Paul Macdonald of Macdonald Armouries was good enough to give us some insight into him, his work and his inspiration and passion for swords and the sword arts. We here at the Cutting Edge would like to thank Paul for taking the time to answer our questions as both students and admirers of his work.

Cutting Edge: How did you get into sword making?

Paul Macdonald: After completing my university degree in Edinburgh, I was offered full-time making swords on the Royal Mile. These were mild steel wallhangers, but I took this as it gave me experience in using various tools and in shaping steel and other materials that would all prove generally useful in swordmaking.
After a while there, I had realized that the only way I was going to make what I really wanted to (accurate weight balance, functional repros to order) was to start my own business, so had to take that step.
My enthusiasm for historical European weaponry had started some years earlier, when I founded the Dawn Duellists Society in 1994. Since that time, research into various sword types and knowledge of their construction and blade/hilt forms went hand-in-hand with the creative side of life.

My commitment to the path of the sword was taken in `94 and has continued ever since.

 

CE: What was your favorite type of sword growing up?

PM: Any original swords that I have encountered and handled have always sparked my interest, and they continue to do so. The original swords still speak to you and in great detail about their methods of construction and practical use.
One of the simplest but most difficult questions I am often asked is `what is your favourite type of sword?`
This is not easy to answer as I hold a respect and appreciation for all European sword types throughout history, from bronze age to most recent. Each type has its own unique character and in terms of use, speaks it own language. Each can be better understood in contrast with all others.

CE:  Favorite sword movie as a kid?

PM: There is one scene from a movie that I remember from an early age. It was Theatre of Blood starring Vincent Price. There is a scene where he is fencing in a salle and begins to argue with his opponent. The masks are off and he removes the button to dramatically reveal a sharp point and then they set to it!
I vividly remember thinking it interesting enough in the fencing salle and then when the points were sharp thinking "Oh aye, now it’s interesting!"

CE:.  What made you want to tackle the Highlander Salamanca? How much research went into it? Was there a lot of trial and error?

PM: As much study as possible was carried out for the first replica on the movie stills and a couple of photographs of the original prop sword. This produced a reasonable replica, but not an exact copy. It was not until I had made this and posted photographs on the armouries website that the original owner of the movie prop sword contacted me directly with the offer of detailed hilt and blade images.
This was a great help, as it allowed me to fine tune the replica and include exact detailing like grip pattern and the 2mm faceted garnet and CZ stones that decorate the entire hilt and pommel (over 80 per sword).

 

CE: Were you a fan of the movies?

PM: I have always been a great fan of the original Highlander movie, and like most, as far as the movies go, believe that there should have been only one ;)
It still stands as a classic and in fact had a great knock-on effect in Scotland. Prior to that movie, there was very little by the way of public awareness of our own Highland history and jacobite re-enactment. One jacobite group started up in Glasgow after they appeared as extras in the movie and the history of Scotland’s jacobite re-enactment groups (which has been as tumultuous and almost as bloody as the original clans) started from there.

I am familiar with many of the original movie set locations and remember my friend and I as youngsters playing with polystyrene rocks and logs from the set. My own wee home village of Glenuig in Moidart was also used as a location for one of the Highlander series episodes, which I followed to some extent. Whenever I watch the movie, it does always take me home.

Being a Highlander who follows the path of the sword, what better movie could there be? ;)

CE:  Why the Princess Bride Montoya rapier? How did you get the design so exact? Did you handle an original?

I thought it a novel idea to tell the story throughout the entire hilt, intertwining the stories of the three main characters associated with the sword over the swept hilt.

Thus, symbolic images follow paths along hilt branches and meet with other characters at their appropriate points in their own stories, the characters of course being those of Count Rugen (who orders the sword and kills the swordmaker), Domingo Montoya (the swordmaker) and Inigo Montoya (his son who pursues Rugen with the sword, intent on revenge).
Other symbols on the hilt and pommel represent the battle of good versus evil and the four universal elements.

And such intensive work (six months in creation) really deserves a matching sidearm, and so a dagger naturally followed :)

All research had to be done following images alone, as the whereabouts of the original prop sword is unknown, despite making several enquiries in this direction. I know the maker of the original, and have done for many years, but there were no working plans for the original as it was put together from various pieces of different swords at the time.

CE:  Do you practice any sword arts yourself?

I have been involved with the Art of swordsmanship for at least as long as I have been creating weaponry. Much of my working life involves study, practice and teaching in European historical fencing and martial arts. I am a qualified Master-at-Arms in historical fencing and a fight director with Art of Combat. As well as the armoury, I also run the Macdonald Academy of Arms, which trains two nights a week and also presents many demonstrations and workshops throughout the course of any one year.
The Summer period is quite busy on all fronts, particularly on the teaching side, which makes it quite difficult to fit in production time. It seems that Life, as in Fence is ever about finding and achieving balance ;)

I believe it to be an important asset in following experience in swordsmanship and making, as understanding exactly how a weapon should really perform lends itself directly to being able to achieve the required weight and balance in creating the right tool for the right job.

 

CE: There are many smiths who scoff at the idea of recreating movie related swords and weapons and you are completely open to the prospect. Why do you think they are so against recreating weapons seen in cinema?

PM: Within the world of swordmaking, there are many specialists. There are those that make for re-enactment alone. Those that make movie replicas or fantasy swords only. There are those that specialize in low cost, functional swords and those that only create hand-forged, high end historical based work. Each to their own, as this World has room for All.

I am not too surprised to hear that some swordmakers would not consider making any movie replicas, as they may wish to concentrate entirely on historical based pieces and there is nothing wrong in doing so.

Personally, I gain as much satisfaction in making the customers order as accurately as possible, be that an exact reproduction of an historical family heirloom such as the Bruce sword, or a legendary sword made for a six-fingered man.

 

CE: Are you a avid movie buff? Do you look for things to recreate either for yourself or customers?

PM: I must admit to having seen quite a range of historical based movies and swashbucklers, as it really comes with the territory. Some hold great entertainment value, others provide good examples of quality fight direction and others are real favourites in the sense of historical drama and realism.

Sometimes a wee flash of inspiration can hit me watching a movie, such as seeing a certain Toledo Salamanca in Highlander and thinking "That would be a sword worth making!"
It can be interesting also to look at non-historical swords in movies to see what lengths of creativity designers and prop makers can go to in order to make the right tool for the job on screen

Suontaka Sword

CE: Any other projects on the horizon you want to share with us?

I have just recently completed the Suontaka sword, which was involved a lot of detailed carving work. Around six months went into this one, which is replicating an original sword from c.1100AD that was found in a woman’s grave in Finland. The hilt and pommel are covered in zoomorphic Celtic knotwork and was a relief to complete :)
I am presently making an interesting fantasy sword, replicating the `Negotiator` sword from a computer game, Hellgate London. This is quite possibly the maddest looking sword I will have made and has already involved quite a lot of carving work to make master copies for the pommel and bronze blade overlays.

There should be a couple of interesting historical reproductions available soon, which like the best things worth waiting for, I shall keep under wraps for now ;)

 

I would like to say on the behalf of us all that we appreciate the work and research you put into recreating these swords for us. Thanks to Paul we now have the ability to hold a piece of cinematic history in our hands and is taking the steps to bridge the gap of the movie prop world and the sword world. In the past these two groups have butted heads in terms of price and functionality. But now that bridge is being built and its looking good and should carry us far into the future.