Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

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Peter Remling
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Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Peter Remling »

Items needed:

1/2" plywood- slightly larger then the blade of your sword

paneling- two pieces slightly larger than the blade of your sword

Sherpa(synthetic sheepskin) or actual sheepskin- 2 pcs the same size as your blade

leather hide -slightly larger than your blade -2 pcs

Tools needed:

marking pen

measureing tape or yardstick

straight edge (not needed if you have a yardstick)

wood glue

wire nails and hammer

clamps_ useful but not needed as you will see

jigsaw

File, sandpaper (bench sander is the way to go but I've used all with good results.

scissors or a sharp knife

needle and thread optional


Lay the sword/dagger on your plywood and trace the outline. Measure a 1/4" on the outside of the outline and plot dots all along the tracing. Useing the straight edge connect the dots. You will need to connect the dots around the point by hand so plot a lot of dots around the point.

You will now have a tracing of your blade with a slightly larger traceing outside the original one.

Useing your jigsaw cut out the outer tracing.

Take this outer tracing and transpose this outline to your two pcs of paneling and cut them out. You will now have three pcs the same size, two of thinner paneling and one piece of 1/4" plywood.

Next use your jigsaw to cut out the original tracing from your plywood carefully. Keep the piece you just cut out, you'll be useing it soon.

With your file or sander remove any rough pieces from the paneling and the plywood (inside and outer edges).

Take the inner piece you removed from the plywood and lay it out on the backside of your sherpa or sheepskin lining material and trace it onto the material. Flip over the inner plywood piece and do this a second time so you have two outlined pieces.. Remove this piece of plywood from the work area to avoid confusion, you will not be useing it any longer.

Take the paneling pieces and glue the centered lining to the rough side. Do this for both pieces.

Once the glue has dried, take your sissors and cut the lining material's pile down. Do this cross wise and trim it every other inch or so. If you look at it at eye level you should see hills and valleys. When Finished:This will force the lining material to brush back and forth over your blade when sheathed or drawn. When coupled with some oil in the scabbard it will give you a nice even coating of oil.

Take the thin center 1/2 pc of plywood and glue it to your panel pieces like a sandwich: panelw/lining, plywood, lining w/paneling.

Clamp the pieces together. If you don't have clamps, cord or even tape wrapped aroungd your scabbard will work. Let the glue dry.

Take off your clamps, tape or cord and you finally have something that starts to resembles a scabbard.

Sand or file down the outer glossy edge of the paneling and continue to form the final shape of the core to your satisfaction.

There are a number of ways to attach a leather covering. The easist is to have both a throat and a chape so the center section is pretty much just a glued leather wrap with a throat piece and a chape over the ends. The throat and chape can be either leather or metal.

The next would be a single or double stitched tube with throat and chape.

The cheapest but most difficult is no chape or throat piece. For this you have to cut out two pieces of leather, punch holes all around and then after stitching and turning it rightside out, pull it on like a stocking. Trim your nails before doing this one as you can easily scratch the leather pulling the on.

Even with gluing time and a break or two you can knock off one of these in 4-5 hours start to finish.

I'll add pics later.
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Peter Remling
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Post by Peter Remling »

Image

<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts010.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts010.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts012.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts012.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts013.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts013.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>



<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts015.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts015.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts016.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts016.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts017.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Peter Remling
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Post by Peter Remling »

Screwed up again
<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts019.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts019.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts028.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts028.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts030.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn46 ... fts030.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


This is a plain black scabbard with rain guard, no chape or mouthpiece. Chapes and mouthpieces are easier and more fun as you get to play with contrasting colors. With scabbards, you don't really have to stop here, conchos, belt mounts and inlays can all be used to make your scabbard very personal.
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mcapanelli
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Post by mcapanelli »

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Peter Remling
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Post by Peter Remling »

Thanks again Mike !
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Post by mcapanelli »

On a side note you should try Imageshack.us for your photos. It's a little easier to navigate then Photobucket.
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Ringulf
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Ringulf »

Peter Remling wrote:Items needed:

1/2" plywood- slightly larger then the blade of your sword

paneling- two pieces slightly larger than the blade of your sword

Sherpa(synthetic sheepskin) or actual sheepskin- 2 pcs the same size as your blade

leather hide -slightly larger than your blade -2 pcs

Tools needed:

marking pen

measureing tape or yardstick

straight edge (not needed if you have a yardstick)

wood glue

wire nails and hammer

clamps_ useful but not needed as you will see

jigsaw

File, sandpaper (bench sander is the way to go but I've used all with good results.

scissors or a sharp knife

needle and thread optional


Lay the sword/dagger on your plywood and trace the outline. Measure a 1/4" on the outside of the outline and plot dots all along the tracing. Useing the straight edge connect the dots. You will need to connect the dots around the point by hand so plot a lot of dots around the point.

You will now have a tracing of your blade with a slightly larger traceing outside the original one.

Useing your jigsaw cut out the outer tracing.

Take this outer tracing and transpose this outline to your two pcs of paneling and cut them out. You will now have three pcs the same size, two of thinner paneling and one piece of 1/4" plywood.

Next use your jigsaw to cut out the original tracing from your plywood carefully. Keep the piece you just cut out, you'll be useing it soon.

With your file or sander remove any rough pieces from the paneling and the plywood (inside and outer edges).

