a cross hilt/guard thingy midgiger? i always imagined it as a slender and easy to conceal, down the side of your leg type of thing! you know? same sword as you got up there but without the cross guard…but like a says…its cool!
April 17th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
looks great! for some reason i always pictured needle as a rapier style blade. but kudos! cant wait to see ice!
April 25th, 2009 at 2:40 am
I can’t wait for ICE…That’s the one I want!:)
I’m really glad you’re doing these swords! Bravo!
May 31st, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Awesome !
I want Ice, i’ll take a 2nd job this summer to have her when she come out