Note the surviving scabbard of ash wood. It is constructed from narrow staves that are glued together into two separate sides that are cut out to accept the blade. They are held together by iron bands. The two top most ones use to hold rings for attachment to a baldric or belt. One ring faces forwards, the other backwards. Sometimes these rings are integral with the bands, by twisting into a loop. Sometimes there are articulated rings that sit affixed by the bands.
In this case it is interesting that the scabbard of ash has survived, but the grip has perished. Makes one wonder what material was used for the grip slabs...
I attach a sketch based on one of the drawing published by Engelhardt from the Vimose find. I have pencilled in the outline of the original grips, as I imagine they may have looked. If the grip slabs extended outside the width and outline of the tang (as some surviving metal mounts show) the outline with the scabbard is "completed": the lines of the grip and the lines of the scabbard meet uninterrupted. To get a good grip of these weapons a spur at the heel of the hand is of great help. If the grips were to end with just a gradually narrowing grip, it is very easy to loose grip of the sword in a swing. The spurs do also help some in protecting the fingers during a fight. Perhaps not from a direct cut, but will hep deflect the force if you slam your hand into the opponents shield.
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![post-23694-125269471812.jpg](files/post-23694-125269471812_558.jpg)
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![GripSuggestionX.jpg](files/gripsuggestionx_245.jpg)
For a more exact suggestion of shape, reconstructions have to be made and more comparisons with surviving material. Just to give an idea, however.