• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SEENIT

TV, Film, Broadband, Pay-TV, Games, Computing and Tech | News, Comment & Reviews

  • NEWS
  • FEATURES
  • ADVERTISE
  • Twitter

Arming the Sycorax

January 6, 2006 - Staff@seenituk

Clive Lankford of Lancasters armourie talks to unitnews about constructing the Sycorax swords as featured in The Christmas Invasion.

As Clive explains, Lancasters are an established builder of swords with a proven history of supplying historical re-enactors and other specialists:


DWM Cover

Click for a larger version

“Our main customers are full contact re-enactors and have only recently started selling them for TV production although they have been used on stage for a number of years.

One of the reasons for our swords being used is we are the only company that put a limited guarantee on them not to break, we will only make a statement like this if we have tried and tested them to destruction.”

Clive explained to unitnews how the swords are made: “We use Chrome Nickel Molybdenum steel (commonly known as tank armour) this is a very expensive steel but it does last and we have to buy it a tonne at a time. We also have our own recipe for tempering them which is what makes them that bit more special

Given the punishment that we put them through and that ours last us around 4 years we have worked out that we put over 8 years full contact wear on them.”

Clive also explained the differences between the prop sword they made (see picture above) and the swords as seen on screen, “The latex on the pommel and quillion was added by the BBC props department. As it was not a standard blade length we had to ensure that we had it well balanced for the actors.

We made a prototype first which we are going to sell for charity with the funds are going to Great Ormond Street Hospital, the others were made to exactly the same size and standards.”

Normally a sword like this would sell for around �350 plus the latex work.

And for those fans who fancy themselves as The Doctor Clive has some good news: “We will be manufacturing a limited number of these blades which will all be numbered starting at number 5 they will also carry our armourers mark and a letter of authentication with a stand for them to be displayed.”

Link: www.lancasters-armourie.co.uk

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related

Blu-ray and Gaming Top Buys

Batman: Soul Of The Dragon comes to DVD and Blu-ray next month

Classic Doctor Who story The Web of Fear is coming to Blu-ray

Francis Ford Coppola’s re-edit of The Godfather: Part III gets official trailer

RECENT

Sky and Studiocanal announce new movie deal

Jeremy Brett’s definitive Sherlock Holmes arrives on BritBox this week

Dawn French and Richard Curtis reunite for Vicar of Dibley documentary

EE brings 5G to 13 new towns and cities

Popular

Sky bags first run rights to Entertainment One catalogue

Freesat adds BBC Sounds to app line-up

Coming To America sequel to get global release on Amazon Prime Video

Hitman developers announce new James Bond game

Featured

Ofcom calls for greater social and geographic diversity in TV and radio

BT Sport app now available on Now TV devices

StarzPlay is now available from Rakuten TV

Britbox – What does the new UK-centric streaming service offer?

Popular Topics

  • Amazon Prime Video
  • BritBox
  • Freeview Play
  • Set Top Box Reviews

ADVERTISE ON SEENIT

We’re pleased to offer a number of advertising opportunities to high quality brands including sponsored content, competitions and advertising placements.

Please contact us for details.

MORE FROM US

Copyright © 2021 · All Rights Reserved · Contact Us · Copyright · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy
MayorWatch Publications Limited · 20-22 Wenlock Road · London N1 7GU · Company Number 6291816