Although they couldn’t get their hands on any Valyrian steel, the craftsmen from Baltimore Knife and Sword were able to recreate Eddard Stark’s sword Ice for the latest edition of Man at Arms: Reforged.

After watching that, you’re no doubt as floored as we are at how intricate and time-consuming the forging of real swords can be. The attention to detail that the crew puts into recreating Ice is nothing short of amazing, and we can’t begin to imagine how much blood, sweat, and tears went into making swords back when such modern means weren’t available. If you’re anything like us, you probably thought swords were, more or less, just one piece of metal flattened out and sharpened. While that’s probably true for common swords used in battles, the beautiful heirloom swords passed down through noble families were more like this forging. Only, you know, all done by hand without a machine shop and power tools.

What’s particularly interesting about creating Ice is how the fellas at Baltimore Knife and Sword make note of it having more in common with an executioner’s sword rather than how it’s listed in Game of Thrones as Ned’s Great Sword. This is somewhat fitting considering the important scenes with Ice in the show aren’t battles but are, instead, Ned’s execution of a deserter and Ser Ilyn Payne’s beheading of Ned (beNeding?).

Our only question, after all is said and done, is if Man at Arms: Reforged has plans to melt their Ice down in order to forge Widow’s Wail and Oathkeeper.

Are you as amazed as we are in the work involved in making such a beautiful sword? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

Image: Man at Arms: Reforged

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