Scabbard Core Services

Are you a craftsman, or setting setting up shop? Tell us about what you do, or offer.

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Greg
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Scabbard Core Services

Post by Greg »

Greetings!

As many of you have seen, I've taken on scabbard core carving as a bit of a hobby within this hobby. My two most recent projects were cores for my Camp-Seax (made by forum member Odigan, shown pre-sanding) and a full-length core for fellow forumite Manveruon's Type XII (by Yeshua's Sword), both seen below.

I'm now offering this as a first-come, first-served service exclusively for Middle Earth Ranger Forum members. These cores will all be hand-carved, inside and out, as have been my previous pieces of work. Neither of these cores ever came in contact with a bandsaw or belt sander...all interior work was done with hand-gouges, the shape of Manveruon's scabbard throat was done with hand files, and the exterior shaping and profiles were all sculpted with a hand plane and finished with sandpaper, again, all by hand. I can fit your tip to a chape if you already have one, which I did on Manveruon's blade as well. I work exclusively with Poplar for these, unless you make a specific request (and have a darned good reason for it). Poplar is extremely lightweight for how strong it is, yet is easy enough to work with to still justify my low pricing system.

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Trick is, you aren't going to pay insane handcraft prices. I'll quote all requests on an individual basis, but you can expect it to be affordable. To carve the scabbard I made for my Camp-Seax, I would have charged $40, and for an arming sword such as Manveruon's Type XII, $75-80, based on length and sppine thickness. Christian Fletcher charges a flat $100 minimum for a scabbard core, and I believe he uses a Mill and/or numerous power tools. In short, I'm doing what I can to help you get your hands on a quality core you can build your dream scabbard on, carved and fitted with 100% authentic elbow-grease, without killing your paycheck.

Looking forward to working with you; PM me with a few photos of your blade, and we'll talk.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
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Manveruon
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Manveruon »

I can attest to the excellent quality of Greg's scabbard work! I was extremely pleased with mine, and you can see my review of his excellent work in my scabbard-build post, as well as a few more pictures of the core-building process:

http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... =28&t=3064
Maerondir Perianseron, also called “Mickel,” Halfling Friend - Ranger of the Misty Mountains
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Manveruon
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Manveruon »

That said, now that I know what pains you went to in order to keep all labor on these projects to a 100% hand-made standard, I feel pretty bad about using an electric sander to smooth out one spot on mine, heh. Feels like I sort of defiled it, in a way. Sorry man! But honestly, I'm thoroughly impressed at your dedication here! I had no idea how you did the throat portion of my core, and looking at how beautifully it fits, I'm pretty blown away.
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Eric C
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Eric C »

Very nice work there! Another thing about poplar - which I think you know - is that, as I have been told, it isn't corrosive to the steel weapon held within. Good scabbard choice.
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Eledhwen
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Eledhwen »

Excellent!

I may have something for you; a core for the DelTin Glamdring. ;)

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Greg
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Greg »

I'd be honored!

FYI, I forgot to mention...the handcrafted nature and custom-fitting of these cores DOES require you to send the blade to me for the building process. That's why I'm only offering this to forum members...I have a reputation established with you all here already, and feel that asking others to send me their blades is just a bad idea short of this turning into an actual business, which it won't.

To that end, since it's all for in-house folks here and we have such a variety of talent, I'll also consider trades.
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mcapanelli
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by mcapanelli »

Would you do a complete scabbard?
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Greg
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Greg »

How complete are we talking, and what kind of detail?

As for a yes or no...I'm not Christian Fletcher.

...BUT.

Bring it on!
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by mcapanelli »

Greg wrote:How complete are we talking, and what kind of detail?

As for a yes or no...I'm not Christian Fletcher.

...BUT.

Bring it on!
Well, we'd be talking basic leather covered scabbard, an integrated belt, and maybe a u shaped Chape? Nothing fancy, more utilitarian than anything. I also don't really have a time frame so I'd be in no rush to get it.
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Greg
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Greg »

Doable! Check your facebook messages.
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Will Whitfoot
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Will Whitfoot »

Nice looking scabbards! I used to do a lot of the same type work. One suggestion: I found it useful to use a router to rough out the shape of the blade... that is... a narrow round point bit to cut a single line the depth of the thickest ridge of the blade, and a flat bit to rout out the profile of the blade shallowly. Then it was a flat carving tool to blend the two. I found that #1 white pine was my favorite wood. I'd also add 1/16" of depth to the whole thing on each side and line the inside with velvet before gluing together. That makes the blade go in an out very quietly. Finally... if the blade has a habaki at the front of the handle, I'd make a pocket at the throat lined with musicial instrument cork to seat the habaki, and make the blade stick in the scabbard just at the last quarter inch of insertion. I also found it useful to actually make a channel from the blade core to the tip... so that (with the chape removed) it would be possible to use air pressure to blow out any debris, sawdust, or whatnot that got in there. It could also be used later to clean a scabbard that had gotten dropped in the mud or otherwise had gotten bad stuff inside.
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Elleth »

How do you guys affix chapes, anyhow? Just glue? Or pins or something else?
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Peter Remling
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Peter Remling »

Yes glue. If you're careful you can also heat up the chape a bit so it expands, tap it into place and let it cool (contract) to get a snug fit without glue.
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Will Whitfoot
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Will Whitfoot »

I would usually use 5-minute epoxy. It holds pretty good if the chape fits well, but if you need to take it off to work on the scabbard you can heat it up a little with a butane torch and it will let go.
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Greg
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Re: Scabbard Core Services

Post by Greg »

Will Whitfoot wrote:I found it useful to use a router to rough out the shape of the blade... that is... a narrow round point bit to cut a single line the depth of the thickest ridge of the blade, and a flat bit to rout out the profile of the blade shallowly. Then it was a flat carving tool to blend the two.
I pride myself in using zero power tools from start to finish on these pieces. It would speed up the process, but speed isn't always desirable, and power tools tend to remove material at a rate that would be prone to excess/mistakes.
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