What a scabbard is made of
The base is a core of two thin wooden laths, hollowed on the inside to the shape of the blade and glued together. The core is covered in leather, glued or stitched along the back. Medieval scabbards were sometimes lined with wool or fleece: the lanolin in it oiled the blade every time it was drawn.
A metal throat fitting at the mouth of the scabbard protects the leather from the edge and stiffens the opening. Further down sits the suspension, and at the very end, the chape.
The chape
The chape is the metal fitting on the tip of the scabbard. It stops the end wearing through when the scabbard knocks against the leg, the saddle or the ground, and keeps the point from piercing the leather. In the Middle Ages it was often a simple sheet-metal cap; on later scabbards it became a decorative cast terminal.
Suspension and sword belt
In the 13th and 14th centuries the scabbard was attached to the belt by straps laced around its upper part, so the sword hung at an angle on the left hip — for a right-handed swordsman the hilt was within reach and the tip stayed out from under his feet. Later, metal mounts with rings to which the belt straps were buckled became common.
A well-fitted sword belt holds the scabbard at an angle that lets you draw without holding it with the other hand, and does not slide down as you walk.
How to match a scabbard to a sword
A scabbard is made for one particular blade: its length, its width at the guard, its thickness and the way it tapers to the point. The mouth must also suit the guard — some guards have langets that come down over the scabbard and close it from above.
The sword should be held by friction near the mouth. A scabbard that is too loose lets it fall out; one that is too tight wears the edge and makes the draw difficult. If you need a scabbard for a sword you already own, write to us with the dimensions of the blade and guard and we will ask the maker for one made to measure.
A scabbard is not a cupboard
Leather holds moisture and contains tanning agents, so a blade shut in a scabbard for months starts to rust where you cannot see it. Day to day, keep the sword out of the scabbard with a thin film of oil on the blade.
If you hang a sword on the wall, choose an inside wall away from radiators and windows. A wall mount should support the sword in two places — near the guard and further towards the point — so the blade does not hang from a single point.