About Us
Who We Are
Our Quest
We are on a quest to make Viking history, culture, and fantasy accessible to as many people as possible. When we first looked into garbing up as Vikings, we found we could not afford many of the high quality items available. So we set out to create our own.
Now we endeavor to create and offer items that fit any budget. Whether you are just starting out, or looking to expand your Viking horde to another level, we do our best to provide a little something for everyone.
Our History
We grew up as feral children who spent long days in the woods and playing in the small pond on the land we grew up on in rural Pennsylvania. As adults, The Brothers have been contractors, property maintenance managers, warehouse workers, cooks, retail workers, and more. Like many people, we found ourselves working just to get by and seeking joy where we could, but we found conventional worklife to be mundane and unfulfilling. We have taken on the responsibilities of parenting, work, and paying the bills, but we still take joy in gaming, play, and epic foam sword battles with our kids. As parents, we do our best to instill a sense of wonder and adventure in our children.
The beginning
In October of 2019, Jason’s kids, inspired by How to Train Your Dragon, wanted to be Vikings for Halloween. After searching the internet, J, as his friends like to call him, found he could not afford most of the high quality Viking items available. His oldest daughter, Trinadee, encouraged him to make the costumes himself. He worked tirelessly for three days to create costumes he would be told were the best in town.
2020
For Halloween of 2020, Joshua’s kids wanted to be Vikings too. Working together, J and Joshua crafted costumes and shared a creative process that brought them both joy and fulfillment and became the inspiration for Skjaldborg Artisans as a business.
After the trick-or-treating had ended, Joshua suggested that we take our costumes to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire - our first time at a Ren Faire! There we were told by people working at the Ren Faire that we had some of the best kits they had ever seen, and they asked us if we made them for a living. Dumbfounded, we asked, “You can do this for a living?” The response came again and again: “You should try it for a year.”
2021
In the summer of 2021, with the backdrop of a global pandemic, we set to work in J’s garage to build Viking round shields that looked authentic and were inspired by the techniques utilized by Vikings. We imagined that we could create and sell shields, armor, and other various Viking inspired wares as a side hustle while we worked toward growing J’s Pennsylvania based contracting company into New York and Delaware.
In November of 2021, Joshua attended an immersive Viking event and then in December a Yule LARP event. He felt like he had found our tribe . People who were friendly, welcoming, and who see being unusual as a good thing. People with a love for roleplaying, reenactment, and Cosplay. People who encouraged us to try selling our creations at events.
2022
Just months later, inspired by the overwhelming level of acceptance and encouragement we received at these events, in January of 2022, Joshua quit his property maintenance management job in Delaware. Shortly thereafter, J decided to close his contracting business. The Brothers set their focus solely on handcrafting and sourcing Viking inspired items to vend at events.
In February of 2022, we worked with the owners of the Wellsboro House in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania to make their annual Beards and Beers Contest an event with vendors. This became the official launch for Skjaldborg Artisans.The event was a hit for everyone involved, and we received even more encouragement regarding the quality of our work.
In March of 2022, we set up our vending booth at a Viking Festival in North Carolina. Being that this was our first large event, we were unsure of what to expect, but once again we were met with warm welcomes, encouragement, and complimentary feedback on our work.
2023
In 2023, we registered for 16 events. While bringing our biggest setup ever to a summer renaissance faire in June of 2023 we hit a wall. At this point, we found that we needed to hire additional helpers to continue to deliver the sort of experience we aim to bring to every event.
We take great pride in setting up an exciting, immersive experience at each event that offers something for everyone. We bring more than just cool handmade products. Our hope is that each person who comes to our camp leaves with memories and a feeling of connection and belongingAll are welcome at our Viking Trading Post.
As we continue through 2023, we are still working out of our garages and basements.Our team is growing with friends and family members joining us to craft and assist us in setting up for events. We are also seeking out collaborations with other artisans and manufacturers. Our goal in expanding our network is to help and inspire other artisans to escape their mundane jobs on a quest for freedom through creativity and entertainment.