Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery VS Weta

Hello all! Apologies if this has been covered. I did a search to no avail.

I am wanting to get Glamdring and Gandalf's staff to hang in my office. I had a question though... I just bought the UC Glamdring. But I was looking at options for Gandalf's staff, and I wanted some advice from people who have bought prop replicas from both companies, as I have not.

On one hand, UC's staff looks very nice and UC seems to have a better reputation as far as detail goes. For the sword, I was definitely swayed to go towards UC. Also, it's supposed to come out soon. One possible con, not sure I'm in love with the stand. It doesn't seem to have quite the same presence as the sword one, although on the other hand that might be nice because it won't get in the way of the presentation of the actual staff.

However, Noble Collection is going to offer an illuminating staff which appeals to me. It won't be out until May of next year, apparently, but I could possibly wait.

I am just trying to weigh whether the illumination is enough to turn me towards the NC staff. If the UC staff will probably be vastly superior in terms of look and authenticity, I might go that direction as I would use the illumination feature sparingly as a display item.

Any thoughts you have will be helpful! Thanks!

Update: Now Weta is in the mix with their fiberglass version! So many choices!

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

I have some of the UC LOTR item they are high quality.

I need to to get Gandalf's staff, when I get old, I can go outside with it and I wont get mugged as foes will think I am Wizard.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

JonWes said:

Hello all! Apologies if this has been covered. I did a search to no avail.

I am wanting to get Glamdring and Gandalf's staff to hang in my office. I had a question though... I just bought the UC Glamdring. But I was looking at options for Gandalf's staff, and I wanted some advice from people who have bought prop replicas from both companies, as I have not.

On one hand, UC's staff looks very nice and UC seems to have a better reputation as far as detail goes. For the sword, I was definitely swayed to go towards UC. Also, it's supposed to come out soon. One possible con, not sure I'm in love with the stand. It doesn't seem to have quite the same presence as the sword one, although on the other hand that might be nice because it won't get in the way of the presentation of the actual staff.

However, Noble Collection is going to offer an illuminating staff which appeals to me. It won't be out until May of next year, apparently, but I could possibly wait.

I am just trying to weigh whether the illumination is enough to turn me towards the NC staff. If the UC staff will probably be vastly superior in terms of look and authenticity, I might go that direction as I would use the illumination feature sparingly as a display item.

Any thoughts you have will be helpful! Thanks!

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NC has no doubt better display stands...for overall sword,scabbard quality It's UC for me all the way...I will put my money on the UC staff too which I ordered and expect to ship this month...The NC looks nice from the photos but I dont trust the NC quality in this type of prop...I guess if it's for display purposes only plus if you need it to light up the NC is OK, but for me I dont care about the light, just looks and strength and for that I always trust UC...I never had a problem yet with UC...just my 2 cents

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Thanks Adolfo, that's exactly the sort of insights I was hoping to get. I'm probably going to wait a bit before ordering the staff, so I'd love to hear what everyone thinks. I am leaning towards the UC one though.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

wait and see if weta does one. If not, go for uc. noble quality is.. well.. nothing compared to UC.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Husker75 said:

wait and see if weta does one. If not, go for uc. noble quality is.. well.. nothing compared to UC.

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If weta makes one it will cost alot more than UC's I bet

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Yeah, Weta replicas seem way out of my price range, I'm afraid.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

I'm an advocate for UC. I'd go with their props in perms of quality and value.

NC is good. WETA is great but waaaay to expensive.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Weta makes cheap collectibles too guys. They know they have competition with a lot of props. Others? Statues? Those the bump the price up on, but usually rightly so. They are really not that bad. And for quality, they are usually beyond amazing.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

I think we're all specifically talking about the prop replicas. Not Weta in general. Weta make all kinds of cool things I will buy and that are in my price range. Swords in the thousands of dollars are not for me. Though I bet they are beautiful.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Are the staves re-enforced in any way or is it really just a wooden pole?

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

My understanding is they are not even wood. The UC one is polyresin I believe (more knowledgeable folk, correct me if I'm wrong) and the NC one is the same sort of material. Some sort of resin, at least.

I want to pick one of these up along with the sting sword. Can't wait!!!

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

JonWes said:

I think we're all specifically talking about the prop replicas. Not Weta in general. Weta make all kinds of cool things I will buy and that are in my price range. Swords in the thousands of dollars are not for me. Though I bet they are beautiful.

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I was talking about prop replicas too. All of their hobbit replica weapons are around 200 or 300, or less. Excellent quality key of erebor was 30 bucks.. they have parchment map replicas for 30 bucks. And then if you want the really nice ones, they are 200-500 for the map or contract done by daniel by hand.

