Scabbards

[Sir Brian]

Ironic that you expanded upon the subject on the cost of an excellent scabbard for I have been considering upon a viable alternative: 

I’m not sure if anyone has posted a link to this site yet but it is very informative at what is involved with making a great scabbard, http://yeoldegaffers.com/project_scabbard.asp which inspired my contemplations to make my own core and then turn it over to an extremely talented local leather craftsman and reduce the overall costs and hopefully bypass the extremely long waiting lists for the top quality/pricy scabbard makers. So do you think my scheming will work? 

[Sir Brian]

I thought it best to splinter this topic off from the Albion Price Hike topic in The Armory section and use this as a general area of references and progress reports. Besides the above link to the very informative guide to making a scabbard, here is a link to bending wood as described as one of the methods to making a wood core.

http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_1/55000/55471/1/print/55471.pdf

Also: I started off with several poplar wood slats from Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/Lumber-Composites-Boards/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbqmc/R-100384933/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051

Since these boards are only ¼” thick you don’t have too much sanding to do in order to get them around 3/16” as recommended in the guide I originally posted. Steaming sounds like a bigger challenge and I hope I don’t have to heat up the wood that much to get the necessary bend, but I’ll find out. 

[Sir Brian]

Another site discussing methods of bending wood including 'cold' bending. 
http://www.tai-workshop.com/english/tech-2(b)-e.html

[Sir Wolf]

i've made a few in my day. its not hard. try it

[Sir Brian]

Oh I definitely will on Monday. I almost have everything prepared and think I'll try soaking the slats in boiling hot water in the tub. I do have to notch out the top of the slats for the Talhoffer's particular crossguard which has a central nub and I'm thinking of edging the inside of the scabbard around the point with thin leather cord to prevent the wood glue from encasing the blade during the bending & binding process.

Btw my new chape for the scabbard came yesterday!

[Sir William]

Wow, that is a beautiful piece, Brian...I can't wait to see the end result.  Where'd you get it, if you don't mind me asking?

[Sir Edward]

That looks like one of the ones from RQP.  Very nice! Can't wait to see the final result!

[Sir Brian]

Yes it's a RQP. I'll have to put in another order once I decide upon which buckles and belt tips to have with the suspension.

[Bernarr]

I was thinking about doing this as well, it's just proving difficult to find a leather craftsperson around me

[Sir Brian]

If it works out well with the leather craftsman I intend to commission then I would be happy to relay and encourage you to seek him out. Right at this moment I'm off to do some more work on the scabbard's wood core.

[Sir Brian]

Some more preparation work on the slats before soaking and bending them. The Albion Talhoffer blade is particularly challenging first attempt with its diamond cross section. I accidentally split one of the slats while squeezing them together too hard and had to prepare another one. 

Note I got a decent shape on the mouth of the scabbard for the Talhoffer's unique crossguard.

[Sir James A]

Excellent progress so far, Sir Brian.

[Sir Gerard de Rodes]

Nice work so far Sir Brian.

Have you checked these guys out for nice brass and bronze work;
http://www.re-enactment.co.uk/index.php?cPath=58_63_85_167

G.

[Sir Brian]

Thanks for the excellent link Sir Gerard! They definately have a wider selection of chapes, buckles and strap ends! Awesome! 

[Thorsteinn]

Will you write up a How-To when done?