Scabbard leather -- myArmoury.com

Zach Gordon · Posted: Fri 06 Feb, 2009 5:10 pm Post subject: Scabbard leather

Scabbard leather?
Where do I get thin Vegetable tanned leather for covering a scabbard? Is there any problem with using the chrome tanned stuff? And what about oil tanned?
Also what weight should I use and from what animal, sheep, reindeer, cow, pig, etc.?
Lastly I cant figure out a pattern to use I looked at all the old threads on this but I still cant figure out the pattern?
Oh and were all viking sword belt/baldrics attatched via a strap bridge or are there any other ways of attatching the belt/baldric to the scabbard?
Thanx
Z

Chuck Russell · Posted: Fri 06 Feb, 2009 6:53 pm Post subject:

http://www.siegelofca.com/default.asp

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/

pattern? best pattern is based off of your sword. are you making one with a wooden core? or are you just making a leather scabbard? reason i ask is because if you are just making a leather scabbard then you would want a veggie tanned say maybe 8 oz leather. if its got a wooden core then thin leather, whether it be veggie, chrome or whatever it can be as thin as you want it to be.

i'm not 100% on the strap bridge part. maybe others can comment better.

Zach Gordon · Posted: Fri 06 Feb, 2009 7:33 pm Post subject:

Yeah its a wood core I had a friend make for me, it just needs a covering. I heard chrome tanned was bad it like does something to the metal or something if they come in contact.

Jared Smith · Posted: Fri 06 Feb, 2009 7:38 pm Post subject:

I am not sure of the relative corrosive strengths of the different kinds of leather. However, if you seal it well with carnauba wax/ cream, it will not easily corrode. Vegetable tanned leather is normally chosen for leather working where you want it to accept tooling, and when you want it to have the ability to quickly shrink (something like 3%) and conform around an object (cell phone, gun, scabbard core riser, whatever) after sewing. It's historically accurate for medieval period to.

Zach Gordon · Posted: Fri 06 Feb, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject:

Ok so it sounds like it should be veg. tanned.
What animal should it be from? And what is thin in oz.?

Zach Gordon · Posted: Fri 06 Feb, 2009 8:14 pm Post subject:

Ok duh I just found the answer

Jonathan Blair · Posted: Sat 07 Feb, 2009 7:44 am Post subject:

IIRC, 1 oz = 1/64 inch thickness on average. So, 4 oz leather averages 1/16 inch thick.

Zach Gordon · Posted: Tue 10 Feb, 2009 4:25 pm Post subject:

Okay I found 1.5-2.0 oz vegetable tanned pig-skin. I cant find calf-skin with these specifications, is it worse or is there a problem with it being pig and not calf skin? is this less historical or wrong or worse or something

Brian K. · Industry Professional

My tip would be 2 to 3 oz oak tanned cowhide leather for scabbards with risers allowing you to mold the leather to the riser. I would use 3 to 4 oz for scabbards with detailed tooling, to allow for deeper impressions.

I think there are plenty of resources on this forum about scabbard making. I know I've found quite a few threads that gave me incredible insight.

Good luck.

Zach Gordon · Posted: Tue 10 Feb, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject:

Thanx I'll look for that Happy

Doug Lester · Posted: Tue 10 Feb, 2009 9:14 pm Post subject:

Chrome tanned leather is only a problem if the leather comes in contact with the blade. If the scabbard has a wood core or a vegetable tanned liner chrome tanned leather is not a problem and may be more flexable to work with. The one exception is if you want to tool the leather. Goat, sheep, kangaroo, and dear are all thin leathers with goat and kangaroo have the most strength per weight of leather.

I just dug into my closet and took a look at some vegetable tanned kangaroo leather that I got off Ebay and on second though it should wrap around a wood core just fine if you want to stick with vegetable tanned leather. Goat a sheep should be about the same, but I have never seen it offered vegatable tanned.

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team