Scabbard Overhaul (Re-Dye)

[Greg]

Alrighty, as most of you are well aware due to my incessant ranting, I've got a Valiant Armoury Bristol from the Christian Fletcher Line. However, the dark red/burgundy just isn't my thing, and doesn't go well with my kit anymore. It kinda sticks out like a sore thumb.

I'd like to re-dye the scabbard and handle, but I'd also like to, if possible, keep the look that the handle has. It's leather over a wire wrap, and it appears to have been dyed black with the red over it so it appears somewhat aged/antiqued, but I don't know how to pull that appearance off when I re-dye it.

For those of you who are staring blankly, thinking "What the heck did he just describe?"
http://www.christianfletcher.com/Christ ... tol.html#9

I've hunted down David Lewis Smith's comments from a few years back right about when I joined when he posted his re-dyed all-white Glamdring replica, so I think I know where to start, but there's nothing there on this fancy Fletcherized dyeing on the handle.

Any thoughts on ANY part of the process will be greatly appreciated.

Side note: I finished the wood scabbard for the knife Eric made me, and mounted it temporarily to my scabbard for use until I have a chance to re-dye the whole thing...pictures coming asap!

[Jon]

If ever i managed to get enough I'd get the Castile. Nice swords.

[Greg]

They are, and they're a great way to get into live, sharpened blade keeping/collecting/cutting etc., because they're so accessible price-wise compared to the general market. The Bristol was my first, and it has opened up a whole new world for me in several areas...Rangering, Swordsmanship, craftsmanship...all kinds of stuff. Ordinarily, I'd feel terrible wanting to overhaul a custom scabbard like this, but I didn't pay a huge fortune for it, and I know I can trust the advice of the good folk on this forum to help me through yet another project in yet another craft of this awesome hobby.

To elaborate on what I think I need to do for this project:
Use nail polish remover to strip the leather of leather sealant and dye; buff with light sandpaper(?)
Apply fresh dye and sealer as per instructions.
No clue how to make the handle look all fancy.
No clue if Sandpaper's what I should be buffing the leather with.

[Peter Remling]

The best site for how-tos on sword customizations is:

http://www.yeoldegaffers.com/project.asp

He explains in detail how to do a whole series of projects.

[Greg]

The site name alone makes me happy. Thanks, Pete!

[Duathen]

I'll second Peter's endorsement, the gaffer's has fantastic info. What color were you thinking of going to?

As for stripping the dye from the leather - if I were in your shoes I'd go with new leather. That way you can dye the leather to exactly the color you want without the risk of having your wood grip or scabbard core soak up any of the gnarly chemicals you use to strip the existing dye. You'll probably be happier with the end result (the existing dye looks pretty dark). The down side is that the bristol has a pretty unique grip shape which will be more difficult to fit a piece of leather to.

Luckily the gaffer's covers both grip and scabbard creation.

P.S. - More than likely your grip is just leather over a wood core. The stippled texture comes from the twine wrapped around the grip when it is epoxied to the wood.

[Greg]

The grip is leather over a wood core wrapped in wire. As much as I'd like to just strip the leather off and start fresh, I don't know if I trust myself with leather enough to re-cover the whole thing. Another forum member re-dyed his dark leather Glamdring replica completely white, so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it shouldn’t be all that difficult to make this reddish scabbard brown.

[Peter Remling]

The grip is leather over a wood core wrapped in wire. As much as I'd like to just strip the leather off and start fresh, I don't know if I trust myself with leather enough to re-cover the whole thing. Another forum member re-dyed his dark leather Glamdring replica completely white, so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it shouldn’t be all that difficult to make this reddish scabbard brown.

It will only be difficult if you want a light brown, dark brown may have a slight reddish tinge, but light brown will definately be distinctly redish.

[Greg]

It's a dark brown, so I think I'll be able to get by. I've got the leather locket from the bristol that I never use anymore which is dyed the same reddish that the scabbard is, pretty much, so I'm gonna give it a go as my test subject, stripping the finish/dye with nail polish remover, and see how it goes. I'll keep you all posted (and again, pics of the finished byknife scabbard coming asap)

[mcapanelli]

The grip is leather over a wood core wrapped in wire. As much as I'd like to just strip the leather off and start fresh, I don't know if I trust myself with leather enough to re-cover the whole thing. Another forum member re-dyed his dark leather Glamdring replica completely white, so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it shouldn’t be all that difficult to make this reddish scabbard brown.

Well it's actually not wrapped with wire, unless you did that yourself. They take leather, apply dye, glue it to the grip, and then wrap it with fine cord while it's still damp and let it sit and dry. After about a day you'll have the impression from the cord pushed in to the leather. It's a real simple thing to do even on existing leather grips with no pattern. I think what your seeing on your grip is not two dyes but an effect created by wrapping a wet oxblood grip and letting it sit.

[Greg]

Well THAT'S pretty awesome. Could've sworn I'd read it was wire-wrapped somewhere, but hey, ya can't win 'em all.

[mcapanelli]

Well THAT'S pretty awesome. Could've sworn I'd read it was wire-wrapped somewhere, but hey, ya can't win 'em all.

AND Quite easy. I have 10 thumbs on two left hands and I got it right after three attempts. It's all about shaving the leathers edge down REAL thin so the edge blends in to the grip after it's wrapped and under pressure from the cord. You can also wrap the grip in fine cord before you apply the leather to give the grip some added strength but you'd have to shave some wood off of the current grip or you'll get a rather bulky handle, unless that's your sort of thing. That's how Albion used to make all their grips before the economy started to tank. I used 6 oz Veg tanned leather for my project and it came out fine. I'll be doing some other choice windlass pieces over the winter months and I'll post pictures of the process. I'm going to take a stab at making a pressure fitted scabbard core as well.