I've been wondering how common scabbards for large swords were. I'm mean large as in swords that are about 47" and longer.

It seems like I remember reading that with larger swords a ring on a belt is what kept the sword at one's side. I've also heard that before the sword was used in battle, the scabbard was discarded and left behind. If anyone has any information about historical use of scabbards for large swords it would be appreciated.

If you carry the sword on your side, I'll gurantee you, you want to have a scabbard (or you start accidently cutting yourself and the people around you). If the sword wasn't used as a sidearm, but carried on a mule, squire, wagon of the baggage train and was only taken out for use in a battle, then it might not have had a scabbard.

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Scott Brandt had this one done by John Lundemo of odin blades...IMO Johns historical stuff is VERY impressive. This is how I'd see a large swords scabbard being so it can be easily drawn. :)

http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s...adid=33452

WOW!!!!!!! :eek:

Scott, that is one awesome sword. Johns work just gets more and more impressive.

Some contemporary artwork, especially from the 16th c., shows large swords carried without scabbards and resting on the shoulder like a polearm. I'll dig up an image of a Landesknecht. The image of Gallowglass and Kern below shows two methods of ca. 1525.

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Here's a Landesknecht, one of many contemporary L-knecht woodcuts available at:
http://www.st-max.org/todesengel_woodcuts.htm

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Many two-handed claymores have original scabbards (as I belive most did originally). This includes both longer (40" blades and up) and shorter(36-39" blades). Likewise many of the large bastard swords in the Landeszueghaus Graz (with blade lengths ranging from 40"-48") had scabbards though I have never heard of any accompanying zweihanders. We know two-handed claymores were often worn over the back, though baldric and scabbard would have to be taken off in order to draw the sword. Those in Graz, I suspect, were more for the maintenance of the sword than actual wear.

This topic came up on SFI some years ago. Some of the woodcuts Sean showed us came up there. One thing Allen brought is new. I have never heard nor seen claymore (the two handed variety) scabbards. During that discussion, no one was able to come up with relaiable, contemporary evidence of anyone carrying a large sword over their back in a sling or scabbard. I am not saying that such things did not exist; I tend to think that they were too practical not to exist. However, I would love to see some historical evidence to back this up. Surely somone must know something. As far as I can tell, it seems that the big swords were just carried around on the shoulder. Again, I believe that it would have been practical to have a scabbard or at teh least wrap the sword adn blade in oilcloth to transport it. Anyone else care to chime in here?

Thanks for the responses, guys! Thanks for the pictures.

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During that discussion, no one was able to come up with relaiable, contemporary evidence of anyone carrying a large sword over their back in a sling or scabbard. I am not saying that such things did not exist; I tend to think that they were too practical not to exist.

Yeah, I too have always wondered about that. I can also see how carrying a large sword on the back would have been very likely for transporting if nothing else.