Sting (Middle-earth)
Sting has the magical ability to detect orcs or goblins nearby, glowing blue in their presence, as it did when the Fellowship encountered orcs in the mines of Moria. Tolkien establishes this as a common property of First Age Elf blades, particularly those forged in Gondolin. Sting is also exceptionally sharp. Bilbo manages to thrust it without effort deep into a wooden beam at Rivendell. Frodo also wounds a troll in Moria, after Boromir notches his own sword with his attempt. Sam uses Sting to cut through the giant spider Shelob's strong webs with ease, and also wound the spider, driving it away from the paralyzed Frodo.
Sting (Middle-earth)
In Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" film adaptations, Sting is depicted as vaguely leaf-shaped, with gentle curving edges. Engraved on the blade and cross-guard are letters in Sindarin that read phonetically, "Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im". Translated into English, they read, ""Maegnas" is my name, I am the spider's bane." According to the Appendix of "The Silmarillion", the element "maeg" in Sindarin means "sharp" or "piercing". The film version of Sting is long (24 while in scabbard) and wide at the hilt. Its scabbard is made of brown leather and reinforced with metal. In "The Hobbit" trilogy, Sting does not bear the inscription.