Parchment Scabbards -- myArmoury.com

Christian G. Cameron · Posted: Wed 08 Aug, 2012 12:52 pm Post subject: Parchment Scabbards

I'm hoping that someone out there owns an original 18th c. small sword in a parchment scabbard. I'm reproducing two at the moment. I would like to know any details of constructions.

Are they glued or sewn?

Are they lined in wood, and if so, how far down the scabbard?

Craig Johnson · Industry Professional

Hi Christian

The ones we have seem to be glued layers of parchment and an outer layer stitched cover. My guess is the inner section was rolled around the blade with a surface coating of glued on the outer side. Then the outer layer was either glued or shrunk around this.

One of ours may have very thin wood supports but its hard to tell. If they are I think they are just wrapped in place not constructed in any shape.

Best
Craig

Christian G. Cameron · Posted: Wed 05 Sep, 2012 6:27 am Post subject:

Thanks, Craig. That bears out one of mine. The other one I have has very thin wood (in fact, I'm pretty sure it is walnut veneer from the period) and a bit of old newspaper under the parchment, but as I have less than 1/3 of the scabbard...

Excellent. i';ll make one each way. Thanks for the info!

Christopher Treichel · Posted: Wed 05 Sep, 2012 7:18 am Post subject:

Neat idea... I must say its on my to do list so since I really like small swords. Where are you going to be getting your parchment from?
Parchment paper is a well processed form of rawhide and I have made a few rawhide scabbards and sheaths for knives and a hanger which have turned out to be rather tough.

Christian G. Cameron · Posted: Wed 05 Sep, 2012 7:55 am Post subject:

http://www.pergamena.net/

You can get sheep or goat at any level of quality.

I have made 18th c. scabbards all my life--sort of a hobby side line. I made them all wrong, and then I made them better...

Still learning.

I've been talking about parchment scabbards for 20 years, but this is my first foray. However, so far it doesn't seem too complex--in fact, this seems pretty straightforward. My interest was--and is--whether the wood lined type ran all the way to the point, or merely over the colcimarde. Seems to me that the scabbard is more for looks than practicality--meant to be light as air, so it may count on glue for stiffening.

Multiple layers of parchment are also very possible--the real life problem is that I have $200 worth of parchment and it's just about enough to cover two scabbards... Yikes....

I'll post photos. Unless it is all fail, in which case I'll disappear quietly.