[Bill Love]

Does anyone know if Medieval Federschwerts had scabbards like regular swords, and if so, what they looked like?

[Bill Grandy]

I've never seen any evidence to suggest that this was common practice, if done at all. There aren't that many surviving examples of practice swords, and to my knowlwedge none of them have scabbards, nor have I seen anything in period literature or fencing treatises to suggest them.

Just so you know, the term "federschwert" is not a period term. I know I'm being a little pedantic in bringing that up, but its kind of like saying "platemail" or using the term broadsword to describe Viking weapons, etc, which are incorrect terms.

[Bill Love]

What was the type called?

[Bill Grandy]

[Werner Stiegler]

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...triumpfzug

The second picture shows fencers with their swords sheated.

[Jonathan Blair]

[Bill Grandy]

I agree with Jonathon that those do not look like they have scabbards to me. In fact, if you look at the first picture in the link, you will see swords with the same appearance on the blade, but with the leather covered ricasso. If they were scabbarded, it would mean that the leather on the ricasso was outside of the scabbard.

Where is the quote "fencers with their swords sheathed" from?

[Allen W]

I have to back up Stiegler. Those are scabbards with seams and chapes on both the federschwerter and two-handers. Federschwerter don't have spines and aren't hollow ground as this would thin the edges and stiffen the the blades making them far more dangerous to practice with while simultaneously shortening their working lives. In the case of the two-handers I think they are scabbarded up to the leather covered ricassos without extending under the leather. Since the swords are only being carried over the shoulder and not worn such would be adequate.

[Ed Toton]

In the first photo in the link, at least a few of those appear to be scabbards, since it looks like there are some clearly defined chapes on the second and third blades from the right.

[Bill Grandy]

[Bill Grandy]

[Greg Mele]

To me, if you look at the first plate, the figures look like they are carrying scabbarded swords (and that does seem like chapes), but nothing tells us that those are longsword foils, nor do they look like it.

The second image clearly has longsword foils being carried, and they also seem to be clearly sans any scabbard.

[Allen W]

Well Bill you have me on the spines of the federschwerter although those in the "Triumph" appear wider than on the page you displayed. The "Triumph" blades also show marks along the blade and near the hilt that suggest tooling to me and in some cases possibly stitching. I also see very simple chapes like this occasionally depicted on katzbalger scabbards.

[Werner Stiegler]

[Bill Love]

If you go to ARMA's website they have a fantastic collection of images in the their Renaissance web documentary, and quite a few of them show practice swords with obvious spines. Some of them may very well have started their lives as type XV or XVIII longswords that were later converted to trainers due to excessive or unrepairable wear or edge damage. This practice of re-purposing worn weapons is well documented historically and notable as late as World War II when shot-out Enfield SMLEs were converted to everything from drill pieces to grenade launchers. I personally know of at least one tent stake that began life as a cavalry saber, so stranger things have happened.

[Sean Flynt]

Execution swords often had scabbards, so there is at least a precedent for scabbards not meant to be worn.

[Nathan Robinson]

[Bill Grandy]

[Bill Grandy]

[Werner Stiegler]