Done if by Hand or Hew if by Sword?

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

The sword was certainly a powerful symbol, but the Dead were not cursed and bound to the world by Elendil, but by Isildur. Narsil was not Isildur's sword at the time of the curse.
The sword was inheirited by Isildur, but more importantly, the authority to release the Dead from the curse was inheirited by Isildur's descendants. I think the latter was what was perceived somehow by the Dead, more than the sword. When asserting his right to pass through, he at no point displays Andúril, or speaks of it. It was his words, and the banner Davem mentioned that proved Aragorn to them. If the sword was what the Dead keyed on, anyone who happened upon it by random finding or theft could have commanded the Dead, couldn't they?

Yes, I agree there is no direct link here between the sword and being able to pass through the Paths of the Dead. I am suggesting more of a parallel here, that just as he has inherited Elendils sword, so also he inherits the right to pass through the Paths of the Dead and survive. Perhaps this is too weak a parallel, but otherwise you have to invoke a curse or spell associated with the reforging, which does not sound like the sort of thing that the Elves of Rivendell would do.

The sword of Elendil in any case is obviously far more than an ordinary sword, and is presumably to be wielded only by his heir. Same sense in which only Aragorn can command the Dead (and thus avoid his own death in attempting this)...

[Morsul the Dark]

Sounds more like "You touch this you die." It's more of an idle threat. But because of its importance he may have put more emphasis on it.