Prior to the Ulfberht swords, most European swords were of the pattern welded variety. Soft iron bars were welded together with strips of steel, forged into a blade shape, then a steel edge was welded onto the sword.

The Ulfberht sword was a big leap in both technology and design. Made not of strips, but good carbon steel blades with enough carbon content to produce excellent swords. The design of the sword was also an improvement. The blade tapered more sharply to the point than did previous blades. This put the balance of the sword closer to the hand, making a sword that was faster on both the stroke and recovery than previous blades.

The etchings on both sides of the blade are copied exactly of the original so that the reproduction is identical. The sword is made of high carbon steel and is beautifully balanced. The grip is made of wood wrapped with leather. The stout crossguard is made of steel and the pommel form is the Brazil nut shape that was quite popular at the time, both with Vikings and the rest of Europe.

- Blade material: 1065 high carbon steel
- Overall length: approx. 91 cm
- Blade length: approx. 77 cm
- Blade width: approx. 5.4 cm
- Weight: approx. 1360 g

Hela, Birka 800-900-luku