True, they are just starting to get into the affordable replica weapons, but I don't see that as a reason to discount their replicas at all. I'm eager to see what they do. And i've been quite happy to see how many affordable items they have released lately. I've always wanted them to do more weapons that were not the master series, etc. Ones that we could afford. Hopefully they run with this for the next several years, using the hobbit as fuel for them.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Not to stray too far off topic, but to be honest, if they released, say, Glamdring tomorrow for $250 and made it out of urethane like they are the Hobbit weapons, I wouldn't be interested when I could get a Glamdring for $100 less made of actual metal. I kind of feel that same way about Balin's Mace. I LOVE the design of that, but for it being made out of urethane rubber... $250 seems like too much, no matter how expertly sculpted or painted. If it was closer to $150 I'd be all over it. I guess it's all just relative. I feel like prop replicas at that price should be made out of metal. I guess it's just a mental block! LOL.

On the flip side, it doesn't bother me that Gandalf's staff is made of polyresin because they are recreating the look of wood.

I will say, I did order Weta's Key To Erebor and the $200 prop replica map. Neither one has shown up yet (the map has yet to ship even, and it's coming from NZ so I'm guessing it'll be into the new year before I see that one) so I'm not opposed to Weta at all. But there are some things where it just doesn't seem worth the money.

All that being said, I'm looking forward to reading about the weapons when people start getting them and seeing the final products in photos! I could be swayed!

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

If the staves are resin, then it's a pass for me.

It's funny that so many prop replica companies are making these weapons, yet none are really all that sturdy. Case in point - I have a couple of Atrim practical swords (look them up - they're amazing) and I paid about $220-250 for them each. Now these swords are fully functional, carbon steel bladed, and are designed for actual use; whether you use them for re-enactment combat or demonstrations. Now with probably about $100-150 worth of mods you could get a serviceable Glamdring or Orcrist (though Orcrist might be a bit more tricky) that would also be of functional quality. Instead United Cutlery offers a Glamdring for $350 that's stainless steel and probably rat-tail tanged (meaning the hilt assembly design is minimal, with the tang being little more than a rat-tail). Either the license is super expensive or someone's not paying attention.

Sorry to derail the topic, but swords are my thing and whenever people talk about these wall-hanger swords, I get antsy. I know I've posted about this in other threads, but wall-hanger stainless steel swords break all the time depending on the hilt assembly and tang.

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Well looks like WETA has the Staff of both Gandalf and Radagast up for presale and limited to 1000 both look way nice!!!

https://www.wetanz.com/staff-of-radagast-the-brown/

https://www.wetanz.com/staff-of-gandalf-the-grey/

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

Hmmm... interesting. I definitely think I'll go for Radagast's staff. I was hoping they'd make that. Now I have THREE choices for Gandalf's staff! And still at a reasonable price. I wonder what would be nicer - fiberglass or the polyresin of the other two?

Just as I was ready to pull the trigger on the United Cutlery version...

Re: Gandalf's Staff from The Hobbit: Noble Collection VS United Cutlery

JonWes said:

Hmmm... interesting. I definitely think I'll go for Radagast's staff. I was hoping they'd make that. Now I have THREE choices for Gandalf's staff! And still at a reasonable price. I wonder what would be nicer - fiberglass or the polyresin of the other two?

Just as I was ready to pull the trigger on the United Cutlery version...

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Personally UC or NC are both very nice but to get it from the makers of them, WETA is a bonus, agreed Radagast is looking mighty good!

Told you guys! Love that the weta one is fiberglass, so much more sturdy. My only complaint is I wish it lit up. So I guess I'll just have to get both the weta gandy and the nc gandy maybe? Idunno. Radagasts is awesome too, so I am preordering those both.

and JonWes, when you get the key and map, i think you will be very happy with them. I got them as soon as they went up, and even after my 200 dollar map went missing in the mail, i contacted weta and they sent me a new one. Excellent service. Love it, and can't wait to display it. I was also worried about the resin and other materials being used on a lot of the staff replicas already being made. Hearing the weta ones will be fiberglass is a big deal to me because it means I will have them in good shape for a long time, and can actually bring them out of the house with me and play with them too! Excellent news!

And as to the earlier conversation, I'm just happy they are doing replicas of the axes the way they are, because the poly captures those details perfect. As far as the plain bladed weapons, I don't care if weta gets into them. I stick with UC for the wall hangers, and i'm happy with them. It would be nice if weta made good quality steel weapons at just a smidge more than UC, but I just don't think there is a market for them. If you really want good quality, you pay for something like the UC museum collection, or the Weta ones that are 5k. Huge jump in price there, but I just don't see us getting a mid-range fully functional line of a lot of the swords/axes/etc.