Take the inner piece you removed from the plywood and lay it out on the backside of your sherpa or sheepskin lining material and trace it onto the material. Flip over the inner plywood piece and do this a second time so you have two outlined pieces.. Remove this piece of plywood from the work area to avoid confusion, you will not be useing it any longer.

Take the paneling pieces and glue the centered lining to the rough side. Do this for both pieces.

Once the glue has dried, take your sissors and cut the lining material's pile down. Do this cross wise and trim it every other inch or so. If you look at it at eye level you should see hills and valleys. When Finished:This will force the lining material to brush back and forth over your blade when sheathed or drawn. When coupled with some oil in the scabbard it will give you a nice even coating of oil.

Take the thin center 1/2 pc of plywood and glue it to your panel pieces like a sandwich: panelw/lining, plywood, lining w/paneling.

Clamp the pieces together. If you don't have clamps, cord or even tape wrapped aroungd your scabbard will work. Let the glue dry.

Take off your clamps, tape or cord and you finally have something that starts to resembles a scabbard.

Sand or file down the outer glossy edge of the paneling and continue to form the final shape of the core to your satisfaction.

There are a number of ways to attach a leather covering. The easist is to have both a throat and a chape so the center section is pretty much just a glued leather wrap with a throat piece and a chape over the ends. The throat and chape can be either leather or metal.

The next would be a single or double stitched tube with throat and chape.

The cheapest but most difficult is no chape or throat piece. For this you have to cut out two pieces of leather, punch holes all around and then after stitching and turning it rightside out, pull it on like a stocking. Trim your nails before doing this one as you can easily scratch the leather pulling the on.

Even with gluing time and a break or two you can knock off one of these in 4-5 hours start to finish.

I'll add pics later.
Brilliant Pete! I absolutely love it I made a scabbard for my Longsword and Main guache using many of these methods. The sword was sold but the Maine Gauche I still have most of as the scabbard outlasted the sword!

I did the same sandwich out of three peices of 1/4 inch. never used the lining and put it all together with apolstry tacks. it was very block and crude but very strong.

Your method is a fantastic refinement on that and I can not wait to try it! Whats more it will allow me to do any of the construction styles I was contemplating.

I have everything I need sitting right here in front of me including the faux leather and the shirpa. I could use this tutorial mixed with the one on the braided leather covered scabard From Mirimaran's post about the best scabbard constuction site.

http://www.ranger.budgetauthenticity.or ... ?f=5&t=673

For the production ones I certainly could go with a much simpler approach.

Now your interlocking loops or tabs would work even better than the cruder hook and gromit thing and look great! A circular file or a hollow tube with utensils inside would be great I was even thinking a lockpick set in one half of a hollow piece of bamboo corked on both sides with a sewing kit in the other could be a great use of the space.

At this point I did not actually get most of the pictures but to tell you the truth your description allong with, for some reason, an inate sympathetic accord with what you are going for here, makes pics un-needed.

I think I will be taking pictures of my progress anyway. I will share them with you. Are you ok with my using this method?
If you would like I can certainly share it with the group and make sure they know that this is the Peter Remling Scabbarding method.

As I have said before I will shamelessly learn and adopt all kinds of things and add them to my toolbox but I try very hard to give credit where credit is due.
As my Grandpa was fond of reminding me:

"There is no such thing as a new idea, if it is a good one, you can bet on it having been thought of before. It is just the way we combine our ideas that produces new applications."
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
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Peter Remling
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Peter Remling »

Ringulf, if I didn't hope people would use and refine it, I wouldn't have posted so go to town. I would definately like to see pics of the finished product.
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Ringulf
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Ringulf »

Righto my friend I thank you for the jewels of information and give you my word to give it my all! :wink:
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
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Dailir
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Dailir »

Thank you! You have amazing timing Pete, as I was just looking for a way to make a scabbard for my new sword. I'll have to post the final pics when it's complete. :)
Fellow Dùnedain, gather your arms and fight with me, fight for all you know and you cannot fail.
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Ghostsoldier
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Ghostsoldier »

NECRO...I know; you wouldn't happen to have a link to the missing photos would you, Peter?

Rob
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Peter Remling
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Peter Remling »

Ghostsoldier wrote:NECRO...I know; you wouldn't happen to have a link to the missing photos would you, Peter?

Rob
Unfortunately no Rob, I had them on Photobucket before they started charging and have since lost access. I'll check my old computer to see if there are any there.

Sorry no pics on the old computer and I also checked Sword Forum International as I posted a thread there too. Feel free to ask any questions though.
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Ringulf
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Ringulf »

This Necro as you put it is also timely as the project I was doing fell by the wayside while trying to finish the blade itself. I am using Pete's method now to do the scabbard and have been taking pictures, so we can compare when I get it done!
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
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Ghostsoldier
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Re: Sword Scabbards the inexpensive way

Post by Ghostsoldier »

Peter Remling wrote:
Ghostsoldier wrote:NECRO...I know; you wouldn't happen to have a link to the missing photos would you, Peter?

Rob
Unfortunately no Rob, I had them on Photobucket before they started charging and have since lost access. I'll check my old computer to see if there are any there.

Sorry no pics on the old computer and I also checked Sword Forum International as I posted a thread there too. Feel free to ask any questions though.
No worries, Peter...I lost a lot in the Great Photobucket Purge myself, so I understand completely. I can follow your written instructions pretty close, and if i hit a snag, I'll be sure to hit you up. Maybe Ringulf would be willing to share his build photos here on the forums, when the time comes and he's completed his project.

Rob
"Nothing's forgotten."
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