The Armour Archive

I know the norm is to make a scabbard for an SCA sord out of leather.
Is there any documentaton of sword scabbards being covered in fabric?

Thanks
MJ

I have only read one reference, and it was in an historical fiction setting so I take that as artistic license. In theory, I guess it could've been used, hm. I was going to say that perhaps the durability of linen, wool, broadcloth, whatever might not have been up to snuff for being wrapped around a scabbard, but they wore clothes daily for years w/out bathing- those fibers had to be pretty tough...this is an interesting question.

There's some reference to them in this thread:
http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic ... c+scabbard

Velvet seems to have been not uncommon. Especially on hilt grips and they used it on breastplates later in the medieval period! (Whether or not it was durable may have not been the question. Showing off your wealth and looking good/impressive probably was the point).

Specifically to scabbards, I stole this from another My Armory thread quoted from Richard Fray:
"The grip on the sword of Don Juan, el de Tarifa, circa 1319, has a grip covered in twisted silver wire. The scabbard is covered in red velvet, and the lockets are silver gilt.

The sword found in the coffin of Can Grande della Scala, circa 1329, has a grip bound with silver wire and an overbinding of green silk cord. The scabbard is covered in red velvet with silver lockets."

This was an answer with regards to contrasting colors of grip vs. scabbard, but the information is pertinent to your own question.
-Cian

I read that last reference in Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword...had totally forgotten about that.

And for inspiration here is a velvet scabbard from Leo Todeschini's shop (Tod's Stuff).
http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic ... t+scabbard

I think DBK used felt or velvet on some of his earlier creations, specifically the sword-less scabbards, the King's version I think, iirc.

wood was used in a large number of scabbards and so things over the wood from cloth to hammered gold sheathing seems to have been common.

Any particular time and place? ISTR some Damask on an example...

A time and plac would have helped yes. 1390-1415. Calais is what I am shooting for.

Paladin74 wrote:they wore clothes daily for years w/out bathing

Yeah, and knights had to be winched onto horseback