[Thomas R.]

Hi fellow forumites,

I know there are many threads about scabbard making, I searched a lot of them. I have also read yeoldgaffers how-to-tutorial, and my scabbard core is almost finished. But I am unsure which leather I should use to coat the scabbard.

I know it has to be vegetabil leather, so I can work it dampened. But how thick has it to be? Has it to be cow? I found a german site www.lederhaus.de which offers vegetabil tanned leather of 2 mm thickness, but it's tanned just halfway through (so I guess it will become really hard after sewing?) They said it's best suited for making a scabbard, but it's also really expensive (1,2 square meter - 117,- Euro!)

I would be grateful for some advice in this. I had already bought some leather back in spring, but I doubt now, that it can be used in wet condition - so i don't want to buy another sheet of the wrong kind.

Yours,
Thomas

[Leo Todeschini]

Everyone is different, but I use 1.2 or 1.6mm vegtan cow hide. The leather you are talking about is called half tan and is great for knife scabbards but I think for putting over a wood core is not right.

You cannot use chrome tanned leather for historical projects and have any success with it.

Vegtable tanned leather should cost you 4-6 Euro for 1ft x 1ft (30cm x 30cm) so work out the meter squared cost, but less than 118 Euro

Tod

[Thomas R.]

Hi Leo,

thanks for your good advice! I already thought, they were screwing me with this half-tan-suggestion. I'll test the leather I've already got, if it's chromed. If not, it should be usable, cause it's as thin as you mentioned. Nevertheless I am a bit nervous about getting this right. Maybe a professional leatherworker like you can understand this.

Best regards,
Thomas

[Markus Nußbaumer]

Hi Thomas,

I am not a specialist concerning leather types and tanning methodes, but as for where to get leather, my experience with www.lederkram.de, a German online shop for all kinds of stuff concerning DIY projects, leather and reenactment was quite good, although their website is so stuffed with stuff that you maybe have to search for while. They are not too expensive in my experience.

Regards,

Markus

[Douglas S]

Belly hide is thin and stretches well.
See if you can find veg-tanned goat.

[Thomas R.]

Hi Douglas,

I have an offer for veg tanned sheep leather... Seems to be also very thin. Maybe this is a good substitute for goat?

Regards and thanks to all helpful answers...

Thomas