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Main => The Armoury => The Workshop => Topic started by: Ian on 2014-05-11, 18:54:41

Title: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Ian on 2014-05-11, 18:54:41
Whenever you see a rondel dagger on an effigy it is always housed in a peculiar style of sheath.  Rondel dagger scabbards have a sheath with a cup at the top of the sheath that receives the first rondel.  The rondel closest to the blade should be sheathed along with the blade itself.  Unfortunately, no one who commercially makes sheathes for rondel daggers makes them like this.  Here's an effigy so you can see what they look like:

(http://effigiesandbrasses.com/media/cache/effigiesandbrasses.com/original/nicholas_dagworth_s24_r515_large.jpg)

The book Knives and Scabbards (http://www.amazon.com/Knives-Scabbards-Medieval-Excavations-London/dp/1843833530) also documents an extant find.

Solution: MAKE ONE!

So this weekend while I was at at James Barker's home working on patterning for clothing, we decided to make a sheath for my A&A rondel dagger.  We made it from 4 oz leather, and then basically did what you'd do to make a simple knife sheath molded leather around the rondel to form the cup and shaped it while wet to get it right.  Then sewed it up, let it start to dry.  James did the tooling work to match the design on the extant find, and then we dyed it and here it is (I may put a chape on it but am undecided):

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7328/13975388358_bc3622a537_b.jpg)

Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir Patrick on 2014-05-12, 01:24:40
Very cool!
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir Brian on 2014-05-12, 07:27:32
Sweet! Well done!
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Mike W. on 2014-05-12, 14:57:40
That is beautiful
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir James A on 2014-05-12, 17:09:01
Awesome!
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir Edward on 2014-05-12, 18:33:18
Great work! It looks awesome!
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Lord Dane on 2014-05-13, 05:12:26
Very nice Ian.
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir Wolf on 2014-05-13, 13:22:27
i call farb, cause u let jamesb help lol hehehehe
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Ian on 2014-05-13, 16:02:58
i call farb, cause u let jamesb help lol hehehehe

:)  He's the one who figured out how to do the cup!  He also taught me how to do the tooling (he did what you see on my sheath).

I'm toying with the idea of taking commissions on dagger and knife sheaths if anyone's interested.  I'm going to try my hand at historical purses as well since 90% of the ones on the market are very much wrong.
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir Rodney on 2014-05-14, 03:51:37
Very nice work, especially for an afternoon of fun!

How did you finish the seam?  What method/tools did you use for the tooling?  Inquiring minds are dying to know.   :)
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Ian on 2014-05-14, 13:10:37
Very nice work, especially for an afternoon of fun!

How did you finish the seam?  What method/tools did you use for the tooling?  Inquiring minds are dying to know.   :)

JamesB did the tooling, he used a stylus to impress the surface of the leather.

For seams you have two options as outlined here in Knives and Scabbards from the Museum of London Series:
(https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/10269433_815146341830569_6328642569126618922_n.jpg)

We did the flesh/grain stitches on this one (it's certainly easier to do):
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/14159276762_f5ec19120b_c.jpg)
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir William on 2014-05-14, 15:45:51
I'd be in for a dagger sheath, Sir Ian- love how yours came out.  I like the rondels as well, unlike the usual circular ones you see on much of what's available online.
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir Humphrey on 2014-05-14, 16:48:50
Excellent work, as always.  How did you do the embossing? Also, how will it be suspended?

Sir Humphrey
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Ian on 2014-05-14, 17:16:52
Excellent work, as always.  How did you do the embossing? Also, how will it be suspended?

Sir Humphrey

The embossing was done by impressing the leather with a stylus while the leather was still cased.  I will eventually add a leather or cord thong to hang it over the plaque belt. 
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Sir James A on 2014-05-14, 18:16:55
Cased? Like this?

http://www.leatherworker.net/Bob%20Park/Casing%20Leather.pdf (http://www.leatherworker.net/Bob%20Park/Casing%20Leather.pdf)
Title: Re: Rondel Dagger Sheath
Post by: Ian on 2014-05-14, 21:16:55
Yes James.  To case a small piece of leather just wet it, and as it begins to dry there's a point where it's just damp but not soggy.  The leather will hold the impression of the stylus at that point, and also things like finger nail impressions on accident.  Then when it dries the impressed design will remain.