According to custom during the Viking Age, it is known that all free Scandinavians were required to own and bear arms. The mandate to keep and bear arms was not only for defensive purposes, but also to verify the social status of Vikings within their clan. A typical wealthy Viking would have a complete outfit made for them, consisting of a helmet, sword, shield, and chain mail, as well as various other weaponry. While a man of smaller stature can only possess a spear and a shield. With the spear, sword and shield being the basic armaments of a typical Viking warrior, the art of the blacksmith was especially essential.
Blacksmiths typically worked with iron. The black color that is the end product would come from fire scale, which is a layer of oxides that forms on the surface of the metal during heating. Blacksmiths made a living by heating pieces of wrought iron or steel until the metal was soft enough to be shaped with hand tools such as a hammer, anvil, and/or chisel.
The wealthier Vikings would have used a sword in addition to carrying their spear and shield. Owning a sword during the Viking period was a matter of great prestige. In historical records, a sword has been mentioned to be worth half a crown, or worth the same as sixteen dairy cows.
Today people try to recreate the life of the Vikings by participating in medieval fairs. While at these fairs the participants dress up as Viking warlords. Viking swords are included in these costumes. Unfortunately, using a real sword tends to be tricky and this has become tightly regulated. Many fairs and conventions limit the use of metal weapons for safety reasons. However, there is a solution where the participant can use a replica sword made of safe material like latex or foam. But most of the time the sword is not realistic.